The New York Yankees have announced that outfielder Spencer Jones and right-handed pitcher Elmer Rodríguez are the winners of the 2025 Kevin Lawn Awards, recognizing the organization’s Minor League “Position Player of the Year” and “Pitcher of the Year,” respectively.
Both standout prospects will be honored during an on-field pregame ceremony ahead of the Yankees vs. Orioles matchup at 6:35 p.m. at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The annual Kevin Lawn Awards are presented in memory of Kevin O’Brien Lawn, the son of longtime Yankees Vice President and Chief of Operations Jack Lawn, who passed away in 1999.
Spencer Jones Named Yankees Minor League Position Player of the Year
Spencer Jones, 24, continues to establish himself as one of the top prospects in the Yankees farm system. Across four minor league seasons (2022–25), the left-handed hitting outfielder owns a .271/.349/.490 slash line with 267 runs, 88 doubles, 11 triples, 72 home runs, 236 RBIs, 172 walks, and 109 stolen bases in 380 games.
During the 2025 season, Jones batted .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs and 80 RBIs over 116 games split between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He ranked second among all minor league players in home runs, while leading Yankees prospects in both home runs and runs scored.
Jones also finished among the organization’s leaders in multiple offensive categories, including extra-base hits (59), total bases (250), slugging percentage, RBIs, and OPS (.933). His all-around performance solidified his status as one of the most dangerous hitters in the minors.
In July, Jones earned International League Player of the Month honors after an explosive stretch with the RailRiders, hitting .419/.477/.946 with 11 home runs and 23 RBIs in just 18 games.
Following the season, Jones was ranked the No. 6 prospect in the Yankees organization by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, and was also named to the All-MiLB Prospect First Team. The Encinitas, California native was originally selected by the Yankees in the first round (25th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt University.
Elmer Rodríguez Named Yankees Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Right-handed pitcher Elmer Rodríguez, 22, earned Yankees Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors after a dominant 2025 campaign. Across four minor league seasons between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees organizations, Rodríguez owns a 22-19 record with a stellar 2.59 ERA and 371 strikeouts in 333.1 innings.
In 2025, Rodríguez went 11-8 with a 2.58 ERA over 150 innings, recording 176 strikeouts across 27 games (26 starts) with High-A Hudson Valley, Double-A Somerset, and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He ranked second among all minor league pitchers in strikeouts last season.
Among Yankees minor league pitchers, Rodríguez led the system in strikeouts and innings pitched, while also ranking near the top in ERA, WHIP (1.07), opponents’ batting average (.192), and total starts.
His breakout season earned him Baseball America’s Yankees Minor League Player of the Year honors, along with First-Team All-Star recognition and a High-A All-Star selection.
Rodríguez is widely regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. He was ranked the No. 2 Yankees prospect by Baseball America (No. 59 overall in MLB) and the No. 3 Yankees prospect by MLB Pipeline (No. 82 overall).
A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Rodríguez was originally selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He was acquired by the Yankees on December 11, 2024, along with international signing bonus pool money, in exchange for catcher Carlos Narváez.
NEW YORK YANKEES KEVIN LAWN AWARD WINNERS
Year / Position Player of the Year / Pitcher of the Year
2025 / OF Spencer Jones (SOM/SWB) / RHP Elmer Rodríguez (HV/SOM/SWB)
2024 / C Rafael Flores (HV/SOM) / RHP Cam Schlittler (HV/SWB/SOM)
2023 / C Ben Rice (HV/TAM/SOM) / RHP Chase Hampton (HV/SOM)
2022 / OF Jasson Domínguez (TAM/HV/SOM) / RHP Will Warren (HV/SOM)
2021 / SS Anthony Volpe (TAM/HV) / RHP Hayden Wesneski (HV/SOM/SWB)
2020 / No winners (Minor League season canceled due to COVID)
2019 / 1B Chris Gittens (TRE) / RHP Deivi García (TAM/TRE/SWB)
2018 / INF Brandon Wagner (TAM/TRE) / RHP Michael King (TAM/TRE/SWB)
2017 / 3B Miguel Andújar (TRE/SWB) / RHP Domingo Acevedo (TAM/TRE/SWB)
2016 / OF Aaron Judge (SWB) / RHP Chance Adams (TAM/TRE)
2015 / C Gary Sánchez (TRE/SWB) / RHP Luis Severino (TRE/SWB)
2014 / INF Rob Refsnyder (TRE/SWB) / RHP Luis Severino (CHA/TAM/TRE)
2013 / 1B Greg Bird (CHA) / RHP Shane Greene (TAM/TRE)
2012 / OF Tyler Austin (GCL/CHA/TAM/TRE) / RHP Mark Montgomery (TAM/TRE)
2011 / C Austin Romine (TRE/SWB) / RHP D. J. Mitchell (SWB)
2010 / SS Eduardo Nuñez (SWB) / RHP David Phelps (TRE/SWB)
2009 / C Austin Romine (TAM) / RHP Zach McAllister (TRE)
2008 / OF Brett Gardner (SWB) / LHP Phil Coke (TRE/SWB)
2007 / OF Austin Jackson (CHA/TAM/SWB) / RHP Ian Kennedy (TAM/TRE/SWB)
2006 / 1B Cody Ehlers (TAM) / RHP Phil Hughes (TRE)
2005 / OF Kevin Thompson (COL/TRE) / RHP Matt DeSalvo (TRE)
2004 / 1B Andy Phillips (COL/TRE) / RHP Chien-Ming Wang (TRE/COL)
2003 / C Dioner Navarro (TAM/TRE) / RHP Jorge DePaula (COL)
2002 / 2B Andy Phillips (COL/NOR) / LHP Danny Borrell (NOR/TAM) & RHP Jorge DePaula (NOR)
2001 / OF Juan Rivera (COL/NOR) & OF Marcus Thames (NOR) / LHP Brandon Claussen (NOR/TAM)
2000 / 3B Scott Seabol (NOR) / LHP Randy Keisler (COL)
1999 / 2B D’Angelo Jimenez (COL) & 1B Nick Johnson (NOR) / LHP Ed Yarnall (COL)
1998 / 1B Nick Johnson (TAM) / RHP Ryan Bradley (TAM/NOR/COL)
1997 / 3B Mike Lowell (COL/NOR) / LHP Eric Milton (NOR/TAM)
1996 / OF Ricky Ledee (COL/NOR) / RHP Jay Tessmer (TAM)
1995 / SS Derek Jeter (COL) / RHP Matt Drews (TAM)
1994 / SS Derek Jeter (TAM/ALB/COL) / LHP Andy Pettitte (COL/ALB)
1993 / OF Billy Masse (COL) / LHP Ryan Karp (ALB/PRW/GBO)
1992 / 1B J.T. Snow (COL) / RHP Sam Militello (COL)
1991 / C Kiki Hernandez (GBO/PW) & SS Dave Silvestri (ALB) / RHP Ed Martel (ALB/COL) & RHP Sam Militello (PW/ALB)
1990 / OF Hensley Meulens (COL) / RHP Dave Eiland (COL)
1989 / 1B Hal Morris (COL) / LHP Steve Adkins (FTL/ALB)
1988 / 1B Kevin Maas (PRW/ALB) / RHP Todd Malone (SAR)
1987 / OF Darren Reed (COL) / RHP Dana Ridenour (FTL)
1986 / 3B Chris Alvarez (FTL) / RHP Logan Easley (ALB)
1985 / OF Dan Pasqua (COL) / RHP Brad Arnsberg (ALB)
1984 / C/OF Scott Bradley (COL) / LHP Jim Deshaies (COL)
1983 / OF Brian Dayett (COL) / RHP Jose Rijo (FTL/NSH)
1982 / OF Matt Winters (GBO/NSH) / RHP Bob Tewksbury (FTL)
1981 / 1B Don Mattingly (COL) / LHP Pete Filson (FTL/NSH)
1980 / 1B Steve Balboni (NSH) / RHP Gene Nelson (FTL)
Source:
Parker Lougée
Assistant, Communications and Media Relations
New York Yankees
Photo: Wikipedia
