Pirates fans laughing at latest Yankees trade rumor that would never happen

New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones has come up in quite a few trade rumors leading up to Thursday's deadline at 6 p.m. ET. But the Yankees remain resolute that they will not be trading him under any circumstances – with one exception.

The only potential trade partner the Yankees would consider for Jones – their No. 4 prospect according to MLB Pipeline – is none other than the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yes, you read that correctly.

Per a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yankees will only consider trading Jones if the return nets them Pirates ace Paul Skenes ... which is definitely not happening.

That's quite a hefty price point, especially considering that there were concerns about Jones' strikeout rate in the minor leagues as recently as a month ago. Besides, unless the Pirates have a franchise-altering change of heart with just hours to go before the deadline, Skenes isn't going anywhere.

Pirates fans laughing at latest Yankees trade rumor that would never happen

To his credit, Jones has certainly raised his stock with his recent play at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He already has 13 home runs in just 21 Triple-A games since his promotion in June, including a three-homer game last week in Rochester.

Jones' name has also come up in discussions of promotion candidates to replace Aaron Judge, who has landed on the IL with a flexor strain injury to his right elbow. While Jones profiles similarly to Judge with a 6-foot-7 frame, the Yankees have already made it clear that they won't be calling him up, especially while he continues to deal with back spasms.

Jones also plays primarily at center field, which is not a position of need for the Pirates while they have Oneil Cruz locked up there (with Konnor Griffin potentially on the way in the next year or two). Either way, the idea that the Pirates would even consider trading Skenes right now – much less for an talented, yet unproven outfielder – is ludicrous. And even if the Yankees could offered an expanded package, it wouldn't come close to convincing the Pirates because of how weak New York's farm system depth is.

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