The buzz over Gleyber Torres and Jorge Mateo is appropriate, yet Didi Gregorius has proven he deserves the starting spot for the future.
As the 2014 season drew to a close, the New York Yankees were uncertain. For only the second time in 20 seasons, the Yankees were without a reliable shortstop.Enter Didi Gregorius.
In a three-way trade between the Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers, the Yankees acquired a young Gregorius for virtually nothing, giving up only pitcher Shane Greene in the process. A trade that was, at the time, heavily questioned, has turned out to be a blessing for a team looking to replace one of the greatest shortstops of this generation.
With two seasons down PDJ (post-Derek Jeter), fans are turning towards the youth movement and closely following the path of minor leaguers Gleyber Torres and Jorge Mateo. Baseball America’s No. 2 and No. 5 prospects, respectively, have caused a stir in the minors and showed off exactly why they deserve a shot at the major leagues.
While it’s easy to get swept away by young talent, the Yankees have to realize they have young talent manning shortstop right now. Gregorius, at 26 years old, has shown that life after Jeter is possible. While Gregorius arrived in the Bronx as a project, he quickly proved to the Yankees that he was a player they couldn’t live without.
In two seasons in the Bronx, Gregorius slashed .270/.311/.409, including 29 home runs. Just this past season, he belted a career-high 20 home runs, shattering his previous high by 11. However, the most impressive offensive stat is his dominant .320 average against left-handed pitchers.
Gregorius’ defensive abilities have also set him apart from the previous captain. Making stellar plays on a daily basis, Gregorius used his range and strong arm to record out after out when the Yankees needed it most. Both Jeter and Gregorius boast the same .976 fielding percentage for their careers, but Gregorius has far more range than Jeter ever had at the position.