With full-team workouts coming our way on February 15, let’s take an early look at the 2017 New York Yankees’ spring training battles.
As mentioned yesterday, the New York Yankees offseason has hit a standstill here in January but there is plenty to talk about as Spring Training is just around the corner.Yesterday we talked “lowkey” prospects in the organization and now we turn our attention to the upcoming spring training battles we could see in 2017.
The main battles that will take place are for the backup catcher’s role, the first base position, right field and the final two spots in the rotation.
ESNY breaks down which guys will snag those spots and which will be either outcasted to the minors or given a bench role. As always, feel free to voice your opinion in the comments below.
Backup Catcher: Austin Romine vs. Kyle Higashioka
Following the 2016 season, after slashing .276/.337/.511 with 21 homers between Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Kyle Higashioka needed protection from the Rule-5 Draft and was added to the 40-man roster.
That means that the 26-year old may start his rookie campaign in the Bronx following this year’s spring training.
Always showing superb defense behind the plate, Higashioka made strides with his bat by making sure his ninth season in the farm system was the best.
Will the seventh round pick of the 2008 June Amateur Draft take over as the starting catcher? I think we all know the answer to that (it’s no).
Yet, a solid camp by the righty can put some pressure on Austin Romine for that second catcher’s spot.
Prediction: Austin Romine
Sure, Higashioka impressed and has always carried a valuable toolset, but Romine is simply out of options — meaning he must clear waivers before being sent to the minors.
That doesn’t mean Romine, who settled with New York on a one-year, $805K deal to avoid arbitration on Friday, won’t do a great job behind Gary Sanchez next season.
In 2016, New York’s second-round pick out of the 2007 draft slashed .242/.269/.382 but only made one error in 355.1 total innings behind the plate.
Plus, the RailRiders could use a starting catcher while Higashioka, presuming he keeps his stock up, could be used for a valuable trade chip or even a serviceable call-up by September.
Right Field: Aaron Judge vs. Aaron Hicks
After watching Aaron Judge struggle (50% strikeout rate) in his first taste of the majors and Aaron Hicks‘ late-season burst, this battle is something to watch down in Tampa this spring.
Struggling through his first 86 games in the Bronx (.187 BA), Hicks turned it around following the trade of Carlos Beltran to the Texas Rangers.
The switch-hitter slashed .276/.339/.431 with five of his eight home runs over his final 36 games of the year. From August 11 to September 26, Hicks hit .306.
Judge, on the other hand, struggled mightily after destroying a pitch for his first major league home run in his first at-bat.
From Aug 22 on, unfortunately, the monstrous outfielder slashed .121/.212/.241 and hit just two home runs in 20 games while, as mentioned, striking out in half of his total at-bats.
Prediction: Aaron Judge
Not only does he have Hal Steinbrenner on his side, but Judge has a track record of bouncing back after a down year by assessing exactly what he needs to do to adjust.
Upon his promotion from Double-A Trenton to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2015, Judge saw his OPS drop from .866 to .680 while also watching his strikeout rate climb from 28% to 32%.
He bounced back the following year by smashing 19 home runs in just 93 games and bringing his OPS back up to an impressive .854. In the majors, his OPS dipped to .608 while, I’m sick of mentioning this, he struck out a ton.
One thing that remained a constant, though, was what happened when he made contact.
Judge’s average exit velocity on batted balls, according to Statcast, was 96.82 m.p.h. MLB’s average for 2016 was 89.57.
The average distance his batted balls traveled was 249.67 feet while the average in baseball was 218.08. His average generated velocity was 8.00 m.p.h. The league average was 1.45.
In the end, Judge has a track record of adjusting, promising signs in the pros (notwithstanding the strikeouts) and is expected by the team’s principal owner to win the spot.
First Base: Greg Bird vs. Tyler Austin
When Greg Bird first burst on to the Bronx scene, he was exactly what the Yankees needed when Mark Teixeira went down with a broken leg in 2015.
Bird crushed 11 home runs in 46 games and slashed .261/.343/.529 with an OPS of .871 but we never got to see him in action due to a torn right labrum sustained in the offseason.
What we did get to see, however, was Tyler Austin.
The 25-year old smacked five home runs in 31 games following a promotion on August 13, 2016, but demonstrated superb opposite-field power, a clutch gene and went 6-for-12 (.500) with two home runs over his last five games.
Prediction: Greg Bird
While Austin certainly makes a case to win it, I find his flexibility around the diamond too valuable to lock into one position.
The ability to DH, play first, right field, left field and even some third base will prove to be beneficial for Bird (who’s recovering from shoulder surgery) Judge, Sanchez and more.
Not to mention having his bat handy on the bench for a late-game situation, but the determination to go with Bird just makes sense.
He’s a guy who made a smooth transition from the minors to the big leagues in ’15 and despite the evident rust he demonstrated in the Arizona Fall League (.215/.346/.364, 1 HR), his on-base percentage (.346) and walks (12) reassured his organization that his plate discipline had not disappeared.
Final Two Rotation Spots: Luis Severino vs. Luis Cessa vs. Chad Green vs. Bryan Mitchell vs. Adam Warren
Without a doubt, this is the battle most people will pay attention to from the day pitchers and catcher report until the Opening Day rosters are announced.
Instead of breaking them all down in one snip bit, I’m going to go ahead and make the case for each guy in competition for the spot:
The Case For Luis Severino:
Luis Severino is coming off a sophomore season in which he maintained an 8.50 ERA across 11 starts but a transition to the ‘pen saw him salvage his second year in the Bronx.
In 11 relief appearances, Sevvy sported a 0.39 ERA in 23.1 innings while striking out 25 batters (9.1 K/9). Despite the success, I think it’ll be too quick to rule the 22-year old as a “failed starter” at this moment.
I’ve discussed how, down the road, the move shouldn’t be unwelcomed but he’s just a kid, has a taste of success in the pros (5-3, 2.89 ERA in ’15) and has the blueprint of what he needs to improve on (sharpen his changeup and secondary pitches).
The Case For Luis Cessa:
Making his major league debut on April 8, 2016, and settling in a rotation spot on August 20, Luis Cessa showed hope, but didn’t impress down the stretch.
In nine starts, the 24-year old right-hander pitched to a 4.01 ERA and only struck out 35 batters in 51.2 innings. He also gave up 11 home runs, but with a slider that usually induces a terrific number of groundballs, he may be able to clean that up in 2017.
One aspect that has Cessa that impresses, is his ability to touch 95 m.p.h. with his fastball on a regular basis and compliment it with both a changeup and a slider.
The former shortstop has terrific athleticism and has a really smooth delivery — something many converted pitchers struggle to grow.
The Case For Chad Green:
I really like Chad Green, but not too sure how he’ll fare in cluttered competition.
Before going down with some elbow pain, Green maintained a 5.94 ERA across eight starts thanks to the 12 home runs the righty surrendered.
One promising sign, however, was his strikeout rate. He fanned 44 batters in 36.1 innings (10.7 K/9) including a dominant performance against the juggernaut Blue Jays’ offense (6 IP, 11K’s, 2 H).
The one problem with Green is his three-pitch mix. His fastball, according to baseball prospectus, would “see slight improvements if moved to the pen and he can throw max effort.”
The command on his changeup is considered to be below average in which he struggles with deception. Prospectus also claims slider lacks the ability to provoke swinging strikes against stronger competition.
The Case For Bryan Mitchell:
Thanks to some bad luck, Bryan Mitchell has been unable to secure a spot that he may have deserved since 2015.
After going 2-0 with a 0.57 ERA in Spring Training last year, Mitchell went down with a broken toe on March 30 which resulted in him tossing just 46 total innings between the minors and majors in 2016.
Making his regular-season debut on September 7 against the Blue Jays, the 25-year old finished with a 3.24 ERA in five starts at the end of the year.
That stretch included a start in which he hurled seven innings of two-hit, no-run ball against the AL East-winning Boston Red Sox and entering 2017, he’ll have a chance to permanently earn that spot.
With a fastball that peaks at 97 m.p.h. and just a curveball to coincide with it, however, a move to the bullpen, where that velocity could take a jump and turn his curve into a plus-pitch, may be where he’s best suited.
The Case For Adam Warren:
Just because Cashman sees Adam Warren competing for a rotation spot, it doesn’t mean he’ll get one.
Over his five-year career, the 29-year old owns a 3.88 ERA and a 6.6 K/9 ratio as a starter compared to 3.51 ERA and 8.0 K/9 ratio as a reliever.
Considering the rotation averaged just 5.6 innings per start in 2016, Warren’s utilization as a long-reliever would bode well for a ‘pen that lacks the long guy.
Prediction: Luis Severino and Luis Cessa
It’s just too unfair to give up on Severino as a starter and looking at the final four candidates, Cessa has the most impressive repertoire to succeed at the major league level.
While not likely out of the gate, you could also see Dietrich Enns, Jordan Montgomery, James Kaprielian or even Chance Adams make things interesting.
All in all, there are certainly intriguing storylines to keep a close eye on in March. All the way from the backup catcher’s to the front-line of the rotation, spots are in dire need of filling.
Will these predictions pan out? Time will tell. But one thing is for certain, despite Opening Day being in early April, the source of success starts in mid-February, as players begin to showcase their worth.