Just under two weeks away from the start of spring training, the New York Yankees invited some non-roster players that should be watched closely in Tampa this spring.
The New York Yankees‘ pitchers and catchers will hit the field on February 14 and there are some names to watch out for.In 2016, 26 non-roster invitees made an appearance in Tampa and while some went unnoticed as the year progressed, some, like Aaron Judge, had an impact on the big league club.
This year, New York invited 23 non-roster players to George M. Steinbrenner Field. The list of invitees is highlighted by top prospects, under-the-radar prospects and even some veterans.
While it’s not guaranteed that any of these players make their way onto the major league roster, solid play throughout camp could certainly force them into the Yankees plans as soon as 2017.
Here’s a deeper look at the non-roster invitees that fans should keep a close eye on this spring.
Clint Frazier
You’ve seen the bat speed, the epic personality and his insane workout routine but this will be the first time most fans will see the highly touted Clint Frazier in action.
Be excited to see his toolset, but also watch for everything to come together.
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The talent is there. Frazier packs a lightning quick bat with the capability of generating moonshots and athleticism that suggests the ceiling of an All-Star.
However, the 22-year old’s .228/.278/.396 slash line with a 29.7 strikeout percentage in 25 games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders a year ago hints that we’re still waiting for it to come together.
Before coming over to the Yankees organization in the deal that sent Andrew Miller to Cleveland, he did bat .276 with 13 home runs in 89 games so perhaps his struggles were merely growing pains at the next level.
Now, if Frazier ends up putting on an impressive display in Tampa and lights up the Electric City this season, general manager Brian Cashman may be forced to make some room for him in the Bronx.
One thing is for sure, he’ll accumulate a ton of attention throughout the weeks leading up to Opening Day.
James Kaprielian
Invited to camp a year ago as a non-roster player, James Kaprielian appeared in just two spring training games but left with the idea that he could make a major league impact the following regular season.
It started promising (2-1, 1.50 ERA in three starts with High-A Tampa) but an injury to the right elbow delayed the high-rising prospect.
Now, as a non-roster invitee for the second consecutive year, watch for Kaprielian to build off what was a healthy stint in the Arizona Fall League.
The results weren’t quite there (4.33 ERA in seven games), but his fastball sat in the 94-96 mph ranged and reached as high as 97 mph. For a pitcher coming off an injury that decimated a full season, that’s an encouraging sign.
Joe Mantiply
Not many people are aware that left-hander Joe Mantiply was the first addition of the offseason, but after New York signed him, designated him for assignment and then re-signed him, he’s packing his bags for Tampa this month.
Mantiply was drafted in the 27th round of the 2013 June Amateur Draft by the Detroit Tigers and has had a decent minor league career.
In 154 total appearances in the minors, the 25-year old maintained a 2.86 ERA and a strikeout-per-nine inning ratio of 8.9.
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In 2016, between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo, Mantiply struck out 69 batters in 59.1 innings of work. Against left-handed batters in Erie, he struck out 39 compared to just two walks while yielding a .143 batting average against.
Mantiply presumably enters camp as the fourth-string left-hander in the Yankees’ ‘pen, but a successful camp could force him into the picture as a reliable lefty specialist.
Tommy Layne has always been stellar against left-handed hitters (.177 career BAA) but Richard Bleier is a 29-year old who has played in 241 minor league games over nine seasons and just 23 at the major league level.
Sure, he didn’t allow a single home run and just six hits to lefty batters in the show, but he’s not a guy you want to depend on to supplement a rotation nor feel comfortable calling on to strikeout a big lefty with two outs and the bases loaded.
Chasen Shreve is also in the picture as an option, but in a scenario in which manager Joe Girardi could use all the weapons he could get his hands on to shorten the game, don’t be surprised to see Mantiply at some point in 2017.
Gleyber Torres
Like Frazier, this will be the first time fans get a look at Gleyber Torres, who’s red-hot off of an AFL MVP performance.
At 19 years old, Torres became the youngest MVP in the history of the Arizona Fall League after sporting a league-best .403 batting average — 50 points higher than the second-best average (Andrew Stevenson, .353).
Torres also led the league in on-base percentage (.513) and OPS (1.158) and the Venezuelan infielder is primed to put on a show in Tampa.
He already surpassed Frazier as the Yankees’ top prospect by Baseball America and while he’ll start 2017 in Double-A, he’s primed to make a quick rise to higher levels.
As for this spring, watching him face off against major league pitching and interact with some Yankees’ legends will be a show in itself.
Chance Adams
Chance Adams has made a name for himself in the Yankees’ system after completely dominating his opposition last season.
Between High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton, the righty went 13-1 in 25 games (24 starts) with a 2.33 ERA including 144 strikeouts in 127.1 innings.
He went 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA in 11 starts at Tampa before posting an 8-1 record and a 2.09 ERA across 13 games (12 starts) in Jersey.
That dominance has made Cashman assume he’ll be on the verge of a call-up in 2017, and his first taste of Spring Training should be watched with a close eye.
His fastball has hit as high as 95 mph and sits in the 92-94 range, but his curveball wasn’t located consistently. Baseball Prospectus called it “loopy” but, in the end, Adams has all the tools to succeed at the major league level.
2017 will be about building on what was a filthy showcase last season and perhaps (thanks to the delicate rotation that will remain unchanged) a major league debut is in store.
Ji-Man Choi
After the ineffectiveness from the first base position in 2016 and the uncertainty that comes with the recovering Greg Bird, effective depth is invaluable.
Last season, Girardi was stuck trying to replace 31 homers (thanks to the drought of Mark Teixeira) with Dustin Ackley, Chris Parmelee, Rob Refsnyder, Ike Davis and eventually Billy Butler. It was a mess.
Although Ji-Man Choi’s name doesn’t sound appealing, if he could finally tap into his potential, he’ll be a valuable asset for the Bombers as an emergency option.
He slashed a mere .170/.271/.339 in 54 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2016, but in 53 games in Triple-A, he slashed .346/.434/.527 with 31 walks compared to 34 strikeouts.
Over six seasons in the minors, the South-Korean owns a .308/.408/.488 slash line but has yet to see the power demonstrated (18 home runs in 2013) since being suspended for testing positive for methandienone.
Tyler Austin, Rob Refsnyder and maybe even Matt Holliday will likely rank ahead of Choi on the first base depth chart to begin the 2017 season, but injuries happen.
Choi will, at least, present the Yankees with some depth. If he has a successful Spring and stint as the starting first baseman in Scranton, he could be used to provide even more flexibility to the bench — a unit that is already a strong suit.
Ruben Tejada
We all love “the little engine that could” (aka Ronald Torreyes), but Ruben Tejada could give him a run for his money this spring.
After being released by the New York Mets in March of 2016, Tejada appeared in 43 total games in the Cardinals and Giants minor league systems and slashed .303/.337/.414 with an OPS of .752.
The 27-year old didn’t do much in the majors (.167/.247/.242), but has always impressed with his glove and packs some previous major league success.
In 2012, Tejada maintained a .333 OBP in 114 games for the Mets and even finished with the second-highest batting average (.289) among National League shortstops with at least 500 plate appearances.
He has fallen off since the infamous “Chase Utley slide,” but the latest reclamation project for the Bombers could possibly make the team out of the gate if he impresses in camp.
At the very least, he’ll be the starting shortstop with the RailRiders and serve as an injury replacement in case health goes haywire.
Which non-roster invites are you most looking forward to watching this spring? As always, let your voices be heard in the comments below.