Valera
AP Photo/John Froschauer

With players returning from the IL for the New York Yankees, they are still out searching for more depth in the form of Breyvic Valera.

Allison Case

In today’s version of “Who Is This Player,” the New York Yankees introduce their newest signing: Breyvic Valera.

I’m sorry. Who?

Even though players are getting ready to return from their various injuries, the Yankees were a prime example of why it was so important to have depth on hand … even if it isn’t necessary right now.

That’s exactly what the Yankees plan to do with this signing. Valera was claimed off of waivers on Sunday from the San Francisco Giant, as originally reported by Lindsey Adler of The Athletic. The 27-year-old brings with him little major league experience but has some stellar defensive capabilities that will help shore up the minors.

Like Mike Tauchman before him, Valera is another player who has barely seen time in the majors but has done well for himself in the minor leagues. He’s been in the minors since 2010 and has posted a .298/.370/.420 line in four seasons in Triple-A.

With Valera being assigned to Triple-A Scranton for the time being, the Yankees will keep him lying in wait just in case the injury bug comes back to bite the Bombers once again.

In the corresponding move, the Yankees transferred Greg Bird to the 60-day IL to make space for Valera on that 40-man roster.

While the Yankees have a plethora of defensive players with Yankee experience in the minors right now, it never hurts to have another name to add to the list.

Maybe this will be another “diamond in the rough” move by Brian Cashman. Of course, the goal is to have an infield flush with All-Star candidates but we’ve all seen how that has worked out so far.

Right now, the insurance is key. Hopefully, the Yankees won’t have to use it but, hey, at least they’re prepared this time.


Allison is just a girl with an enormous passion for the game of baseball and the written word. Based in Upstate New York, her life-long relationship with the New York Yankees is something that she developed through close relationships with her mother and grandfather. An aspiring sports writer, she graduated with a journalism degree and is finding places to share her excitement about the sporting world and how it affects us all.