New York Yankees recall OF prospect Estevan Florial

Florial made his MLB debut in 2020 and the Yankees have recalled him for some desperately needed outfield depth.

The New York Yankees have recalled centerfield prospect Estevan Florial from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The team formally announced the decision this afternoon and placed pitcher Corey Kluber and first baseman Luke Voit on the injured list as corresponding moves.

Pitcher Albert Abreu was also recalled.

The Yankees have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/PEwwM8cTmh

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 27, 2021

Florial is 23 and made his MLB debut with the Yankees last year. He appeared in one game and registered one hit. Across Double-A Somerset and Triple-A this year, he’s batting .203 with six homers and nine RBI.

The batting average is scary, but such is the Yankees’ outfield situation. Aaron Hicks just had surgery to repair a torn tendon sheath in his wrist and will need months to recover. Brett Gardner can play good centerfield defense, but doesn’t have much of a bat anymore.

This makes Estevan Florial a change of pace. He brings another lefty bat into a righty-dominant lineup and his upside has been discussed for a few years now. The only issue is, like the Yankees as of late, Florial has had issues staying healthy. In his minor league career, he never appeared in more than 110 games, and that was back in 2017.

But the bat seems live despite the holes in his swing, and Florial’s been knocking on MLB’s door all season. Now’s as good a time as ever to see how he plays against the toughest competition.