No one knows what the 2020 season will be like – or whether it will be played at all – but the Yankees know who they’ll have in store at the start of this bizarre season.
The team released its 58-man player pool to resume spring training on Sunday, and while there weren’t any big surprises, it did have some prospects that could be accessed for the first time in the middle of a pennant race.
Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia are among the young weapons, including the Yankees, that could contribute to a rotation that was without Luis Severino (operation by Tommy John) and Domingo German (restricted list for violation of the MLB protocol for domestic Violence in the last year).
They also announced the signing of 29-year-old Matt Duffy for a minor league deal. Duffy was released by Texas earlier this year. He was the first third baseman of the Rays in 2018 and the heart of the trade that Evan Longoria sent to the Giants before an injury-ridden season last year.
Estevan Florial, the 21-year-old outfielder, was also added to the pool after finishing last season with Class-A Tampa. Jasson Dominguez, the 17-year-old phenomenon signed almost a year ago, was not.
With all the fresh faces on the squad, however, the Yankees will rely on established stars like newly signed Gerrit Cole and seasoned players like Masahiro Tanaka, Aroldis Chapman and Aaron Judge.
Can Gleyber Torres build on what he did at the start of his career – and can he be reliable at Shortstop?
And they need judges, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks to show that they can stay healthy. The judge had to pause during spring training for a broken rib in September, while Stanton had a strained calf and Hicks was rehabilitated from the off-season Tommy John operation.
Submit your Yankees questions here to be answered in an upcoming mailbox
Sanchez has been injured for much of his career, and the Yankees have put six catchers on their list, including newly signed Max McDowell, who was in the Brewers system.
Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar eventually play a role, with Andujar on the list as an infielder / outfielder – along with Tyler Wade.
The teams had until 4 p.m. on Sunday to submit their rosters. In the first two weeks of the season, 30 players may be on the squad, with the number eventually being reduced to 26 games. There will be a three-man taxi team on all road trips in the event of injury or illness.
The other players are training at a different location, which could be Triple-A Scranton / Wilkes-Barre for the Yankees, so the remaining players can train if they are called to the major league.
The Rays, who are considered the top rivals of the Yankees in AL East, have perhaps put the game’s best prospect – 19-year-old Wander Franco – on their 60-man list.
Erik Neander, general manager of Tampa Bay, told reporters on Sunday that Franco and other minor players who might not be able to help in the major league this season were put on the list because the team had “places to play” and would benefit from the experience.
“We expect to fight,” said Neander. “We expect that we can compete.”
The Yankees also have an impact on reports that Blue Jays players have been asked to travel to Toronto. The Blue Jays were thought to remain at their spring training site in Dunedin, Florida, with travel restrictions to Canada still in effect.
Here’s a look at the preliminary list::
Jugs (33): Albert Abreu, Domingo Acevedo, Daniel Alvarez, Luis Avilan, Zack Britton, Luis Cessa, Aroldis Chapman, Gerrit Cole, Deivi Garcia, Luis Gil, Chad Green, David Hale, JA Happ, Ben Heller, Jonathan Holder, Tommy Kahnle, Michael King, Brooks Kriske, Jonathan Loaisiga, Tyler Lyon, Luis Medina, Jordan Montgomery, Nick Nelson, Dan Otero, Adam Ottavino, James Paxton, Adonis Rosa, Clarke Schmidt, Masahiro Tanaka, Nick Tropeano, Alexander Vizcaino, Miguel Yajure, Tony Zych.
Catcher (6): Kyle Higashioka, Chris Iannetta, Erik Kratz, Max McDowell, Gary Sanchez, Josh Thole.
Infielders (10): Miguel Andujar, Matt Duffy, Thairo Estrada, Mike Ford, Kyle Holder, DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela, Luke Voit and Tyler Wade.
Outfielder (9): Estevan Florial, Clint Frazier, Brett Gardner, Zack Granit, Rosell Herrera, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Richter, Giancarlo Stanton, Mike Tauchman.
.
