New York Yankees Non-Roster Invitee Player Profile: Nick Noonan

With the New York Yankees set to begin Spring Training games as early as March 3rd and our 2015 Yanks Go Yard Non-Roster Invitee Player Profile series officially underway, it’s time to find out who exactly Nick Noonan is.

Noonan, 25, was signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training by the Yankees on December 12th. He was a former 2007 first-round pick of the San Francisco Giants and once drew comparisons to Chase Utley, a left-handed, left-hitting second basemen who can drive the ball. Unfortunately, Noonan’s bat has yet to develop as projected, but he was still was called up by the Giants in 2013, playing a total of 62 games while recording a .219 batting average and a .261 OBP.

However, the former first-rounder spent the entire 2014 season in the minor leagues, batting a combined .234/.278/.307 with four home runs and 26 RBI’s in 108 games between single-A San Jose and AAA Fresno.

Although he’s spent a majority of his time in the Giants system at second base, the Yankees see him as a legitimate shortstop. Some reports indicate that the Yankees believe he can play the position pretty well, and Noonan’s still young enough that the team plans to give him regular at-bats and a legitimate look as spring training get’s underway.

After seeing what happened with Yangervis Solarte out of spring training last year, there’s no really no telling how far a guy like Noonan can go. However, in being brutally honest,  I believe that Noonan is no longer a prospect and will merely serve as minor league depth for the Yankees, but if you’re speculating about next year’s Triple-A roster, Noonan might not be a bad pick as the regular shortstop. He also adds some depth at second base and has some experience at third.

The bottom line is the Yankees need infield help beyond the big league bench, and Noonan helps fill that void with at least some hope for upside and potential.

I’m curious to see what he brings to the table this spring. What do you think Yankee fans? Let us know in the comments below.

More from Yanks Go Yard

• Reflecting on the 2013 New York Yankees’ top 10 prospects
• Did Andrew Benintendi contract help Yankees with Ian Happ trade?
• Aaron Judge Time interview scared Yankees as much as it scared you
• MLB Network’s proposed Yankees-White Sox trade seems insane
• Why weren’t Yankees in on Kodai Senga now that we know the price?