Yankees MiLB News: 4 Intriguing September Call-ups

Mandatory Credit: randombaseballstuff.com.

Kyle Roller, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

You are probably thinking that I don’t pay much attention to scouting reports by suggesting Roller is big league ready. But at the age of 26 and standing at a hulking 6’1”, 250 pounds, Roller brings something to the Yankees they have yet to find all season: A legitimate back-up first baseman.

Roller enjoyed a fine 2013 season as the everyday first baseman for the Eastern League champion Trenton Thunder. He belted 17 home runs with 69 RBI in the middle of the order. This season, he did what you are supposed to do: he progressed and was promoted. Roller came out of the gates hot for Trenton, batting .385 with 9 home runs and 23 RBI. Proving he had outgrown Double-A pitching, he was promoted to the RailRiders after 21 games. Since then he has shown he is a steady, reliable bat, batting .282 with 12 home runs and 37 RBI. Add to it that he has only made three errors in 419 chances and we have a genuine back-up first baseman on our hands.

Mark Teixeira isn’t getting any younger or miraculously healthier any time in the near future. What if Roller is finally the back-up first baseman of the future the Yankees have been looking for all season? Perhaps September is where he will get the chance to show it.