Five Yankees Who Need A Good Spring Training

Sep 10, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Chris Young (24) is congratulated by third base coach Rob Thomson (59) after hitting a solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

OF- Chris Young

When Chris Young came up with the Arizona Diamondbacks, he had all the tools you could want from an outfielder. He could field, run and mash. He was an All-Star in 2010 and almost made the 30/30 club.

The next year he still had over 20 homers and steals, but his average dropped into the .230’s. In 2012 his numbers dropped and he was sent to Oakland.

He spent one year in Oakland and only hit .200. Billy Beane thought he could help platoon in the outfield and it didn’t work.

The Mets took a one-year chance on him trying to catch lightning in a bottle. He got released on Aug 15. The Yankees picked him up two weeks later. When he got brought up by the Yankees in September, he played well, delivering some big hits and posting a .282/.354/.521 in 79 plate appearances.

The question is, what kind of player is he? Is he the one with the Mets and A’s that floundered or was he what he was with the Yankees in that short period of time?

Young was re-signed on a one-year deal to be the fourth outfielder. But here’s the thing. The fourth outfielder on this team is gonna play a lot. Carlos Beltran is going to need to DH. Jacoby Ellsbury gets injured here and there. Brett Gardner has had his injury issues throughout his career.

Young has to prove he can do the job. Otherwise, they could turn to the young kids like Jose Pirela, Ramon Flores or Tyler Austin.