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Yankees Player Profile: NRI-Jonathan Galvez

It’s always fun to profile a player you are familiar with, even if the reader or the fan base is not. You see, I have been fortunate enough over the past year, to be the co-editor of my only Yanks Go Yard, but Friars On Base, the San Diego Padres site in the Fansided Network. With that being said, today’s profile of non-roster invite Jonathan Galvez is familiar territory for me. The Yankees signed Galvez after the young infielder has spent all of his professional career climbing the Padres’ minor league ladder. As a matter of fact, I thought so highly of Galvez last season, that I suggested that when Chase Headley was heading towards the exit door (to the Yankees ironically), I called for Galvez to get the shot to replace Headley at the hot corner in San Diego. That never happened, but I think you could see some impressive outings from the young man this spring in Tampa. Let’s find out a little more…

At 6’2″ and 200 lbs., the recently-turned 24-year old is far from being a bust. He simply never got his shot in San Diego. That seems to be the case for several well-deserving prospects in the Padres’ organization, highlighted by power-hitting infielder Cody Decker. Galvez made the Triple-A All-Star team last season, playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League for the Friars’ Triple-A affiliate in El Paso. 

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Last year in 103 games, Galvez hit .280, with 10 home runs and 52 runs driven in. He also posted a .354 OBP and a .449 slugging percentage. 24 doubles and 55 runs scored rounded out his season, as he split time playing second base, shortstop and some left field. According to a scout that spoke to our friends over at The LoHud Yankees Blog, he stated that Galvez is  a “Poor defender. Bad instincts. Bat plays through AAA. Not a (major league) guy.” Pretty harsh to say the least.

Looking at his career fielding percentage, that scout might not be too far off. In seven career professional seasons, having played five different positions, his fielding percentage is only .946. That includes a pair of seasons at third base, which his posted a dismal .897 in 87 chances. Putrid to say the least.

But on the bright side, Galvez’s bat continues to improve, and to say that his bat “plays throught AAA”, the same was said about another career minor leaguer the Yankees took a chance on last season by the name of Yangervis Solarte. He came out hot, never let up, and helped jettison Eduardo Nunez right off the big league roster and out of the Yankees’ organization altogether. Galvez has had multiple double-digit home run seasons, and while he’s never going to hit 20, 12-15 isn’t out of the realm of possibility. To be honest, he’s more flexible for Joe Girardi than someone like Stephen Drew or Brendan Ryan, and a helluva lot cheaper too. Only being 24-years old, it would be smarter to keep Galvez in the system, even if he doesn’t break camp with the big club, because he’s the perfect plug and play guy, with experience as previously mentioned, as second, third, short, first base and left field.

Familiarize yourself with the name Jonathan Galvez, as he is my dark horse candidate for the Yankees’ spring training camp in 2015.

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