Yankees Spring Training Position Battles to Watch Closely

Before James Kaprielian, there was Luis Severino. Before Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres, there was Aaron Judge and Greg Bird. The New York Yankees may not be used to hanging on to top prospects, but they’re not too unfamiliar with youth movements.

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman acknowledged recently that the team’s top prospects of yesterday are going to have to earn starting jobs. With Spring Training about to kick into full gear, let’s take a look at the Yankees’ most prominent position battles.

Starting rotation

Favorites: Severino, Chad Green/Luis Cessa

There’s nothing Yankees fans and coaches alike, would love more than Severino forcing his way into the rotation this spring. The former top pitching prospect struggled last season after an enticing debut in 2015. If his offseason sessions with Pedro Martinez pan out, fans are going to have some complicated feelings toward the Hall of Fame ace who once stamped his legacy in Boston.

Green and Cessa were among a cast of starters manager Joe Girardi used last season, and they showed promising flashes. Should Severino struggle in spring, these two could easily take the fourth and fifth rotation spots.

Dark horses: Bryan Mitchell and Adam Warren

The rotation is going to be complicated this season. It’s hard to call any of these potential starters favorites or dark horses because there are essentially five guys competing for two rotation spots. While any of these five pitchers could reasonably wind up in the bullpen, Mitchell and Warren profile best as relievers.

Down the road: Kaprielian

All Kap has to do to complicate things further is stay healthy and keep looking sharp. If he does that, he could be in the Bronx as early as this summer.

Right field

Incumbent/favorite: Aaron Judge

Like Severino, Judge is the favorite to win this job due to a still-promising future, despite recent struggles. Judge has a major problem to fix this spring: he has to cut down on striking out. If he can do that, fans only have to think back to his first major league at-bat to see his immense upside.

Dark horse: Aaron Hicks

Hicks was actually kind of good at the plate down the stretch last season. However, he has a track record of being a below-average hitter. In fact, he regressed in 2016 from his unspectacular 2015 numbers with the Twins.

Down the road: Clint Frazier

Starting the year at Triple-A, Red Lighting is looming.

First base

Favorite: Bird/Tyler Austin

Bird’s major league debut in 2015 may not have had quite the level of excitement as Gary Sanchez’s last season, but it was compelling nonetheless. Coming back from a shoulder injury that ended his 2016 season before it even started, Bird’s primary concern will be staying healthy.

Even if Bird plays all spring with no injury-related setbacks, he’ll still probably lose at least a few at-bats to Austin. It’s not likely Bird will even be able to handle a full workload –he missed an entire season; Bird just needs to build strength and stamina.

Dark horse: Chris Carter

It’ll be interesting to see how Girardi handles having three first basemen this spring. Carter has outfield experience to boot, but he’ll get most of his playing time at first base and DH. He could wind up getting regular at-bats in lieu of an injury, or if he gets hot. But if all goes according to plan, Bird and Austin should keep Carter’s at-bats bats fairly limited.

Next: Yankees Spring Training News: Aaron Judge Has a New Batting Stance

Down the road: Bird

There’s no doubt in anyone’s minds right now about who the first baseman of the future is for the Yankees.