Yankees Prospects: Clint Frazier’s Haircut Shows Dedication

Yesterday, Clint Frazier finally cut his long, red locks. The Yankees have a long-standing tradition of “no long hair,” but it was Frazier, rather, that initiated the haircut.

Yankees outfielder, Clint Frazier, besides standing out as a top prospect, has also been conspicuous because of his long red hair that he sports. Because he is a Yankees prospect, it was only a matter of time before it was getting cut. Instead, he decided to take it upon himself to get the haircut before he was even required to.

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Frazier himself has said it was “becoming a distraction” and he felt it needed to be cut. This shows just how dedicated he is to this franchise. He gets it. He understands that to play for the biggest baseball franchise in the world; he has to make sacrifices. And Frazier went about it the professional way. He didn’t fight with management; he didn’t even complain. He went out and did it by himself by his request.

Now I’m by no means a traditionalist. I’m indifferent to whether or not a player has long hair or short hair. In a way, having a unique hairstyle such as Manny Ramirez or Brian Wilson is a way to stand out and brand yourself. I’ve always been more concerned with how a player performs than how he chooses to dress. But, I get both sides of the argument.

But, because Frazier even self-admitted it’s distracting to him as well, it even further justifies this policy

From the Yankees’ perspective, prospects and players alike already know their hair policies. It’s their decision whether or not they want to honor it and get the chance to play for the Yankees. Having a distinct hairstyle shouldn’t be the only way to brand yourself, though. A player should be more willing to brand themselves with their play rather than just looking unique.

I do think, though, that having players stand out because of style is a way for baseball to market themselves. And in all honesty, Frazier’s hair wasn’t incredibly long, not like a Jacob DeGrom or a Noah Syndergaard.

George Steinbrenner’s original hair policy was to keep it shorter than the collar as to not cover the player’s numbers. And of course, no beards. But, because Frazier even self-admitted it’s distracting to him as well, it even further justifies this policy.

I commend him for treating the policy with respect and not acting childish in dealing with it.

He understands that he’s not a mainstay on the roster yet and he has to earn his spot. The way this looks to upper management is that he wants to be a part of this franchise. It shows that he buys into the Yankees model and is willing to make sacrifices to get his chance.

This may even lead to Joe Girardi picking Frazier over other prospects when it comes to finalizing the roster. Respect goes a long way.

Yankees: Four (More) Takeaways From Spring Training

The Yankees are moving rapidly to the close of Spring Training. Many questions about the team have been answered, but these four remain.

And it shows something as simple as a haircut can prove to the Yankees that Clint Frazier has dedication.

Yesterday, Clint Frazier finally cut his long, red locks. The Yankees have a long-standing tradition of “no long hair,” but it was Frazier, rather, that initiated the haircut.

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