Yankees Opening Day third baseman? Profile of Miguel Andujar

The Yankees Opening Day roster could very well see a pair of rookies among the ranks of infielders.

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has said that he has confidence in Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres to vie for third base ably and second base, respectively, in Spring Training.

According to Brian Hoch of MLB.com, both Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar are drawing trade interest, though general manager Brian Cashman stressed the team must tread carefully.

Cashman has also said that Andujar is an exciting talent which is “insisted upon” in high-end trade discussions he’s had with other teams during the offseason.

“If we do make a trade, we’re going to be very careful making that decision,” Cashman said. “The control years of these players, even if they’re kind of blocked here today as Clint Frazier happens to be, it doesn’t mean they’ll be blocked as we move forward. A lot of things can happen, whether it’s injuries or another trade that can free something up elsewhere.”

Yankees fans wait with great interest of any movement on the hot stove that might signify whether Andujar is indeed a viable candidate for the third base job or an attractive piece in a trade that may bring another elite player to the team.

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Cashman has said that Andujar, 23, is recognized by rival executives like one of the “next level of guys, like Clint Frazier, just below Gleyber Torres.” Currently, Andujar is the Yankees’ No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

Andujar posted a .315/.352/.498 slash line in 125 games last season between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He made his MLB debut on June 28 last year against the White Sox and had four hits (.571), going 3-4 with a double, four RBIs, a walk and a stolen base.

Andujar has the talent to make an immediate impact offensively, but is his glove good enough to keep him in the big leagues? According to Brendan Kuty of NJ.com, Andujar’s glove is starting to catch up with his bat.

In September, Kuty spoke with both Joe Espada and former Yanks’ manager Joe Girardi about Andujar’s potential on defense — and both had confidence that the young third baseman had come a long way on improving his defense and had played very well at Triple-A in 2017.

“Espada said that Andujar’s greatest asset defensively is his arm strength, now it is just a question of him putting it all together and maintaining his footwork.”

Scouts and rival executives agree, and so do Yankees fans, that Andujar is a young player destined to play a significant role either for the Yankees at third base this season, or perhaps for another team should he become part of a high profile trade in the near future.

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As with all fans around the league, only time will tell what the hot stove will bring when it finally heats up.