Yankees: Tyler Wade could be the unsung hero in 2018

Entering his sophomore year, Tyler Wade has not been given too many chances in the Majors up to this point. However, that could change fairly quickly if the Yankees realize what he may be capable of.

Before the calendar year began, the Yankees had only recently acquired reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton. While this was a very popular move, it did leave a hole at second base to be filled. Along with the signing of Todd Frazier by the cross-town rivals, New York Mets; the Yanks had two empty spots in the infield.

Fast forward to today and you’ll find a jam-packed infield following Brian Cashman’s busy offseason. Instead of looking internally, as many thought the team would have, the Yankees fully restocked their infield with more experienced players in Neil Walker and Brandon Drury.

But should the Yankees be set on Drury and Walker to play a majority of innings at second and third? Are these two guys capable of producing enough offense to earn starting spots on a playoff-bound team?

Walker is entering his tenth season of playing in the MLB. On top of that, he hasn’t played more than 113 games in two seasons. His production is good but not stellar, leaving the decision to start him questionable. Drury has had a tad more success thus far in his career, plus his younger age, leave him a more favorable option to start over Walker.

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And what about Manny Machado’s uncertain future in Baltimore? If the Yankees were to pursue the All- Star third baseman, they would certainly have to remove a player from their roster.

Now back to Wade. Not only is he capable of playing multiple positions, including second base, but he has proven to be an above-average hitter in the minors with elite defensive ability. His production in the minors has yet to transfer to the next level, but Wade has seen limited playing time thus far and if nothing changes he will waste another year of his career riding the Yankees bench.

I understand Neil Walker was recently signed, but Walker has some sort of trade value. His one-year contract is perfect for the Yankees, who do not need any more long-term solutions. This leaves them with the ability to trade a possibly productive veteran second baseman who is paid a fairly low salary.

OR, the Bombers could retain Walker just for this season, if his abilities are up to par. But I personally prefer the idea of building Walker’s trade value by playing him here and there, hoping he is a bit of a flash in the pan. Then they could trade him leaving room for Wade to take a hold of more playing time.

Think of the possibilities of trading Walker, perhaps even packaged with other players. More prospects are always a good thing, or maybe another starter could be in reach.

Do not overlook Wade’s minor league statistics; they’re impressive. Sporting a near .400 OBP two seasons in a row, along with his success at the plate this spring, Wade has shown improvements after his rookie year.

On top of all this is the added upside of his speed. Seen through his 26+ stolen bases for the past three seasons, not only is it a nice feature for a potential starter, but that speed could be especially valuable in the playoffs as late-game substitutions.

Wade could even share this newfound playing time as a result of Walker’s absence with his fellow backup infielders, including Miguel Andújar, Ronald Torreyes, and the #6 prospect in all of baseball, Gleyber Torres.

Next: Yankees: Tyler Wade picked the perfect time to arrive

Either way, Wade should be given a chance to show what he is capable of, being a young, agile middle infielder, who has patiently waited for his time to shine.

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