Yankees: Who will win the starting second base job?

With just 10 more days until the Yankees open the season the only major decision left to be made by manager Aaron Boone is naming the starting second baseman.

After the Yankees sent down top prospect Gleyber Torres to Triple-A last week the competition has come down to Tyler Wade and the recently signed Neil Walker. The veteran Walker got a late start to his spring, but he’s already making up for lost time at the plate with two hits and two RBI in his first three spring at-bats. He’ll still have to ease his way back into playing shape over the next week, but I’m sure if you asked him he’d say he’ll be ready to start Opening Day.

Wade, on the other hand, has been impressive all camp showcasing his playmaking ability on both sides of the ball. So far this spring he’s hitting .313 with a .452 OBP and he’s made a number of excellent defensive plays in the field. Wade is a shortstop by trade but the transition over to second base has been seamless and he’s really displayed unlimited range.

So who has the edge?

If the decision is based purely on production this Spring than Wade is obviously the guy. With Walker’s late arrival there’s not much he can do about that, but Wade has earned that right with how he has performed from day one. He’s done everything asked of him and at the very least he’s secured a spot on the Opening Day roster.

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Walker might not possess the kind of upside the 23-year-old Wade does but he was not brought onto this team to ride the bench once the regular season rolls around. He’s been an impact player at second in this league for almost a decade so he’s going to get his opportunities to produce.

One thing to keep an eye is a potential platoon situation between the two. Given that Wade is a left-handed batter and Walker is a switch-hitter the decision for who will start might come down to the matchups for each specific game. That was something their manager hinted at recently.

Here’s Boone when asked if there’s a need for an everyday second baseman via Dan Martin of the New York Post.

"“Not necessarily. There could be regular at-bats for both of those guys.”"

It’s safe to say that if that were the case we would see Walker whenever the team is facing a left-hander and Wade would get the majority of his at-bats against righties. There’s also the chance that we could see both guys get some playing time throughout the infield because of their versatility.

Walker could fill in at first base for Greg Bird against a tough lefty and Wade has the ability to play all over the infield when needed. This will also help both of them earn playing time in late game situations because even if one of them isn’t in the starting lineup they could still find their way onto the field off the bench. Wade’s defense and base stealing ability along with Walker’s veteran bat are two options Boone will use often when the situation calls for it.

Next: Yankee option Miguel Andujar to minor-league camp

It’s fun to predict who will win the starting job, but the truth is that question might not be answered all season. Often times more than not it will come down to matchups. However, whether it’s Wade, or it’s Walker, Yankee fans should feel comfortable knowing there will always be a quality player at second base this season.