Yankees spring training will once again feature Russell Wilson

For the second consecutive season, Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson will report to the Yankees spring training facility in Tampa, FLA, come mid-February.

While it appears less and less likely that Manny Machado will don the iconic navy blue pinstripes, another slick-fielding infielder will indeed head to George M. Steinbrenner Field in a little more than a month. On Thursday, Mark Rodgers, the agent for Super Bowl XLVII champion, Russell Wilson, told the MLB Network that his client would once again attend spring training with the Yankees.

After being acquired from the Rangers last winter for future considerations, the 2010 fourth-round draft pick of the Rockies spent six days in camp with the Yanks mentoring some of the Baby Bombers and fielding grounders out on the back fields, all the while briefly taking away some of the immense spotlight from the newly acquired, Giancarlo Stanton.

Many wondered if the Seahawks would allow Wilson to face major league pitching in an actual game setting. And although it appeared doubtful at first, he did get one at-bat as a pinch hitter for Aaron Judge against Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves on March 3.

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The 30-year-old former North Carolina State University second baseman spent parts of two campaigns in the Rockies minor league system where he hit .229/.354/.356 with five home runs in 93 games.

Following another impressive season with the Seahawks, one that saw him throw for 3,448 yards, a career-high 35 touchdowns and a 110.9 passer rating, Wilson was recently selected to replace Aaron Rodgers on the NFC Pro Bowl roster.

Despite Wilson’s ‘Hawks falling to the Cowboys, 24-22 in the NFC Wild Card game, Wilson’s showing in Tampa, perhaps as early as Feb. 18 (when position players are scheduled to report) is still much more than a celebrity appearance, as he reminded MLB.com in 2018.

"“Some people get confused [and think], ‘Is this just a stunt or whatever?’ They don’t know me,” Wilson — who idolized Derek Jeter growing up — said last year. “If you really know me, baseball’s been a part of my blood. It’s about who I am and where I come from and what I’ve done.”"