Yankees: GM Brian Cashman Speaks With Yanks Go Yard

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman spoke with Yanks Go Yard in an online chat about the state of the club.

Prospect Happenings:

Could Yankee fans see Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia pitch in the majors this season? Schmidt, 24, is ranked the second-best prospect in New York’s minor league system, according to MLB.com, while Garcia, 21, is the club’s third-best prospect.  In case you were wondering, outfielder Jasson Dominguez, 17, is the best prospect in the Yankees’ system and is likely a few years away from making his Major League debut.

Schmidt:

“Schmidt is an exciting, young, talented starting pitcher,” Cashman said.  “I think he has a lot of upside and a bright future for us.”

He noted the Yankees were fortunate to get Schmidt, who Cashman said would’ve “been a top-10 selection” had he not undergone Tommy John surgery a month before the 2017 MLB Draft.  New York selected him with the 16th overall pick in 2017.

“So, yes he is competing for a spot at some point, where it’s the beginning, middle or end ,” Cashman said. “I know our staff would love to have him at some point and he’s exciting.”

Garcia:

In terms of Garcia, Cashman said, “He’s an exciting young talent, there’s no doubt about that.”

“If he gets his fastball command improved, he could pitch out of the rotation at some point for us as early as 2020 and if not, he certainly can pitch out of the ‘pen.”

Garcia went 5-9 with a 4.28 ERA in 111.1 minor league innings last season.  He pitched across three different levels (Single-A Advanced, Double-A and Triple-A) and struck out 165 batters.

Where could we see Miguel Andujar? (other than third base)

Miguel Andujar is looking to make a productive return to the lineup for the 2020 campaign.  He was limited to 12 games last season due to a right shoulder injury that required surgery.  Remember, Andujar finished second to Shohei Ohtani in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 (and ahead of Gleyber Torres as well!)  He hit .297 with 27 homers, 92 RBI and 47 doubles in 149 games.

However, Gio Urshela’s successful 2019 season (.314 AVG, 21 HR, 74 RBI) at third base forced the Yankees to find other ways to keep Andujar’s bat in the lineup.  But…where?

“I was skeptical when we had conversations this winter about having him move around,” according to Cashman.  “We know the bat is real, but the defensive versatility, was that real? Or could that be something for us?”

“To our pleasant surprise, left field seems like it’s a realistic option. He looked really good in left, or at the very least average, and so it’s nice to have another alternative for us to see if we can find a way to get the bat in the lineup and give ourselves some protection.”

Updates on Masahiro Tanaka and DJ LeMahieu

Cashman said Masahiro Tanaka “dodged a bullet” after taking a 112 MPH line drive against Giancarlo Stanton on Monday.

“All diagnostic testing is negative, thank God,” Cashman stated to Yanks Go Yard.  “But, he is in concussion protocol.  He’s staying in touch with the neurologist, and communicating well and feels better…I don’t think he had a lot of symptoms other than a real scare.”

As of Thursday, DJ LeMahieu was still recovering from COVID-19 at his home in Michigan.  Cashman said he’s been “asymptomatic” this entire time, but is still testing positive for COVID-19.  He needs consecutive negative tests in order to rejoin the team.

LeMahieu, 31, will be a free agent following the 2020 season.  He finished fourth in American League MVP voting last year, having slashed .327/.375/.518, with 26 homers and 102 RBI in 145 games.