Yankees: 3 offseason moves Brian Cashman just hinted at

2. Contact Hitters Are Coming

Or, at least, we think they are. Remember, we’re being optimistic. Per the terms of this article, moves are being made.

According to Brian Cashman, no budget has been laid out for the 2022 offseason, as of yet. Anything is still possible.

So, when Cash drops a quote like this about athleticism and contact, it allows your mind to wander:

Now, is that someone like Robbie Grossman, an unheralded lefty bat who brings surprising power to the table, potentially in a part-time role? Is it a power trade for Byron Buxton? Those are two players who’ve struck out 150 times in a full season (Grossman did so in 2021, somewhat surprisingly), but that’s their absolute ceiling. Both men are certainly known for being athletic and pesky more so than power sellouts.

Or … perhaps it’s a high-dollar problem that someone like Starling Marte can fix?

Marte swiped 47 bases in 2021 between Oakland and Miami, electrifying both cities in the process. His career-high in strikeouts? 138 in his first full season at the age of 23, a number that declined year over year until inching below 100. This season, in his career-best year? Marte struck out only 99 times.

That’s a hefty addition. He’s the best center fielder on the market by a wide margin. As of now, though, we’re early enough in the offseason that nothing can be ruled out in the realm of athleticism and contact-making.