FanSided

3 Yankees most affected by canceled Spring Training games

By Adam Weinrib |
Mar 11, 2021; Clearwater, Florida, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks (31) prepares to take batting practice before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2021; Clearwater, Florida, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks (31) prepares to take batting practice before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
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Luke Voit #59 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Luke Voit #59 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

The fewer Spring Training reps, the much, much worse for these three New York Yankees with clouded futures.

While we have no idea how long the eternal-seeming delay will last, spring contests have been axed at least through Friday, March 4, with further postponements likely as MLB and the MLBPA continue their extremely important week of meetings designed for real progress.

This means some Yankees who seemed poised to make a significant first impression are instead twiddling their thumbs. It also means some injured players looking to prove themselves — either to the front office or to the rest of the league — won’t get a real shot before the free agency frenzy theoretically begins.

So, who’s watched their 2022 change the most by the slow-developing conversation?

You can remove all pitchers — honestly, slightly fewer spring innings could be a good thing, in their cases, so long as they receive adequate ramp-up time. Bottom line? An abbreviated spring that cuts too deep will be damaging to all pitchers, equally. There’s nobody in the Yankees’ corps desperate to “prove themselves”; every pitcher who loses reps and feels rushed will be at risk of everything catching up to them later in the season, however.

These three Yankees are most at risk of regretting even the one week of canceled games, which shifts their timelines significantly in an all-important stretch.

Of course, in reality, they’re all tied for second place behind “The Fans,” who’ve certainly been most affected by this current brand of nonsense and have no way to control it.

3 Yankees most affected by canceled Spring Training games

3. Luke Voit

Every Yankees game missed means less time for Luke Voit to get the showcase he deserves; instead, the sour taste from the end of 2021 still remains as New York theoretically looks to trade him prior to Opening Day.

If only he could’ve been dealt midway through August, when everything was absolutely clicking.

There was a time, immediately after the trade deadline, where it seemed like New York had pulled off a coup by keeping him in addition to Anthony Rizzo. Voit’s bat was booming while Rizzo hit the COVID-IL for an offense-starved Yankee team, leading many to decry those around the league that passed on his services when Brian Cashman was essentially dangling him for free as Aug. 1 approached.

Instead of balancing the two sticks when Rizzo came back, though, Voit’s schedule was messed with. Often relegated to pinch-hitting appearances in blowouts, he hit .171 with three homers in 48 plate appearances across September and October.

Now, that’s what teams across the league are working off of when Voit’s floated to them as a trade possibility. They recall his 2021 injury issues, many tied to his surgically-repaired knee. They recall him getting buried on the depth chart. They don’t recall his 2020 season, featuring a league-leading 22 homers and ninth-place MVP finish, all collected while he battled “foot stuff.”

Voit has been an above-average bat whenever he’s been healthy during his Yankees career. Unfortunately, until Spring Training resumes, the most recent footage we have of him features neither health nor productivity.

Tommy Pham #29 of the Tampa Bay Rays safely steals second base past Oswaldo Cabrera #98 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Tommy Pham #29 of the Tampa Bay Rays safely steals second base past Oswaldo Cabrera #98 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

2. Oswaldo Cabrera

With the Yankees leaving their shortstop hole vacant, there was ample opportunity for 22-year-old Oswaldo Cabrera to make a lasting impression this spring after being added to the 40-man roster last fall …

… that is, of course, before that opportunity was taken from him thanks to these long-lasting negotiations that seem to be taking place on a treadmill/getting nowhere.

Cabrera could still make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster as the team’s Tyler Wade fill-in, and will have a chance to turn some heads whenever camp does open. His momentum has definitely slowed, though, considering it seemed like he had a serious shot to get some immediate starting reps while Gio Urshela, DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres all settled in.

You know how camp typically looks. The kids play right away while the vets loosen up for a bit.

Now, that schedule might be entirely altered. Whenever Spring Training does resume, there won’t be any time to waste.

Last season, while buried among a pile of shortstop prospects, Cabrera ran like Wade and hit like … well, somebody much better. In 109 games at Double-A, he drilled 24 homers and stole 20 bases, posting an .803 OPS. In a late-season promotion to Triple-A, he OPS’d 1.716 in nine games (LOL), ripping five more bombs.

The switch-hitting Cabrera, armed to the teeth with bat-flipping swagger, certainly had a chance to be an early-camp fan favorite and fill a utility role for the 2022 Bombers.

Alas … there is no early camp for 40-man roster additions, and he’s now floating with the rest of the veterans, legally unable to make his case.

Aaron Hicks #31 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Aaron Hicks #31 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

1. Aaron Hicks

DJ Khaled has Major Keys. The Yankees have Injured Keys.

Aaron Hicks is still a proposed starter for the 2022 New York Yankees, though we’re not sure to what end, and we’re definitely sure the team should grab some insurance before Opening Day.

Will he be the speed, power, and defense triple threat he was during long stretches in 2018 and 2019? Or will he be the suddenly powerless 2021 edition, post-Tommy John, who was unable to air out his howitzer quite so effectively, worth -0.3 WAR in 108 at-bats prior to his wrist sheath tearing, which required (say it with me, now!) more season-ending surgery?

At least Voit got the chance to prove himself between trips to the injured list last season and, though the timing was often unfair, he occasionally excelled.

The Yankees have nearly no idea what they’ve got in the veteran Hicks at the moment, and would love to find out this March, at a time when he’s reportedly fully healthy.

Without Brett Gardner on the roster for the first time since 1982, New York really is either all in on Hicks or all in on finding a significant solution to their outfield depth issue during the free agent frenzy. Speedy rookie Brandon Lockridge might end up getting some reps if the team isn’t careful with how they apportion their money; after all, the upper minors are almost completely empty, save for Estevan Florial.

Hicks being viable could go a long way toward preventing Tim Locastro panic trades this time around. If only the Yankees’ braintrust had any idea what they were getting from one of their very few long-term fixtures.

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