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3 surprise players who've dominated early at Yankees spring training

By Adam Weinrib |
Aug 31, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Ian Hamilton (63) pitches to make
Aug 31, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Ian Hamilton (63) pitches to make / Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
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No, the results don't matter in Spring Training. Yankees stars will be Yankees stars. If they're captain types, they'll be in the dugout rallying the kids after checking out in the fifth inning. If they're not? They'll be at a private course teeing off by 2:30 PM on gameday.

Nothing the team's projected starters do is ever particularly surprising, from the early-spring pop (Jose Trevino) to the first start struggles (Luis Severino). Top prospects? They can open some eyes -- Anthony Volpe's speed and Jasson Dominguez's poise have both popped off the screen so far. But when a top prospect stands out, it confirms our priors. It's a hopeful exhale. It's not a complete shock.

When a name you'd barely paid attention to before shines while rocking No. 98, though? That's special. That's why spring training exists.

We're not saying these early spring standouts will all be Lucas Luetges and will break camp with the Yankees. We're not even saying they've wedged their way into the team's future. We're just saying they've each individually shined so far in a way that we maybe didn't think was possible. All three players listed here have had all-caps MOMENTS after the first few days of official action. They weren't even on the first page of the roster printout last week. That matters.

3 Yankees surprises -- out of literal nowhere -- at 2023 spring training

Tayler Aguilar, OF

Hey, all praise to you if you had 2022 fifteenth-rounder Tayler Aguilar -- out of Grand Canyon University -- making an early impact on offense and defense while bringing the energy.

Most of us, though, were not inclined to pay attention to Aguilar, who seemed likely to be a late-inning defensive replacement up from the minor-league camp on a few different occasions and nothing more. Wrong!

Aguilar is, instead, a shot of adrenaline with a killer mustache. He stole the show late in Monday's primetime game with the Tigers, delivering a clutch bloop double to aid the Yankees in a late rally before showing off the coup de grace: his cannon of an arm, which cut down the potential tying run at the plate during the next half inning.

Aguilar, a lefty swinger, popped 23 home runs in 59 games in his final collegiate season in 2023. Consider our interest piqued. We promise to never spell "Tayler" wrong again.

Ian Hamilton, RHP

To call Ian Hamilton an afterthought in the Yankees' projected bullpen prior to camp breaking is an insult to afterthoughts.

The 27-year-old right-hander, recently of the Guardians and Twins, flew entirely under the radar after signing a minor-league pact with the Bombers this offseason.

But one look at Hamilton in action Monday night, and it was immediately obvious why the Yankees wanted to get him under Matt Blake's tutelage. Some pitchers struggle to find their rhythm in their spring debuts. Some pitchers battle the newfound urgency of the pitch clock. Hamilton? He was locked in from the start, thriving under the new time constraints, and repeatedly rocking and firing in a quick dismissal of the Tigers.

8 pitches, 8 strikes, 3 outs, 2 whiffs.

If he plays his cards right, there'll be another Hamilton in New York who refuses to throw away his shot.

Last season, Hamilton was only given one big-league cameo with the Twins, allowing two earned runs in 2.2 innings. He also scuffled at Triple-A Columbus after switching organizations, posting a 6.27 ERA in 18.2 innings.

But with Triple-A St. Paul, he shined, whiffing 36 batters and walking just 8 in 28.2 innings, posting a sterling 1.88 ERA and a .158 opponents' average.

If there's one thing the Yankees have in droves, it's bullpen depth, and we won't con you into keeping your eyes peeled for Hamilton this summer (unless you, like, really want to keep your eyes peeled). It's tough to be more dominant than he was in his first spring cameo, though. Excited for more -- and more at that impressive tempo, too.

Jesus Bastidas, INF

Though Talkin' Yanks' was being firmly sarcastic when they asked Yankee fans where they were when Jesus Bastidas "saved the season" with a spring training game-winning hit Monday night, the infielder -- who began camp completely off the radar -- has clearly popped in early action.

His "heroics" in primetime against the Tigers were impressive, but his thunderous home run in Dunedin on Sunday afternoon was the first moment he arrived as a name to watch moving forward.

Firmly lost in the mid-minors middle infield shuffle, Bastidas spent the entire 2022 season (his age-24 campaign) playing second base for Double-A Somerset and turning double plays with Anthony Volpe. Somehow, he didn't pick up any of Volpe's residual shine despite hitting 18 bombs and OPS'ing .750.

Hell, he didn't even pick up as much buzz as Andres Chaparro, the Somerset third baseman (who also went bombs away in Sunday's action against a Blue Jays pitching staff that CLEARLY wasn't ready for the Patriots' blitz).

The raw power is clearly there, based on Sunday's showcase, but you won't find Bastidas on any top prospect list or as the fourth piece in any trade discussions. Perhaps this year's spring training will serve as his coming out party -- especially if he's able to save the season. That'd be huge.

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