4 Yankees hitters who are not helping themselves during spring training

Everson Pereira

No Yankee had a worse cameo than Pereira in 2023 -- and that's truly saying something, as seemingly every Yankee who was called upon to show off some savior skills came up empty, save for maybe Billy McKinney. You're a real one, Billy McKinney.

Pereira, known for having some of the highest exit velocity of any prospect in Baseball America's Top 100 (jockeying it out with Spencer Jones, FWIW), instead broke Statcast with the ferocity of his whiffs at the MLB level last season. 14 hits and 40 strikeouts in 93 at-bats, good for a 20 OPS+, isn't mitigating any fans' fears about player development. All Pereira's MLB debut did was confound the fan base further about how there could be such a drastic gulf between the Triple-A level and the bigs.

Something needs to change in the Yankees' communication strategies, as well as the way they prepare top prospects for the lights getting a little brighter. With an offseason to reflect on a September journey that left him less secure in a future big-league role than when he started, Pereira has socked a few balls this spring, but hasn't done much to stabilize his profile. The slugging outfielder has gone 5-for-27 with a homer and five RBI through action on March 14, leaving most fans yearning for Jones and Jasson Dominguez in what might prove to be a crowded outfield of the future if Juan Soto is extended.

Until Pereira can hold court for a sustained period of time, he's going to look more like an odd man out than an exit velocity champion. Yes, even if it's only spring training.