New York Yankees can't sleep on Oswaldo Cabrera

With New York Yankees prospects Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez, and Oswald Peraza receiving a great deal of praise this spring, Oswaldo Cabrera has gotten somewhat lost in the shuffle. Don’t be fooled, though; the 24-year-old super-utility man is primed to have a significant season.

In 44 games in 2022, Cabrera hit for a .247 average and also recorded six home runs, along with a slugging percentage of .429. A switch-hitter, he gave the Yankees depth and presented problems for opposing pitchers that would have rather faced a more one-dimensional lineup.

So far this spring, Cabrera is hitting a clean .319 and has also cracked four home runs. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has taken note of the second-year player's grit at the plate.

Yankees infielder/outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera deserves more shine in left field race

“That’s who he is,” Boone told the New York Post. “He’s that kind of hitter. He’s going to control the strike zone, he’s disciplined, he’ll take tough pitches.”

Additionally, the Venezuelan prospect played multiple positions in the field last year, and was able to adapt to whatever was asked of him. By no means was Cabrera a Gold Glover at every position he played, but his presence as a plug-and–play kind of player late in the season was something that the Pinstripes desperately needed when injuries and attrition reared their ugly heads.

Hell, he made playoff starts at unfamiliar positions, didn't he? That's trust.

This is precisely what to expect from Cabrera again in 2023. The only difference is that he will be given more opportunities to play and earn a consistent role.

FanGraphs projects that Cabrera will play 79 games, hit for a .231 average, and collect 11 home runs. But it is fully possible (and potentially likely, given injuries) that Cabrera will play more games than expected and end up making an even bigger splash.