The Athletic | Brendan Kuty & Chris Kirschner: ($) A projection of the Yankees Opening Day roster now that spring training is underway. There aren’t too many surprises, with Jasson Domínguez starting the year at Triple-A and Cade Winquest and Jake Bird rounding out the bullpen as perhaps the most notable insights.
Kuty and Kirschner also provide some updates on two potential X factors for the Yankees. José Caballero is focusing his offseason work on increasing his bat speed, which was well below average
last season. “If your bat speed increases, even if you mis(hit) a ball, you’re going to hit it a little harder than you used to,” said the shortstop, who led the AL in steals for the second straight time last year. Luis Gil, who struggled to regain his Rookie of the Year form while dealing with injuries last season, will likely get a shot in the rotation early with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón beginning the season on the shelf. “He’s capable of big things,” says manager Aaron Boone of the 27-year-old, adding, “I’ve seen him dominate like the aces dominate, so he’s capable of that, without question.”
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: After coming up through the Yankees system with the label of a “bat-first” prospect, Austin Wells has made himself into one of the top defensive catchers in the game. The primary driver of this has been his pitch framing, with his 19 framing runs at the bottom of the zone leading MLB the past two seasons. “One thing that has helped him separate is an ability to make adjustments fast,” said Tanner Swanson, the Yankees’ catching coach. “He’s capable of taking information even with minimal training.”
That propensity for continual improvement has not translated to his offense, which sputtered at times last year after a strong rookie season. “I expect a lot more out of him offensively, as does he,” said Boone of his backstop. “Being a Major League catcher, especially as a rookie and a first- and second-year player, there’s a lot of things you’re focusing on away from your hitting. I still think there’s a lot more in there offensively.” Wells agrees. “It’s just about keeping it consistent,” he said. “That’s the next level for me, and I think that’ll help me give less at-bats away.”
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: As he gets the chance to square up against top competition in spring training camp, the Yankees remain bullish on George Lombard Jr. Per Brian Cashman, the organization’s consensus number-one prospect “could play defense in the big leagues right now, but he’s still developing on the hitting side.” The Yankees’ GM also calls the shortstop an “exciting, high-ceiling talent,” while Boone praised his “consistently great work habits.” For his part, Lombard embraces all that comes with his place atop the Yankees’ farm system. “I feel like I’m blessed to be in that situation, where I have those expectations and goals to meet,” he said. “I really just try to block that out. I acknowledge the situation that I’m in, and then just focus on my work and let those things figure themselves out.”
