The Yankees received their first take a look at their shortstop of the current and one other first take a look at their potential shortstop of the long run on Friday, as Isiah Kiner-Falefa made his Yankees debut in a 4-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates at LECOM Field in Bradenton, Fla. and was changed by pinch-runner Anthony Volpe.
Kiner-Falefa, acquired within the commerce that additionally introduced Josh Donaldson and catcher Ben Rortvedt from Minnesota and despatched Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela to the Twins, had a pair of hits, together with a double in his first at-bat.
A lifelong Yankees fan, Kiner-Falefa mentioned he was at Yankee Stadium for Mariano Rivera’s four-hundredth profession save in 2006 because of the very fact he was collaborating in a baseball event.
He was delivered to the Yankees extra for his glove than for his bat, however hopes to alter that and labored with the Dodgers’ Justin Turner throughout the offseason on restoring his leg kick.
According to Kiner-Falefa, he had been hitting the ball on the bottom an excessive amount of.
Volpe, the Yankees’ high prospect, performed in his first main league spring coaching recreation.
“It was an awesome learning experience,’’ Volpe said. “Being in the dugout the first couple of innings, I wasn’t even playing. I was just being a sponge and keeping my ears as open as I can. I think I learned a lot.”
According to Aaron Boone, Volpe can have extra studying experiences this spring.
Boone mentioned he anticipated Volpe to be with the massive league membership “quite a bit” this spring in an try to get him accustomed to the environment and the extent of play.
Most scouts consider Volpe, 20, is no less than a 12 months away from the majors. He’s anticipated to start the season with Double-A Somerset.
Fellow shortstop prospect Oswald Peraza, who doubtless can be with the foremost league membership in Sarasota, Fla. on Saturday in opposition to the Orioles, is nearer and will open the 12 months with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Managing basic companion Hal Steinbrenner mentioned Tuesday the event of the pair of minor leaguers has performed a job within the staff — up to now — not going after any of the high-priced free agent shortstops this season.
Aaron Judge was among the many Yankees sorry to see Luke Voit go within the commerce that acquired right-handed pitching prospect Justin Lange from San Diego.
“He changed this lineup and changed this team,’’ Judge said of Voit’s arrival in a trade from St. Louis in 2018. “Luke brought energy every single day. … He played with heart. He played with passion. He’s someone I feel the fans really gravitated towards. Especially in New York, they want that grittiness. They want guys to be out there, be aggressive and give it their all. Luke, I feel like, represented the New York spirit.”
In trade for Voit, the Yankees received the 20-year-old Lange, the Padres’ first-round draft decide from 2020 (thirty fourth general). The hard-throwing Lange pitched within the Complex League final season.
With Voit’s departure, the Yankees’ 40-man roster is at 39.
Domingo German, positioned on the 60-day IL on Thursday to open up a 40-man roster spot for Anthony Rizzo, was recognized with proper shoulder impingement syndrome, the staff introduced Friday.
Boone mentioned German is within the early levels of a throwing program after being shut down in January when the shoulder points that sidelined him final season popped up once more in January.
The Yankees stay available in the market for a beginning pitcher, with Nestor Cortes Jr. doubtless the fifth starter for now. Without German, Michael King, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, Deivi Garcia and Luis Medina are within the combine for potential depth.
“As we sit right here early [in spring], very early, I do really feel like we have now numerous good and fascinating arms that would play an element within the roster,’’ Boone mentioned.
There can also be hope inside the recreation that rosters can be expanded no less than for the primary few weeks of the season to permit groups to hold additional pitchers because of the shortened spring coaching.
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