This article is the second part of a Spring Training Preview Article Series, in which I preview the Yankees as they head into Tampa to start their preseason activities. The series will be broken down by each position - released in separate articles. I will make a projection on who you may see in pinstripes come Opening Day, on March 28th, as the Yankees prepare to host the Baltimore Orioles.
SECOND BASE Second base is an interesting position on the Yankees' depth chart, as they have a handful of middle infielders that can play this position if needed. In fact, the middle infield for this team is incredibly deep. Which is good, because we all know that the injury bug can bite at any time. There are a couple players you may see slot into the second base position this season, due to the ability of some of these players to play multiple positions.
GLEYBER TORRES started at second base for a majority of the 2018, of which was his rookie year. For the first half, he exploded onto the scene seemingly getting one big hit after another, one home run after another. In the first half, Torres hit .294 AVG / 15 HR / 42 RBI, and earned his first ever All-Star appearance. Unfortunately he would miss playing in the game, as he would land on the DL (Disabled List) just before the Mid-Summer Classic due to a hip strain. After the break, and his return from the DL, Torres struggled in comparison to the first half. And his second half production did not quite match that of his first half (.249 AVG / 9 HR / 35 RBI) - not saying that he didn't play well, just that he didn't play quite as well. You could see the signs of his inexperience and impatience in the batters box. Regardless, his first half was so good that it kept him in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. He would ultimately finish 3rd in the voting, losing out to Shohei Ohtani...
On the defensive side of the ball, Torres pretty solid. He showed glimpses of inexperience here and there, but all in all is a solid defender. His natural position is shortstop, and with the injury to Didi and not being sure what you'll get with Tulowitzki's health and production, Torres may get moved around a bit.
Gleyber is young (22), but with one very successful big league season under his belt, you could see why he was such a highly regarded prospect. Yankee fans should really be excited to see what he has in store for 2019. He should only get better.
So, if Torres might be moved around a bit, who else will man this keystone position?
D.J. LEMAHIEU was signed to do just that. LeMahieu's 2018 was pretty solid with the Colorado Rockies, hitting .276 AVG / 15 HR / 62 RBI as the primary second baseman. He also brought home his third career Gold Glove in five years. In January, LeMahieu signed with the Yankees for a 2-year deal worth $24 million. Upon the official announcement of his signing, LeMahieu was quoted as saying "I was told to bring many gloves" - this clearly being an indication that the Yankees intend for him to play many different positions. Being a multiple Gold Glove winner, this should be no problem for him.
That being said, much of the twitterverse has expressed concern that LeMahieu's offensive numbers are a product of him playing at Coors Field. Now, he did win a batting title in 2016, with a .348 AVG, but lets take a look at his home and away splits for 2018...
HOME (@ Coors Field) - 68 G / .317 AVG / 4 HR / 30 RBI
AWAY (not @ Coors Field) - 60 G / .229 AVG / 11 HR / 32 RBI
Interesting, right? For average, he did not hit very well on the road - however, his power numbers were significantly better. I suppose to a degree those Yankee Twitter Managers were correct... but the 2018 season may be an isolated incident (in 2016 and 2017 he hit .303 AVG / 4 HR / 23 RBI and .294 AVG / 5 HR / 29 RBI, respectively) and hopefully not an indication he is trending down while hitting away from Coors. We all know Yankee Stadium is a very hitter friendly park, so he may be just fine, and players do tend to hit better at their home ball park. And the great thing about LeMahieu is in a lineup that will strike out a lot, he does not. He puts the ball in play and he's better than a lot people are willing to give him credit for.
OTHER OPTIONS at Second Base would include 24 year old Tyler Wade, who in the past two seasons has seen very limited playing time in the MLB. In 124 career at-bats he owns a sub par .161 AVG / 1 HR / 7 RBI... thus far he has yet to live up to expectations, and makes you wonder if he will even break camp as the teams utility infielder. Wade has worked hard in the past and has earned a chance to be looked at, as the Yanks need to replace Ronald Torreyes. If he shows some significant improvement this spring, coupled with his speed and defense, he could be very important of the bench for the Yankees with Didi out. Unless in an emergency, I wouldn't expect him to see regular playing time.
Troy Tulowitzki could be another option here, and I may get a lot of eye rolls for even suggesting it. If he is able to remain healthy and is performing on offense, once Didi comes back, he could also become a utility-type player (if not a valuable trade piece). A short stop is typically one of the most versatile and athletic players on the field and should be able to adapt and play almost any position. There is no reason that Tulowitzki couldn't play second if called upon to do so.
MY OPENING DAY PROJECTION - Barring any injury, GLEYBER TORRES should be starting at Second Base on Opening Day.
Coming up next... SHORT STOP!