The New York Yankees will open spring training in Tampa, Florida on February 14th this year, when pitchers and catchers start to report. Along with a variety of minor league free agents and veterans, many of the team’s highly touted will be arriving in Major-League camp. They will assemble their talent to prepare for the upcoming season and to provide depth for later in the year, as the needs arrive.
The Yankees have announced through their public relations department that 23 players have been invited to spring training. Couple that with the members of the 40-man roster and this year there will be a total of 63 players in camp. In total, there will be 12 left-handed pitchers, 21 right-handed pitchers, seven catchers, 15 infielders, and eight outfielders.
Left-handed pitchers
Richard Bleier – 29-year-old member of 40-man roster; reliever; part of Scranton shuttle
Daniel Camarena- 24-year-old; last year was a starter for Trenton; Yankees 2011 20th round pick; invited
Aroldis Chapman-28-year-old free agent signing; member of 40-man roster; presumed closer of Yankees
Dietrich Enns-25-year old; member of 40-man roster; was starter for Trenton and Scranton last year; Yankees 2012 19th round pick
Jason Gurka-29-year old reliever; pitched for Colorado last year; signed minor-league free agent contract; invited
Tommy Layne-32-year old reliever; member of the 40-man roster; left-handed specialist
Joe Mantiply-25-year old reliever; spent time last year in Detroit and their minor leagues; signed as a minor-league free agent; invited
Jordan Montgomery-24-year old starter; pitched in Trenton and Scranton last year; Yankees 2014 4th round pick; invited
Evan Rutchkyj -25-year old reliever; Yankees drafted in 2010; pitched in only ten games last year in Yankees system; signed as a minor-league free agent; invited
CC Sabathia-36-year old starter; member of 40-man roster; will be part of rotation
Justus Sheffield-20-year old starter; acquired in Andrew Miller trade; one of the industry’s top prospects; invited
Chasen Shreve-26-year old reliever; member of the 40-man roster; will be in the bullpen
Right-Handed Pitchers
Chance Adams-22-year old starter; Pitched in Tampa and Trenton last year combined 13-1 record; Yankees 2015 5th round pick; MLB Pipeline said top 115 prospect; invited
Johnny Barbato-24-year old reliever; member of the 40-man roster; Scranton Shuttle
Dellin Betances-28-year old all-star reliever; member of the 40-man roster; set up man
Luis Cessa-24-year old starter; member of the 40-man roster; will compete for starting rotation
Tyler Clippard-31-year old reliever; member of the 40-man roster; late inning bullpen
J.P. Feyereisen-23-year old reliever; acquired in Andrew Miller trade; allowed only one earned run in 18 innings after trade (0.50 ERA); Possible Scranton Shuttle; invited
Giovanny Gallegos-25-year old; member of the 40-man roster; split last year with Trenton and Scranton; Scranton Shuttle
Domingo German-24-year old reliever; member of the 40-man roster; Has only made it to Tampa so far so will need more developmental time
Chad Green-25-year old starter; member of the 40-man roster; will compete for spot in the rotation
Ben Heller-25-year old reliever; member of the 40-man roster; will be part of the Scranton shuttle bullpen corps
Ronald Herrera-21-year old starter; member of the 40-man roster; spent most of the last season in Trenton; Likely to be part of Scranton rotation, but already on roster so could be a surprise candidate to compete for a rotation spot in the Bronx
Johnathon Holder -23-year old reliever; member of the 40-man roster; another Scranton, Shuttle candidate
James Kaprielian -22-year old starter; Yankees 2015 first round pick; injured much of 2016; MLB Pipeline lists him as a top 100 prospect; invited
Brady Lail-23-year old starter; Pitched last year in Scranton; Yankees 2012 18th round pick; invited
Bryan Mitchell-25-year old; member of 40-man roster; will compete for rotation spot or will be part of the bullpen
Michael Pineda-28-year old starter; member of the 40-man roster; will be in the rotation
Yefrey Ramirez-23-year old starter; member of the 40-man roster; Has only pitched as high as Tampa so probably will begin the season in Trenton, but you never know, he is already on the roster
Nick Rumbelow-25-year old reliever; was part of the Yankees bullpen and Scranton Shuttle before needing Tommy John surgery early last spring; Resigned as a minor league free agent; once healthy should return to old position; invited
Luis Severino-22-year old; member of the 40-man roster; will compete for spot in the rotation; Could see time in Scranton rotation or Yankees bullpen
Masahiro Tanaka-28-year old starter; member of the 40-man roster; Ace of the rotation
Adam Warren-29-year old; member of the 40-man rotation; Will compete for a spot in the rotation or will be in the bullpen
Catchers
Wilkin Castillo-32-year old; Played last year in Toronto Blue Jays minors; signed as a minor league free agent; invited
Kellin Deglan-24-year old; Spent last 7 years in the Texas Rangers organization; Signed as a minor league free agent; Invited
Francisco Diaz-26-years old; Played in Tampa, Trenton, and Scranton last year; Signed as a minor league free agent; Invited
Kyle Higashioka-26-year old; Member of the 40-man roster; Third string catcher that produced more than 20 home runs last year, could see him make a push to make the team
Austin Romine-28-year old; Member of the 40-man roster; Backup catcher
Jorge Saez-26-year old; Selected in the Triple-A Rule 5 Draft from the Toronto Blue Jays; Invited
Gary Sanchez-24-year old; member of the 40-man roster; Starting Catcher, potential all-star
Infielders
Miguel Andujar-21-year old 3b; member of the 40-man roster; Probably start the season in Scranton
Tyler Austin-25-year old 1b; member of the 40-man roster; will compete for starting first base, right field and utility man or will be sent to Scranton
Greg Bird-24-year old 1b; member of the 40-man roster; Likely starter at first
Starlin Castro-26-year 2b; member of the 40-man roster; starting second baseman
Ji-Man Choi-25-year old 1b; split last year with Los Angeles Angels and their minors; signed as a minor league free agent; invited
Didi Gregorius-26-year old SS; member of the 40-man roster; Starting shortstop
Chase Headley-32-year old 3b; member of the 40-man roster; Starting third baseman
Pete Kozma– 28-year old; Former Saint Louis Cardinals first round pick; Spent last year in Scranton, playing all four infield positions; Signed as a minor league free agent; Invited
Jorge Mateo-21-year old SS; Member of the 40-man roster; Will likely start the season in Trenton
Rob Refsnyder-25-year old; member of the 40-man roster; Will compete for a roster spot as a utility player
Donovan Solano-29-year old 2b; had a solid year with Scranton (.319/.349/.436) and earned late season promotion to Yankees; resigned as minor league free agent; invited
Ruben Tejada-27-year old SS; Spent last year with the Saint Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants; Has accumulated over 500 MLB hits; Signed as a minor league free agent; Invited
Gleyber Torres-20-year old SS; Top 5 prospect in the sport; Acquired in Chapman trade last July; Here to get a taste, will be sent to Trenton, but will be back very soon; Invited
Ronald Torreyes-24-year old; member of the 40-man roster; Will compete to be the super utility player and primary back up shortstop
Tyler Wade-22-year old SS; Yankees 2013 4th round pick; Probably Scranton-bound this year; Invited
Outfielders
Jacoby Ellsbury-33-year old CF; member of the 40-man roster; Starting center fielder
Dustin Fowler-22-year old CF; Hit .281/.311/.458 with Trenton last year; top 15 organizational prospect; Another Scranton-bound; Invited
Clint Frazier-22-year old LF; Part of Andrew Miller Trade; Top 50 MLB prospect; Will start in Scranton before a likely mid-season promotion; Invited
Brett Gardner-33-year old LF; member of the 40-man roster; Gold Glove winning starting Left Fielder
Aaron Hicks-27-year old OF; member of the 40-man roster; Likely 4th outfielder
Matt Holliday-37-year old OF/DH; member of the 40-man roster; Will be everyday DH, only playing the field when Gary Sanchez needs a half-day off
Aaron Judge-24-year old RF; member of the 40-man roster; Will be given every opportunity to win the starting job before being evaluated
Mason Williams-25-year old OF; member of the 40-man roster; will compete for 4th outfield roster spot
This is the team that will start the season together, but over the course of the next eight months, there is going to be a lot of changes. As the season approaches, there is a lot of excitement. Every team starts off with the same record. As a Yankees fan, there is a lot to look forward to and I, for one, cannot wait for it to get underway.
