The New York Yankees have struggled to maximize Clint Frazier’s talents, but most of his deficiencies are self-curated, starting with a lack of maturity and defensive development. The Yankees have waited patiently for the quick bat to come around and become the player they know he can be, and 2020 might be his year to shine.
Frazier was stuck in a state of mind, previously knowing how far ahead of the curve he was but has experienced the reality of falling behind as the years pass him by. At 25-years old, Frazier now realizes that expectations are high and opportunities are dwindling, which has sparked a growth in maturity.
“It’s been difficult,’’ Frazier told the NY Post. “Because where I was at at 18 was a lot higher than I think I am at 25.
“Meaning, I felt I was a little bit ahead of the curve at the age of 18 and now I’m sitting here at the age of 25 kind of looking around like, this isn’t where I thought I’d be at this age according to how things were going when I was younger.’’
The New York Yankees might finally see the best of Frazier in 2020:
Understanding that baseball waits for no one was the first challenge Frazier faced, and frustration clearly set in last season after a troublesome performance against the Boston Red Sox in June. His disrespect towards reporters and hostility in the face of adversity saw him demoted, which was a harsh and justified consequence of his action. However, it was an essential lesson that he had to learn, and now it seems as if he’s better off.
“I think I got tested in a lot of areas, and maybe now I’m responding to those areas a little bit differently,’’ he said.
“It’s tough to make it [in the majors], but it is even more tough making it with a team full of players like we have, and so that was tough mentally to get past,’’ Frazier said. “It took a little bit to adjust.
Frazier has a point, making it to the majors is one significant challenge, and he would realistically be a starter on most teams, but the Yankees offer competition beyond the likes of most. Facing off against Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge for one of the corner outfield spots is troublesome, and Frazier has felt the pain of competition in recent years.
This upcoming campaign offered a sense of establishment for Clint, though, as the outfield was set to begin the regular season in shambles, and the young bat was expected to supplement injuries in the meantime. His impressive Spring Training put him in the right direction, but the postponing of Opening Day could force him back into a reserve role. Still, I have confidence his time will come, considering the number of injuries the Yankees have faced with their sluggers.