New York Yankees’ Clint Frazier keeps getting the short end of the stick in his development

New York Yankees, Clint Frazier
May 28, 2019; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Clint Frazier (77) reacts during an at bat against the San Diego Padres during the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier can’t seem to catch a break in his development:

The Yankees as a team have been plagued on multiple levels by injury and other concerns the past few seasons, but on the Individualistic level, players have also dealt with their own problems and deficiencies.

Outfielder and youth product Clint Frazier has struggled the past two seasons to remain in the Major League with the Yankees, primarily due to a lack of defensive quality. Frazier was sent down to the minors last season after having a poor game against Boston Red Sox in June. After ignoring media members, he was punished by the team for his lack of professionalism.

However, Frazier is a talented player with plenty of upside, which the Yankees clearly visualize given his status with the team. This spring, though, Frazier looked like a different player, showing maturity and consistency at the plate. General manager Brian Cashman has said in the past that Frazier has “legendary bat speed.”

The improvements Frazier made weren’t only correlated to his mentality, but he worked on activating his lower body to generate more power and bat speed. With baseball potential expanding the active roster due to a shortened seasoned, Frazier could and will likely be a part of that team.

While there are plenty of outfield options for the Yankees to choose from, Frazier’s potential can no longer be ignored. Allowing him to utilize active reps to further his development should be a priority, as Brett Gardner‘s eventual replacement will likely be Clint.

This spring, Frazier hit .320 with eight hits, one home run, and four strikeouts. While this was over 25 at-bats, it is a nice sample size to start the year. Building on that in the regular season would have been probable considering the injuries to Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and Aaron Hicks. With the three starting outfielders for the Yankees recovering during this time off, Frazier’s likelihood of earning live-action to start the regular season has diminished. Another blow to his development.