While most New York Yankees fans are banking on that fact that Luke Voit can prolong his efficient 2018 season, analysts are looking into the future and preparing for another first-base revolving door.
Voit is only going into his third year as a professional – in his rookie season, he batted .246. In 2018, he hit .182 for the St. Louis Cardinals before being traded to the Yankees where he lit up the Bronx with an impressive .333 average at the plate.
There’s no doubt that Voit has the ability to be an above-average hitter, but it’s too early to tell if he can consistently perform at a high level. I would expect the 27-year-old to start the season at first-base with Greg Bird waiting in the wings for his opportunity.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I will support Voit for as long as I possibly can, but history doesn’t lie. Last season was an anomaly for the slugger. For example, if Voit played the entire year the way he did for the Yanks, he would’ve enjoyed over 58 homers. That’s simply unrealistic and a reason for fans to be prepared for a let-down.
Nonetheless, let’s take a look at some option that will be available for the Yankees in 2020:
1.) Jose Abreu
The top first-base option next season will undoubtedly be Jose Abreu – a player that has a career .295 BA and hasn’t recorded less than 22 homers in any given season. His presence on the Yankees would be significant, improving the infield and batting order.
Abreu will cost a fair amount, but GM Brian Cashman would be wise to entertain the idea of bringing him in to solidify a position that has been inconsistent for years.
2.) Paul Goldschmidt
The Arizona Cardinals first-baseman would be a nice addition to the Yankees, and likely a cheaper than Abreu. He has a career .297 BA which has fallen off a bit (.290 in 2018) – this could indicate a better deal. In 155 games last season he allowed just six errors, which attests to his defensive efficiency.
3.) Matt Adams
After a tough 2018 where he hit .239, Adams will likely see his stock drop considerably if he doesn’t perform well in 2019. He could be a cost-efficient grab for a Yankees team that’s looking for defensive consistency and at the very minimum an average batter.
Adams is capable of hitting upwards of .274, which would be more than acceptable if he can consistently do it in Pinstripes. These theoretical proposals all center around the monetary investment that Cashman is willing to place on the first-base position. If he wants to take a cheaper route Adams is the way to go, but if there’s more money on the table Abreu and Goldschmidt should be the top choices.