The New York Yankees have made it a priority this spring training to find a new position for Miguel Andujar after Gio Urshela took his third base spot in 2019.
Andujar, who struggled defensively on the hot corner in his rookie season two years ago, quickly fell out of favor after Urshela displayed far improved defensive traits and an explosive bat. The Colombian had never recorded a batting average over .240 before joining the Yankees, but an increase in launch angle and efficiency saw his BA surge to .314. His 21 homers and 74 RBIs were career-highs by a large margin, and represent the future at third base for the Bombers.
As for Miggy, who is now a journeyman across the defense, tested his abilities in left field and first base in live-action during Grapefruit League play. First base didn’t seem to be a good fit, as he was charged with a fielding error in his lone game at the position, but left field looks like a more promising fit.
The New York Yankees are proceeding with caution:
While manager Aaron Boone made sure to temper our expectations, noting that Andujar only dealt with basic pop-outs in live-play, he did commend him for battling the sun and coming down with them without any issues.
The reality is, Andujar’s best use is now filling in as a utility player. It will take plenty of time and reps for him to adapt to different positions, but having a diverse player with his offensive qualities offers more value than most.
However, the left-field position will likely be handled by Clint Frazier moving forward, as his experience and efficiency this spring training at the plate have been impressive.
Frazier is hitting .304 with one homer and two RBIs over 23 at-bats, but he’s also been stout in the outfield. His development is significant for the Yankees as their entire starting outfield unit is in jeopardy of missing significant time.
Aaron Judge is already being ruled out for Opening Day with a stress fracture on a rib, Giancarlo Stanton is battling a grade 1 calf strain, and Aaron Hicks is months away after succumbing to Tommy John surgery this past offseason.