With spring training just around the bend, the New York Yankees are preparing to get the 2019 season rolling. ‘The Yankees’ PR department stated that 21 non-roster players will report spring training in an attempt to make the active roster and join the big leagues.
The New York Yankees non-roster players include:
-OF Trey Amburgey
-LHP Rex Brothers
-OF Billy Burns
-LHP Nestor Cortes Jr.
-RHP Cale Coshow
-LHP Danny Coulombe
-C Kellin Deglan
-C Francisco Diaz
-RHP Raynel Espinal
-RHP Danny Farquhar
-OF Estevan Florial
-INF Mike Ford
-RHP David Hale
-INF Kyle Holder
-RHP Drew Hutchinson
-RHP Michael King
-RHP Brady Lail
-C Ryan Lavernway
-OF Matt Lipka
-C Jorge Saez
-INF Giovanny Urshela
The @Yankees announced today that they have invited 21 non-roster players to 2019 Major League Spring Training. pic.twitter.com/gNGsdQXgRS
— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) February 1, 2019
Of the 21 players coming to train with the men in Pinstripes, the two that stand out are pitcher Danny Farquhar and outfielder Estevan Florial. The Yankees signed Danny to a contract after he suffered through a serious brain aneurysm. Doctors have cleared him and he will compete for a spot in the bullpen. If he regains his form I would anticipate him providing value this upcoming season.
Florial is a young player with a ton of potential. He has hit a road-block recently in his development due to an inability to recognize pitches. In 2017, he struck out 148 times over 476 at-bats. In 2018, he struck out 92 times over 325 at-bats. That’s over 28% of his attempts at the plate.
Some players can work around strikeouts – Aaron Judge is an example, but players like Florial who depend more on contact and base-running are less fortunate. He will need to begin developing his eye for the ball if he wishes to play at the pro level. His skill-set is impressive, but unlocking the potential will be the key moving forward.