The New York Yankees have gotten their money’s worth out of outfield Brett Gardner. When he’s not hitting well, he’s motivating the rest of the team to play at their very best, and his defensive skill-set is always beneficial.
Gardner’s main priority is hustle, as he always runs his bite-sized heart out on every play, because you never know what can happen over the course of a baseball game. That’s something I like to call “consistency.” And it’s something that worries me about Manny Machado, but that idea has already been addressed.
The New York Yankees might have found themselves the next Brett Gardner:
Last week the Yankees managed to grab speedy prospect Tyler Hill in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft. He was acquired from the Tigers for cash considerations, making him an attractive prospect.
Hill, who’s just 22 years old, hit .254 with one home run, 38 RBIs and 27 stolen bases in 124 games for Class A Salem in 2018. The Bombers seem to be taking a page right of the Red Sox’s book, who previously drafted the base-running phenom.
Boston has made base-running a priority in recent years, which was a major factor in their most recent World Series victory. Generally, any player the WS champs are looking at are probably ones you should be targeting as well.
Tyler Hill’s primary skill:
Hill amassed 27 stolen bases last season, which is more than Gardner has enjoyed since 2011 (49). Adding a prime base-runner to the team could give the lineup balance down the line. The Yankees have built a lineup centralized around home-runs, which isn’t an efficient way of scoring, as when the big-bats are cold the entire team struggles. Adopting a more hit-friendly cast could be more effective, and Hill would certainly help establish that ideology.
The young speedster would be a solid defensive addition, but if he has any sort of leadership to offer, he could fill the Gardner role after 2019. Hopefully, he can show some serious developement and contribute in the near future.