Taking a look at Miguel Andujar and why can he can be great trade bait in 2020 for the New York Yankees:
One of the youngest the most talented New York Yankees players is former third baseman Miguel Andujar. Notice I say “former,” since Gio Urshela overtook him last season after Andujar suffered a torn labrum.
Losing out on the starting spot significantly hurt Andujar’s value to the team, and missing an entire season of offensive production only lowered his value in a potential trade. However, teams still inquired about his availability, notably the Texas Rangers.
The main reason the Yankees moved Andujar away from the hot corner was due to his elevated errors. His 15 errors in 136 games proved that he had deficiencies at the position and could not be trusted over the long term. It’s not for a lack of trying; his reaction timing and glove work were simply not up to par for a team that has World Series aspirations.
The major positive for the young Dominican Republic native is his bat. Two years ago, Andujar landed second in the AL Rookie of the Year rankings to Angels’ Shohei Ohtani. He had .297 with 27 Homer’s, 92 RBIs, and .850 OPS.
The primary issue was getting Andujar’s arm to remain consistent and alleviate a double-clutch that set him back a few seconds. This off-season, manager Aaron Boone moved Andujar around the defense to test him at different spots.
He played in left field and at first base, one of which he will likely remain at. His time at first base wasn’t as smooth as we hoped, but in the field, he proved to be capable despite a minimal sample size.
Nonetheless, his value comes through his offensive production, and that is where the Yankees could use Him as trade bait.
Given the injuries in the starting pitching rotation, the Yankees could be in the market for a supplemental arm to help in the postseason later on in the campaign, if there even is one. The bullpen might need another pitcher as well. If Andujar doesn’t contribute defensively, the best move might be to maximize the value he currently has. If he has a strong offensive season, teams will likely be calling for his services.