The Yankees made seven roster moves on Sunday, reassigning several players to Triple-A and minor league camp. After the loss to the Tigers, they announced three more moves, including one of their promising young players who could be in line to take over at first base long-term.
Yankees’ Prospects on the Move: Ben Rice and Josh Breaux
Ben Rice:
Ben Rice has been working primarily at first base over the last few months with the hope he can replace Anthony Rizzo in the future.
The Yankees have a team option for Rizzo next year at $17 million, but Rice would be a far cheaper alternative if he can continue developing his offensive side. The 25-year-old showed some decent upside in spring training, playing six games and hitting .250 with a .455 on-base percentage. His 118 wRC+ indicated he was 18% better than the average hitter, recording three runs and two RBIs with a 27.3% strikeout and walk rate.
Rice won the team’s Development Hitter of the Year award last season, and he will continue his growth in Triple-A for one more season before a potential promotion. The Yankees love Rice’s makeup and the tools he brings offensively, but they simply don’t have a roster spot for him at the moment.
Josh Breaux:
The Yankees also sent Josh Breaux back down to Triple-A. At 26 years old, the catcher hit .667 with a .667 OBP over just three plate appearances this spring. He spent 25 games in Double-A and 12 games in Triple-A last year, showing decent offensive upside.
Unfortunately, the Yankees are stacked with catching talent, and Breaux has a tall task ahead of him even cracking the roster. The more likely scenario is that the Yankees offload him via trade at some point in the future.
READ MORE: Yankees re-assign 4 players as spring training roster moves kick off
Further Adjustments: Joey Gerber and Jordan Groshans
Joey Gerber:
The Yankees also sent 26-year-old pitcher Joey Gerber to Triple-A. Gerber spent the last year rehabilitating from injury after only tossing one inning with Seattle’s complex team in 2022. He threw one inning for the Yankees this spring over two games, allowing five earned runs in total. The Yankees will allow him to continue his development in the minors, but it doesn’t look great for his long-term prospects.
In addition to those three players, the Yankees also outrighted Jordan Groshans off the major league roster to Triple-A Scranton. Groshans cleared waivers and will hope to latch on and provide some value after once being considered a top prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system.