Yankees Player Profiles: Tyler Wade, will this be his year to break through? (video)

The Yankees Tyler Dean Wade was born on November 24, 1994, in San Diego California. He played baseball as a boy and from the age of ten was a Yankee and Derek Jeter fan. He played ball for Murrieta Valley High School in California where he developed into a shortstop, who played several times at second base. Yankees scouts took notice of Wade and particularly liked his athleticism. They thought so much of him that they selected him in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft when he was just eighteen.

He had committed to play college baseball for San Diego State University but chose to forgo his commitment and sign with the Yankees. He made his pro debut in the rookie Gulf Coast League. At the end of the season, he was batting .309 with 12 RBI’s and the Yankees promoted him to the Staten Island Yankees. In the same year, he also played at the Charleston River Dogs and for the Trenton Thunder. He ended playing in 129 games for an average of .273 with 51 RBI’s.

He started 2015 with the Tampa A team but ended the season back with the Thunder. Between the two teams, he played in 127 games for an average of .262 with 31 RBI’s and with three home runs. He was an invitee to 2016 spring training but spent the season with the Thunder. He began the 2017 season with Scranton Wilkes/Bare but was called up to the Stadium on June 27. He ended up taking the shuttle between the Rail Riders and the Yankees multiple times. He was finally called up for the rest of the season on the 4th of September. He batting .310 for the Rail Riders but .155 for the Yankees in just 30 games. During the 2018 season, he was back and forth between the teams again. During the winter he played in the Arizona fall league where he worked on his outfield skills.

In 2019 he started his season with the Rail Riders but has been up and down again. While at Scranton Wade has been honing his outfield skills while his natural position is as a shortstop. As it turns out Wade is a pretty good utility player even playing second base, although isn’t the greatest hitter. He is still young and still developing. Wade was again called up when the roster expanded and made some exciting catches in left field.

There are reasons to think that this year just may be Tyler Wade‘s break out year. Each year in the bigs he has performed better than the year before.  Last season he ended the season hitting .245 with two homers in 43 games.  In spring training 1.0 he hit two homers in just eleven games, showing that his power is growing.  With Wade, his defense and fieldwork are not in question. For him to get more playing time, his offense has to improve.

Wade is the super-utility player that can take over if Gleyber Torres falters as the shortstop.  He can play at second and in the outfield with better than average fielding percentages.  This year he can be a huge factor with the automatic man on second in extra innings games.  With his team-leading speed on the bases, he can score from second on a hit or sac fly.  Yankee manager Aaron Boone recently sung the praises of Wade.

“Tyler can be that really valuable super-utility guy, rule change or not. He has an ability to defend the middle of the diamond, in the infield, and we have seen just how good an outfielder he can be when we have put him in that situation. For him, it’s about continuing to progress offensively and we think he can be a very valuable player for us, he is always (trying to improve) his offensive game, and looking to take advantage of his speed, laying down a bunt, and working on that line-drive swing. He’s got a pretty good understanding of the strike zone and hopefully, with more reps and opportunities, we can start to see that at this level.”

Wade is not married and there are no scandals attached to his name. In the offseason, he lives in southern California. He has an older brother Kyle. Tyler attributes his hard-working style to his military father. He became a Yankee fan at the age of ten when going on a family trip to Cooperstown he got to see a Yankee game at the Old Stadium. In that game, he got to see Derek Jeter do his famous jump throw.

When he returned home he practiced that throw in backyard Whiffle ball games. Wade carries a tattoo behind his left wrist the says “Confidence is key” For female fans, he is a bit of a heartthrob with his good looks.

The video below shows Tyler Wade’s speed and agility.

EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Columnist William Parlee is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research.  Follow me on Twitter @parleewilliam