After an impressive spring training that almost won him a spot on the Yankees opening day roster, Rob Refsnyder has had some early struggles while playing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
Refsnyder has struggled offensively early on, posting a slash line of .229/.289/.257, but his biggest struggles have come defensively, as he has committed five errors in just nine games this season.
To go along with Refsnyder’s early struggles, there have also been conflicting reports speculating that the Yankees are interested in Jose Peraza, a infield prospect from the Atlanta Braves.
Peraza, who will turn 21 on April 30, was signed by the Braves in 2010 out of Venezuela. Between his split time between High-A and Double-A in 2014, Peraza posted a slash line of .339/.364/.411 in 499 plate appearances and also showed his ability to steal bases, converting on 60 of his 75 attempts. He also started his professional career as a shortstop, so he has the ability to fill either position if the Yankees do try to trade for him.
The Yankees interest in Peraza might not be the total end to Refsnyder’s chances of playing second base for the big-league club, but it does bring up some questions as the team moves forward. When trade rumors arise for players such as Peraza, you begin to speculate as to how committed the Yankees are to Didi Gregorius (who has struggled mightily early on) at shortstop and Refsnyder as their future second-baseman.
It’s not time to panic just yet, as Refsnyder is a good enough athlete to figure out his early woes. Remember, we are nine games into the season, so he has plenty of time to learn and gain helpful experience that will hopefully help him when he gets his opportunity in the Bronx in the near future.
A lot of Yankees fans want to see Refsnyder get a chance at the big-league level, and the time will ultimately come. For now, the club has to be patient and hope that he can figure it out. His bat should come around sooner or later, as his career .295 batting average isn’t a fluke, but the Yankees need to hope that he can make the necessary adjustments to become a good defender as well. If he isn’t able to fix his defensive struggles, expect the Yankees to look for some external options to possibly be the fix to their problem at second base.