Although pitchers and catchers don’t officially begin team-organized workouts in Tampa, Fl. until Wednesday, the wait hasn’t kept some Yankees from arriving at the minor league complex a few days early.
Among the group of players taking batting practice on Monday were catcher Gary Sanchez and shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres. According to NJ Advance Media, Sanchez also spent some time in gear behind the plate, working on framing pitches.
As a rookie in 2016, Sanchez burst on the scene, finishing with 20 home runs and a .299 average in 53 games. The 24-year-old finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting results.
Torres, who turned 20 in December, is currently ranked the third-best prospect in baseball according to MLB.com. At 19, he became the youngest player to ever win the Arizona Fall League’s MVP award after hitting a league-best .403 with three home runs and 11 RBI in 18 games.
Here below are videos of Sanchez and Torres, courtesy of NJ Advance Media:
Aaron Judge still feels unproven
Yankees outfield prospect Aaron Judge still has an opportunity to win over the starting right field job this spring, but the 24-year-old slugger currently doesn’t feel like the favorite up against outfielder Aaron Hicks.
“I feel like an underdog,” Judge told the New York Daily News on Monday. “I’m trying to go in there and take a job, to be honest. I was in the big leagues for a month and I got hurt. Now, I’m trying to go in there, prove something and win the spot.”
Despite homering in his first major league at-bat on Aug. 13, Judge managed to hit just .179 in 27 games. He also struck out 42 times in 84 at-bats before suffering a season-ending right oblique strain against the Dodgers on Sept. 13.
Last week during batting practice, video showed that Judge removed a leg kick during his swing. Over the course of the offseason, he’s been working to improve his lower half and front side with hitting coach Alan Cockrell.
“I was just kind of warming up, and then it’s a progression for me,” Judge said. “I’m working on being consistent, repeating my swing and my mechanics.”
Whether or not Judge starts the season in the majors, he believes his brief stint in New York last summer tested his abilities, which is now forcing him to make adjustments at the plate.
“It was a dream come true,” Judge said. “That was probably the best year of baseball I’ve ever had. Anytime you get called up to the big leagues, it’s a good thing.
“So for me it was like a practice test, where coming into this year you’ve had a chance to see what the league’s about, get used to the travel, get used to the stadiums and get used to playing in front of 40,000 people at Yankee Stadium. I’m excited and I’m glad I got that opportunity. I’m just ready to get going.”
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