New York Yankees: Grading The Offseason

Sep 22, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Didi Gregorius (1) hits a RBI double in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

4. Acquired Didi Gregorius

Grade: A-

Shortstop was a position the Yankees needed to fill as they entered the post-Jeter era. All they had to do to acquire Gregorius was give up Shane Greene. Greene was drafted in the 15th round during the 2009 June Amateur Draft. He was never one of the Yankees top prospects leading up to his MLB debut last season. He struggled in the minors until 2013 when he had an ERA of 3.18 in Double-A. He got the call up due to a number of pitching injuries on the MLB roster and held his own weight to a 3.78 ERA.

Gregorius is still an unproven major leaguer, but he has had some success in Triple-A. For the Diamondbacks, he had an OBP of .389 in 2014, but that number dipped over 100 points on the MLB club. The Yankees, as usual, like the fact that he bats left-handed, but it is still unclear if he can hold down the job over a full season. If you asked a magic 8 ball, it would probably say “don’t count on it”, but it is still a great job filling a position of need with inexpensive youth.

Next: Strengthening the Pen