New York Yankees: Projected Starting Lineup in 2017

Barring trades or other moves made by the New York Yankees during the offseason, the following is a projection of what the starting nine position players could be on Opening Day for 2017.

For the New York Yankees, 2017 promises to be a transition year from the old to the new up and coming dearth of talent the team stockpiled in their farm system. Ideally, most or all of the deadwood plaguing the team (Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, and to a lesser extent Brian McCann) would be gone, but that is a long shot given the salaries they are due.

Which means that it’ll be up to general manager Brian Cashman to produce a blended roster for Joe Girardi. From the outside looking in, this is what I see as what could be a pretty potent offense for the Yankees.

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Greg Bird: First Base 

Following such a solid opening to his big league career with the Yankees in 2015, It was disappointing to see Greg Bird go down for the season with an injury back in April. In just 46 games, he hit 11 home runs, drove in 31 with a .343 on-base percentage. The Yankees have wisely announced they are sending him to the Arizona Fall League to begin the process of getting used to live pitching again. He remains a question mark in availability, but otherwise it’s full speed ahead towards becoming the Yankees’ mainstay at first base.

Starlin Castro:  Second Base 

Not too long ago, I was of the opinion that maybe the Yankees should pass on Starlin Castro as a long-term solution. Mainly, that was due to his propensity to be somewhat of an airhead on the field. But what he has shown during the Yankees’ push to make the playoffs demonstrates the caliber of talent the team needs. His .303 batting average and 10 RBIs over the last 15 games have been crucial to the team’s success. He makes all the plays while not being flashy, and he’s still developing into his prime at 26 years old.

Didi Gregorius: Shortstop 

A few days ago, I explained why Didi Gregorius deserves more praise and attention for the year. Same for Carlos Beltran, who is no longer with the Yankees, no one has been more consistent or productive than Gregorius over the course of this season. His .282 average with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs go far beyond the expectations the Yankees had for him at the beginning of the year. At only 26, along with Castro, Gregorius is poised to be one of the “veteran” leaders on the team when the youth movement is in full bloom.

Rob Refsnyder/Chase Headley: Third Base 

Although Chase Headley stands as a roadblock, and with Castro firmly implanted at second, the Yankees wisely made sure that Rob Refsnyder got some playing time at third base with AAA Scranton this year. In between bouncing back and forth with brief trips to the Bronx, Refsnyder played in 54 games at third . He’s reached the point with the Yankees where he has little or nothing to prove at the minor league level, so it’s up to the Yankees to find a spot for him or use him as trade bait to get some pitching help. In all likelihood, Headley will balk at being removed as a regular. His .261 BA, 12 HR, 46 RBI numbers speak for itself.

Mason Williams/Brett Gardner: Left Field 

Ideally, the Yankees will be able to move Brett Gardner over the winter breaking up the outfield logjam. If they can’t accomplish that, Mason Williams should be given the first crack at supplanting Gardner as a regular in the lineup. It was just a week ago that I described the long journey that Williams has taken with the Yankees. After being demoted to A-ball, he rebounded nicely earning a promotion to Scranton where he hit .306 and drove in 23 runs in only 30 games.

Much like Refsnyder, the Yankees have to make a decision on Williams. He’s either trade bait or you bring him up and give him extended playing time to prove himself at the big league level. Left field would be a new position for him, but his athleticism has never been a question. As for Gardner, his game was always about speed. At 33, he’s past his prime and that speed will continue to decline. Much like Headley, he needs to be relegated to a back seat or traded if there are any takers.

Tyler Austin/Jacoby Ellsbury: Center Field 

The situation in center is very much like the one in left field where you have an overpriced and aging speed demon and a promising rookie with essentially the same skill set. Again, the nod should go to the younger Tyler Austin despite the struggle he’s had this year in his brief time with the Yankees. While he lacks the power numbers you like to see from an outfielder, Austin has produced a .287 BA and .366 on-base percentage over his minor league career.

You can’t blame the guy, but Jacoby Ellsbury pulled off one of the biggest salary heists in the history of baseball, and the Yankees are paying dearly for that now. He’s in that same boat as Headley and Gardner. If the boat has a plank, all three should be ordered to walk it.

Aaron Judge: Right Field 

This one is an easy one. Aaron Judge has all the tools necessary to be a superstar in the big leagues for years to come. And the fact that he’s struggled so much since his call up could turn out to be a godsend in terms of his career development. In essence, it’s his job to lose from here on in. The fact that Girardi has kept him in the lineup is a testament to the belief his manager has for his ability to handle adversity. And as with any slugger in New York, the light will be shining bright on Judge throughout his career with the Yankees.

Gary Sanchez: Catcher 

Ditto to Aaron Judge. Except, that unlike the projected right fielder, Gary Sanchez has taken the big leagues by storm. There’s no sense repeating the numbers and accolades, they’re all well-known. Already, pitchers are making adjustments to counteract his onslaught, and it will be up to him to react. Girardi has already slotted him into the number three position in the lineup, a spot usually reserved for a team’s best hitter. With Judge behind him, this could be the best one-two punch the Yankees have had in a long while.

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Brian McCann: DH

Despite all the talk about the Yankees trying to trade him, Brian McCann has quietly taken a back seat to Sanchez while occasionally providing some pop with his bat from the designated hitter slot in the lineup. The DH is one of those revolving things where parts are usually interchangeable from game to game. But the fact that McCann still has better than average skills as a catcher makes him also valuable as a reliever for Sanchez. By all accounts, he’s a great guy in the clubhouse as well.