New York Yankees non-roster invitees part one – position players
By Ed Stein
Outfielders
Trey Amburgey – Drafted in the 13th round of 2015, Amburgey worked his way up to Double-A last season. He hit .258 at Trenton and showed some decent power with 16 homers and 74 runs batted in. The biggest problem for Amburgey is plate discipline. He struck out 108 times while only drawing 22 walks.
Billy Burns – Burns made his Major League debut in 2014 and had his best season as a rookie in 2015 with the Oakland Athletics. That year he hit .294, scored 70 runs, and stole 26 bases. He may have peaked then because it’s been a downhill ride ever since.
In June 2017 he appeared in just seven games for the Kansas City Royals and hasn’t been in the bigs again. If there is a position player who has a fair shot at making the Yankees from this list it’s Billy Burns. That is of course if the team can unload Jacoby Ellsbury.
Matt Lipka – An all-around player, the McKinney, TX native was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2010 (35th overall). In Double-A or higher, Lipka has never hit over .248 in a season. He’s been with three different organizations, the past three seasons, so at almost 27 years old, this is likely his last chance to impress someone at the major league level.
Estevan Florial – According to mlb.com Florial is the Yankees number one prospect (after the trade of Justus Sheffield to Seattle) heading into 2019. He just turned 21 but has been with the organization since he signed as an international player in 2015. Florial has been working his way through the lower levels of the Yankees minor league system for the past four seasons and has shown improvement.
Why is he the Yankees top prospect? The report on him from MLB says:
"Florial has three tools that grade as well above average in his raw power, speed and arm strength. With the quickness and loft in his left-handed stroke, he’s built to do a lot of damage at Yankee Stadium. The only question he has to answer is whether he can tone down his aggressive approach and make consistent contact"
This year’s spring training invitation will be a chance for Florial to see what he needs to do to become a Major League Player.