3 Winners & 3 Losers from Yankees Spring Training
As Spring Training ends some players took advantage of their opportunities while others squandered theirs.
The regular season is officially here with Yankees Opening Day arriving on Thursday in Houston with a game against the Astros. It's been an eventful Spring Training with the arrivals of Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Marcus Stroman while the injury news of Gerrit Cole and DJ LeMahieu raises concerns.
The Yankees are nearing setting their lineup for the regular season while some players have cemented their spot on the roster others have squandered key opportunities.
Here are the biggest winners and losers from 2024 Spring Training.
Winner: Juan Soto
The Yankees gave up a haul to bring Juan Soto to New York putting plenty of pressure on Brian Cashman to retain the young slugger long term. If Soto plays anything like he has this spring in the regular season, then Brian Cashman will face tense pressure in negotiations with Soto. The slugger will reach open free agency rather than resigning on an extension meaning the Yankees will need to be the highest bidder.
In 12 Spring Training games, Soto hit .294 with four home runs, ten RBIs, and a 1.039 OPS. Soto will hit free agency at just 26 years old and with buzz already started surrounding his impending free agency the asking price will only grow as Soto's time in New York reaches its peak. The arrival of Juan Soto in the Bronx may be the most anticipated arrival in New York since Alex Rodriguez.
Loser: Ben Rortvedt
The catcher position was the position battle to watch heading into the Spring as the Yankees had Jose Trevino, Austin Wells, and Ben Rortvedt competing for the two spots at catcher. It currently seems as if Rortvedt will make the Opening Day roster, however he's likely going to be traded or designated for assignment once rosters are seemingly set around the league.
The improved catching of Austin Wells made it important for Rortvedt to produce at the plate this Spring, however he struggled, batting .222 with no extra base hits in 18 at-bats. The best path for Rortvedt to make the team was likely as Gerrit Cole's personal catcher as we saw down the end of the season but, with Cole missing time to start the year the path to playing time for Rortvedt is bleak.