TAMPA — Your locker’s location in a baseball clubhouse speaks volumes about your status.
Two years ago, in Port St. Lucie, Jon Niese dressed alongside Matt Harvey, Zach Wheeler and Dillon Gee. Last year, in Bradenton, you found him in the same corner as Gerritt Cole, Francisco Liriano and Jeff Locke.
Now, at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the veteran lefty prepares for his day next to an unoccupied locker, held by Johnny Barbato before his demotion to the minors. Chad Green and Ben Heller, both likely to wind up at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barres, share his row, which takes up the middle of the room while the prime real estate lines the walls.