Stakes in spring training are typically pretty low, but this spring has added significance for the Yankees. Two of their starting jobs — left field and shortstop — will be decided via open competition during the month of spring exhibitions. Four of the five candidates for those jobs were on display in Bradenton today as Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza, Aaron Hicks, and Oswaldo Cabrera all got starting nods.
The competitors for short had better days than the ones out in left. Volpe left the yard as part of a 2-for-3 day while Peraza reached base three times and scored twice to kickstart the Yankees’ 9-1 victory over the major league half of the Pirates’ split squad.