19-year-old outfielder Blake Rutherford made his professional debut Monday, starting in centerfield for the GCL Yankees West. Rutherford played just five innings of the GCL Yankees 2-1 victory over the GCL Tigers East squad before being replaced by 18-year-old outfielder Frederick Cuevas.
The Yankees 2016 first round pick (18th overall) batted third in his first minor league game, going 0-for-2 with a strikeout. While that may not be the electric start to the season fans may have hoped for, it’s important to remember that Rutherford is fresh out of high school, and will likely face a steep learning curve as a professional.