The New York Yankees saw how quickly depth at a position can evaporate when their top four options at first base hit the disabled list in quick succession, forcing them to use rookie Rob Refsnyder, who had never before played the position professionally, their for an extended stretch of the year.
Neither of the first baseman the Yankees are counting on for 2017 have even 50 big league games on their resume, and one, 23-year-old Greg Bird, missed the entire 2016 campaign following shoulder surgery.
New York signed journeyman first baseman Chris Parmelee as a safety net at the position back in February, but he spent most of the season with Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, hitting .