One of the downsides with going young in 2017 is the New York Yankees aren’t really sure what kind of production they can count on from certain positions next year, especially in right field and first base. Aaron Judge and Greg Bird are the favorites to hold down those jobs at the moment, but neither is even close to a sure thing at the moment. It’s not hard to imagine either guy struggling badly in the spring and beginning the season in Triple-A.
The team is said to be on the lookout for a veteran power bat to fill their full-time DH role after trading Brian McCann to the Houston Astros, but, ideally, whoever they bring in would have some positional flexibility to provide insurance for Judge and Bird.