NY YANKEES: PREDICTING THE 2019 ROSTER
NY YANKEES: PREDICTING THE 2019 ROSTER
By: Matthew Blittner
It's time to enter the vortex of the future. With a potentially historic free agent class of 2018-19, MLB is headed for an offseason of craziness.
One team that is in prime position to capitalize on this historic class is the New York Yankees.
The Bronx Bombers have always been big spenders in free agency, and usually have a top-2 payroll in the League.
After the past few season, in which the Bomber brass showed fiscal restraint, in order to reset the luxury tax, it will once again be time to spend in the winter of 2018-19.
A combination of expiring contracts, and young talent will leave the Yankees with hundreds of millions to spend on whatever player(s) they want.
So, who will be on the team during the 2019 season, let's peer into that crystal ball and divine the future.
First Base: Greg Bird. I know, I know. Yankees fans are tired of hearing his name. The oft-injured First-Baseman should finally be over his most recent maladies by the time that 2019 comes around and thus he will be a part of the youth movement that is taking place in the Bronx.
Second Base: Didi Gregorius. Before you all say what, let me explain. Top prospect Gleyber Torres will be in the majors by August of next season and as a natural Shortstop is too good to be moved to another position so soon into his Major League career. With Torres installed at short, Sir Didi will move over to Second Base, forming a killer combination up the middle.
Third Base: Manny Machado. The current Orioles hot corner man will be trading in his orange and black for the royal blue pinstripes. His loyalty to the Birds will only go so far, and when the Yanks blow away the field with an offer in excess of $300 million, he will jump ship without a second thought.
Shortstop: Gleyber Torres. He may be injured right now, but will be ready for the start of the 2018 season. Torres will start next season in the minors, but will be one injured big-leaguer away from making his Major League debut. Torres was being used as a utility infielder up to the point he got injured, and will probably be used the same way to start next season. Eventually his natural abilities will shine through and he will force the Yanks to move Didi to Second Base and install him as the starting Shortstop.
Catcher: Gary Sanchez. The future is now for the Bombers behind the plate. A historic two-month debut last season saw Gary launch 20 home runs, and he followed that up with what will be another 20+ home run season this season. By 2019, he should be a steady 25-30 home run guy, with a .270 average, and for a Catcher that's incredible.
Left Field: Clint Frazier. Red Thunder has impressed during his time in the Majors this season. Give him another season to get acclimated to the Majors and he will establish himself as an everyday outfielder by the time that 2019 comes around.
Center Field: Bryce Harper. There we go. Anybody who thought that Machado would be the Yanks only big splash will be wrong. The rumors have swirled for a few seasons now, and putting aside the report that Harper wants to sign with the Chicago Cubs, he will be in the Yankee pinstripes come 2019.
Right Field: Aaron Judge. The presumptive AL Rookie-of-the-Year and potential AL MVP, may be slumping in the second half, but give him time to right himself, and he will prove his doubters wrong once again. An outfield of Frazier, Harper, and Judge has the potential to be the best in the Majors, and nobody else is even close.
Designated Hitter: Miguel Andujar. The Yankees current Number 7 prospect is a hard hitting Third Baseman and has already made his Major League debut. Andujar will be without a position thanks to the signing of Machado. In order to keep his bat in the lineup he will be installed as the everyday Designated Hitter.
Starting Rotation: Luis Severino, Chance Adams, Sonny Gray, Justus Sheffield, and Jordan Montgomery. Four-fifths of the rotation will be homegrown and with Severino and Montgomery already established in the rotation the rest will fall easily into place. Gray was just acquired via trade and is under contract for two more seasons, thus making him a firm part of the rotation. By next season Adams and Sheffield will have made their Major League debuts and established themselves as locks in the rotation. While the Yanks are out spending big bucks on their position players, they will be saving money on their rotations, thus allowing them to remain under the luxury tax.
One team that is in prime position to capitalize on this historic class is the New York Yankees.
The Bronx Bombers have always been big spenders in free agency, and usually have a top-2 payroll in the League.
After the past few season, in which the Bomber brass showed fiscal restraint, in order to reset the luxury tax, it will once again be time to spend in the winter of 2018-19.
A combination of expiring contracts, and young talent will leave the Yankees with hundreds of millions to spend on whatever player(s) they want.
So, who will be on the team during the 2019 season, let's peer into that crystal ball and divine the future.
First Base: Greg Bird. I know, I know. Yankees fans are tired of hearing his name. The oft-injured First-Baseman should finally be over his most recent maladies by the time that 2019 comes around and thus he will be a part of the youth movement that is taking place in the Bronx.
Second Base: Didi Gregorius. Before you all say what, let me explain. Top prospect Gleyber Torres will be in the majors by August of next season and as a natural Shortstop is too good to be moved to another position so soon into his Major League career. With Torres installed at short, Sir Didi will move over to Second Base, forming a killer combination up the middle.
Third Base: Manny Machado. The current Orioles hot corner man will be trading in his orange and black for the royal blue pinstripes. His loyalty to the Birds will only go so far, and when the Yanks blow away the field with an offer in excess of $300 million, he will jump ship without a second thought.
Shortstop: Gleyber Torres. He may be injured right now, but will be ready for the start of the 2018 season. Torres will start next season in the minors, but will be one injured big-leaguer away from making his Major League debut. Torres was being used as a utility infielder up to the point he got injured, and will probably be used the same way to start next season. Eventually his natural abilities will shine through and he will force the Yanks to move Didi to Second Base and install him as the starting Shortstop.
Catcher: Gary Sanchez. The future is now for the Bombers behind the plate. A historic two-month debut last season saw Gary launch 20 home runs, and he followed that up with what will be another 20+ home run season this season. By 2019, he should be a steady 25-30 home run guy, with a .270 average, and for a Catcher that's incredible.
Left Field: Clint Frazier. Red Thunder has impressed during his time in the Majors this season. Give him another season to get acclimated to the Majors and he will establish himself as an everyday outfielder by the time that 2019 comes around.
Center Field: Bryce Harper. There we go. Anybody who thought that Machado would be the Yanks only big splash will be wrong. The rumors have swirled for a few seasons now, and putting aside the report that Harper wants to sign with the Chicago Cubs, he will be in the Yankee pinstripes come 2019.
Right Field: Aaron Judge. The presumptive AL Rookie-of-the-Year and potential AL MVP, may be slumping in the second half, but give him time to right himself, and he will prove his doubters wrong once again. An outfield of Frazier, Harper, and Judge has the potential to be the best in the Majors, and nobody else is even close.
Designated Hitter: Miguel Andujar. The Yankees current Number 7 prospect is a hard hitting Third Baseman and has already made his Major League debut. Andujar will be without a position thanks to the signing of Machado. In order to keep his bat in the lineup he will be installed as the everyday Designated Hitter.
Starting Rotation: Luis Severino, Chance Adams, Sonny Gray, Justus Sheffield, and Jordan Montgomery. Four-fifths of the rotation will be homegrown and with Severino and Montgomery already established in the rotation the rest will fall easily into place. Gray was just acquired via trade and is under contract for two more seasons, thus making him a firm part of the rotation. By next season Adams and Sheffield will have made their Major League debuts and established themselves as locks in the rotation. While the Yanks are out spending big bucks on their position players, they will be saving money on their rotations, thus allowing them to remain under the luxury tax.
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