The Yankees have signed infielder Andrew Velazquez to a minor league deal, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). Velazquez chose to become a free agent after the Orioles outrighted him off their 40-man roster at season’s end.
Claimed off waivers from the Indians back in February, Velazquez ended up playing in 40 games for Baltimore in 2020, which included 19 starts at shortstop due to Jose Iglesias’ injury problems. Velazquez didn’t contribute much at the plate, hitting only .159/.274/.206 over 77 plate appearances. Prior to joining the Orioles, Velazquez appeared in 28 games for Tampa Bay and Cleveland during the 2018-19 seasons, receiving 36 PA.
The Bronx native now returns to his local team to provide the Yankees with some utility depth all over the diamond, but while Velazquez has played everywhere except pitcher, catcher, and first base over his nine pro seasons, the bulk of his experience has come at shortstop. Albeit in a small sample size of innings, Velazquez has gotten some solid defensive grades at shortstop, so the Yankees could be considering him as a competition for Tyler Wade for the backup infield role.
Velazquez will be hitting .300 with 30 homers after he finds ARod’s hidden stash. Good pick.
Cashman splurging!
So looks like cashman found DJL’s replacement…
Weird comment
This sets up the camp battle with Tyler Wade to see who replaces DJ. ( tongue firmly in cheek )
He has a lifetime OPS of .476 and his minor league offensive numbers aren’t great either. I’m not understanding this decision.
His Triple-A OPS is .731 and he has some pop, with 16 HR in 597 AB in Triple-A … and he was born in the Bronx, so what’s it gonna hurt to give him a minor-league deal? Not much, I think.
Andrew Velasquez does not have pop. I cantell you that from watching him. Those minor league HR’s are a complete surprise to me. He’s a light hitting utility infielder. The kind of guy you need if Tyler Wade goes down.
These types of signings are specifically for injury depth. If the Yankees have a few guys go down, they can add him to the 40 man as roster depth for a week or so. Then when their players get healthy they can waive a guy like this without having to care if another team claims him.
vatp46a I mean….what did Gio Urshela ever do before he ended up with the Yankees?
He gave me a baseball once at Spring Training in Arizona.
Nice
His ’19 season was decent. Can’t be worse than Tyler Wade.
A depth move. A multi-positional player who is rated as a plus-plus defender in CF and a good defender across the infield. He was ranked in the top 20 (backend) of a deep Rays system a couple seasons back. Has two minor league options remaining. Those options are key since it provides roster flexibility. He’s not someone who breaks camp with a team like the Yankees but he’s good to have around over the grind of a 162-game schedule. His likely role would be to bounce up and down between AAA and the Yankees a few times during the season when injuries hit. Your 26th man at those times whose ability to play positions at the high end of the defensive spectrum (CF/SS) will provide roster flexibility. A non-zero chance he doesn’t get a single AB with the Yankees in 2021; also a non-zero chance he replaces Tyler Wade. More likely, he’s someone who gets 50 ABs over the long summer, might help you win a game with his glove, or whose presence on the roster allows you to carry an extra reliever for a short period. Organizational depth.
They should move on from DJ and find someone like Cesar Hernandez to fill the void, as well as a major upheaval of the pitching.
Move on from one of the best players in the game and the best player on the team over the last two seasons? Thank God you’re not the GM.
Actually, @Rynoping, I concur with, @cyndatu.
The drop off from LeMahieu to Wong/LaStella/Hernandez is not all that overwhelming. DJ’s at the age when second basemen have a notable history of irreversible decline.
We actually started to see a little of it with his glove & foot speed already last year.
The main issue is the loot, though. His AAV would essentially cover a viable (though obviously not as sexy) replacement while simultaneously providing the money to pay for a *further* 2 or 3 upgrades.
If the Yankees are serious about cutting payroll DJ is an unnecessary luxury item. We’ll have a top 3 offense with *or* without him.
How I see it anyway.
DJ LeMahieu is really not a “must have” for us.
I know a lot of Yankee fans freak out to here that. Doesn’t make it any less true, though.
Uh?
Broken record here again, Torres CAN’T play short where’s DJL going to play. Torres CAN’T play short where’s DJL going to play. Torres CAN’T play short…
@NYstateofmind –
First base!
And then trade Luke Voit for a ACE! [sic]
Now that we’ve that out of the way, would you pull Gleyber from SS this season or see if he can polish up the defense & run him out again this spring?
Hard for me to make up my mind on that. The upcoming free agent class is an argument that the Yanks would be better served fishing in the second base pool this winter.
Just as a place holder of sorts.
Run with LaStella or one of those guys. If Torres shows absolutely no growth with the glove they can address it next off-season.
I hate to keep kicking it down the road but that’s the way I’d approach it.
@Ducky
“Additionally, he (Cashman )poured water all over the burning embers of supposed Luke Voit trade rumors, confirming the goal is to sign LeMahieu long term as a second baseman, not with a first base shift in mind. So that’s that.”
Idk what the hell is going on, in one breath Cashman basically says Torres sucks at short – & all the metrics back that up – I think he’s quoted as saying “I think he’s a better 2nd baseman” which I think is a pretty strong statement from your GM. Listen, I love DJL & I guess you can run Torres out there for 21 & hope for the best but I don’t think it’ll work out. But then as you put it, your kicking the can down the road until 22. They still need a TRUE ss, their very weak up the middle already w/Sánchez & Hicks & I think Torres at short only compounds it. How bout this for crazy a blockbuster move, you need to do something like the Morgan, Geronimo, Billingham for Mays, Helms & etc that turned Cincinnati from contenders into 2 time WS Champs the big Red machine. All I know is that what they’re doing isn’t working
Oh, yeah.
There is no way Cash is going to trade Voit & instill DJ at first. But, I’ve seen…wow…just so many Yankee takes proposing that very same thing. This is typically combined with a trade for Lindor oftentimes coercing the Indians to add Plesac.
Ooof.
It gets embarrassing. No wonder so many other teams fans hate us, man.
I don’t know how I feel about some kind of major shake up. In a lot of ways our position players are fairly set. Ya know? The only real opening is middle infield.
Bench too, I suppose could be fortified.
I’m so sick of Tyler Wade, man.
If he’s on the team next year I’ll root for him. Heck I rooted for Kris Karter & Tyler Clippard merely on principle, man. But Wade sure doesn’t make it very easy.
Anyway, Cashman hasn’t seemed too motivated to make many marginal or incremental upgrades lately, anyways.
As far as “it’s not working” well that’s a matter of perspective. Isn’t it? Now fellas like you & I want to see those last finishing roster moves in order to give us the best chance at a Series.
I do not believe Hal has that same goal. I think he’s absolutely content to assemble a squad that can roar through 100 regular season wins. Then qualify for the postseason & rake in the Big Playoff Monies. I firmly believe that Hal thinks all of this is – indeed – working out quite well.
If they go all the way? Boo-yah! Hal would get all musical & he’d be singing “I’m in the money” all winter long, man.
I hear ya on a lot of these points pal, I’m cautiously optimistic that the cash man has a plan & will get rolling soon. Hopefully 21 is the start of another dynasty, I just know, “I’d like to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee” ..fan
Looks like 210 is *not* a mandate. That would’ve been tough. We can start scheming big again, man!
So glad I’m a Yankee fan too.
I intend to use that as the lynchpin of my closing argument at the Pearly Gates, as a matter of fact.
Ya know…”look…St Peter…I hear what you’re saying. I do. But just call the big guy upstairs will ya? Tell him I’m a Yankees fan, too…”
Lol, it’s worth a shot I guess, kind of reminds me of the old Mantle joke, “When the Mick gets to the gates of heaven, the Lord says, Mickey I can’t let you in after the way you lived.” As Mantle turns to leave, the Lord says, “But while you’re here would you mind signing six dozen balls for me?”
I’m just working with what I have, man.
The Big Guy wears red socks.
Oh, dear.
I’m barely over the huge Matt Bowman deal & now this.
I didn’t realize Cashman was listening when I said, “ANYONE but Tyler Wade, man”.
But gotta love a kid from the BX. & looks like he really does play all over the diamond. Anyone know where he went to High School?
I saw that the Yankees also re-signed Adam Warren. Surprised MLBTR didn’t report it.
Nice, @Joe Say… .
Thanks for letting me know, man.
Man, if he can be the guy he was for us previously that might be a real decent pickup for the shaky middle relief pitching. Gotta have at least 2 & I’d even prefer to have 3 guys you can go to besides Britton, Chapman, & Green by the time the off-season winds up.
@Joe
I saw that & thought the same thing. What’s up w/that?
Not a bad deal at all. AV actually can REALLY play several positions; most who claim that talent are terrible, it’s just that they’re terrible everywhere. But Andrew can pick it.
Given that the Yanks, like every other AL East team save (maybe) the Rays, are defensively bereft, especially in the IF, it’s a solid signing.
Stop with the stocking stuffers and wrap up DJ.
I was hoping for La Stella but the Yankees continue to act like a small market team
I think LaStella is a good target, too.
A depth piece and that is all. Really a light hitting player. Defense is okay
Couldn’t hit a lick last year but it seemed every game I watched last year Velazquez was making plays on D. Quite a slick fielding shortstop.
Yankees sign him…..smart move! Orioles bring him back, horrible move, terrible franchise!
If the Yankees sign him, he’s in AAA for an emergency. If the Orioles sign him, they might actually be planning to play him regularly on the Orioles! There’s your difference.