Earlier in the offseason it was believed the newly acquired Starlin Castro would be the New York Yankees' backup third baseman. However, those plans have changed as manager Joe Girardi would rather he get comfortable at second base.
Castro confirmed yesterday that the Yankees asked him to work at third base earlier in spring training, but he was told that's no longer the case. Girardi also said he doesn't know if Castro playing third is "going to happen" moving forward.
As we discussed earlier in the week, this clearly opens up the door for prospect Rob Refsnyder, who has been getting time at the hot corner this spring. The 24-year-old made a few nice defensive plays and it's believed he now has a good opportunity to make the team's Opening Day roster as a utility player. He's currently listed as the Yankees' backup third baseman on the depth chart despite second base being his primary position (Dustin Ackley is listed as the 2B backup).
While Refsnyder's defense isn't the greatest, it's likely the Yankees don't want his bat to go to waste. Previously regarded as the best pure hitter in the organization's farm system, the former fifth-round draft pick made the most of his 16-game stint with New York last season (his MLB debut) after hitting .271/.359/.402 with 66 runs scored, 9 home runs, 56 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 117 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He hit .302 with a .859 OPS in 43 at-bats.
Girardi also told George A. King III of the New York Post that the team's backup infielder will need to play second and third. Refsnyder has played a number of games at third this spring and continues to produce with his bat. In seven games and 12 at-bats he's hitting .333/.429/.417 with three runs scored and three stolen bases.
The Yankees' infield depth is weak, especially since Alex Rodriguez has been moved to the designated hitter position, prospect Greg Bird is out for the year and Ackley, who has played just 63 games at second base since 2013, is listed as the club's backup second baseman.
At this point it appears as if Refsnyder has an excellent chance of making the Opening Day roster. If he can continue producing offensively while also exemplifying he's capable on the defensive side of the ball, he could have a significant role with the 2016 club.
