Top 6 Yankees Spring Training Storylines
Position players have now joined pitchers and catchers at New York Yankees Spring Training, and the first game is set to take place on Friday, February 21, against the Tampa Bay Rays.
There are some intriguing storylines for the team, and over the next month or so, we will have some questions answered regarding what the Opening Day roster will look like.
Some of those questions are fun to think about, but others are the pressing questions that the team has faced for much of the offseason.
With that being said, let’s get to the top Spring Training storylines for the New York Yankees in 2025.
1) What Happens at 3rd base?
This is the biggest ‘hole’ on the Yankees’ roster and is arguably the area of the team that fans are most concerned about entering Spring Training. As currently constructed, DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza are in the running to be the starter. There may be some platoon at the position as well.
There have been conflicting reports regarding the Yankees’ interest in St. Louis Cardinals Nolan Arenado, who is on the trade block. It would likely require the Cardinals to retain some money on Arenado’s contract, and the player involved in the next question is also a factor.
Barring a trade for Arenado or someone else, it will be worth monitoring the performance of players like LeMahieu, Cabrer, and Peraza throughout the spring.
2) What Happens with Marcus Stroman?
PHOTO: Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images
It is no secret that the Yankees would like to move Marcus Stroman, who is currently the odd man out in the starting rotation after the addition of Max Fried this offseason. Stroman has made it clear that he is a starting pitcher, and there has been some drama surrounding him in the first few days since pitchers and catchers reported.
With Stroman accounting for $18.5 million on the Yankees’ payroll and projected to be out of the starting rotation, there is no question that the team would like to repurpose some of that money, with third base being an obvious area to improve potentially.
It is believed that for the Yankees to bring in Arenado, they would like to find a third team to take on Stroman’s money and include that team in the trade with the Cardinals. To this point, it has been tough for the Yankees to find a trade partner for Stroman himself. Maybe Opening Day approaching will create more urgency for teams around the league, making a move more possible.
For now, Stroman is a Yankee, and his role is unclear. It will be interesting to see if Brian Cashman is able to make some trade involving Stroman before Opening Day.
3) Will Giancarlo Stanton Be Healthy for Opening Day?
One of the disappointing reports when position players reported was that Giancarlo Stanton has been dealing with pain in both elbows and that he has not swung a bat in weeks. It is unknown when he will be on track to start his normal ramp-up for the season.
Stanton is a huge presence for the Yankees when healthy. Injuries have riddled his Yankees tenure. Last year was mostly good, and although his on-base percentage is not what it used to be, he still brings a lot of power that helps supplement Aaron Judge in the lineup. Stanton was also massive in the playoffs last season.
When the Yankees are at their best, Stanton is in the lineup and hitting home runs. Hopefully, he will get healthy in time for Opening Day.
4) Will Gerrit Cole Have a Clean Spring Training?
Gerrit Cole has been a beacon of health for the majority of his career, but the elbow injury that kept him out for the early parts of the 2024 season was the first major injury for him. That injury came up during Spring Training last season, so there will understandably will be eyes on Cole this spring.
Hopefully, Cole will be able to go through his normal ramp-up before the 2025 season, and he will be able to take the mound on Opening Day on March 27.
5) How Does Jasson Dominguez Look?
That’s enough questions to keep Yankees fans up at night, so let’s talk about arguably the most exciting player to watch this spring. Jasson Dominguez is expected to be the Yankees’ left fielder in 2025. He is positioned between Judge and Cody Bellinger in the locker room. He has not been officially given the starting job, but all of the signs are there.
Dominguez’s struggles in left field in 2024 are well documented. However, that was in a small sample in 2024, coming off of missing significant time with an oblique injury. Reports indicate he is motivated and confident in performing well at the position.
Notably, Dominguez also said that he feels more confident hitting from the right side, where he did not perform well in 2024 in the majors or minors.
It is reasonable to wonder if the left oblique injury hampered him in that regard.
Regardless, Dominguez is an important piece for the Yankees this season. At his best, he could be a switch-hitting slugger who runs the bases well, steals bases, and plays good enough defense.
Hopefully, Yankees fans are given more reason for excitement in Spring Training.
6) What Happens at Backup Catcher?
There is a lot of optimism surrounding Austin Wells, and rightfully so. His 2024 season made him a finalist for Rookie of the Year in the American League. On top of what he brought from an offensive standpoint, he graded out really well defensively, despite some wondering if he could stick at the position when he was a prospect.
Because of Wells, it is easy to forget that the Yankees traded Jose Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds this offseason. Alex Jackson is technically the backup, but it would not be a surprise to see another player brought in, perhaps late in the spring when there is typically a roster shuffle around the league.
It is also easy to forget that Ben Rice is a catcher as well. He played first base in the majors last season but came up through the ranks as a catcher. Reporting with the rest of the pitchers and catchers, as well as doing pop-up drills, is a reminder that Rice could be in the picture.
The backup catcher position is one to monitor this spring.
PHOTO: Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images
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