It’s just about that time of the year for baseball fans. The weather on the east coast may not show it, but in states like Florida or California, it’s spring training season. For New York Yankees fans specifically, it’s one of the more exciting segments of spring training in a while. In today’s edition of the Rod Wave, I aim to break down just some of the reasons why fans of the Bronx Bombers should be as excited as ever for these next few weeks.
It’s Juan Soto season
When Juan Soto was acquired by the New York Yankees on Dec. 6, 2023, things were looking much brighter for the franchise after an extremely disappointing season of baseball. Getting a player of the former all-star’s caliber to pair with an established superstar in Aaron Judge is utter joy to Yankees fans’ ears. Now, spring training is going to be the first opportunity for fans to get a glimpse of the Dominican outfielder in action at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa Bay.
It’s not going to be under the bright lights of October or in a clutch situation just yet, but core baseball fans are ecstatic to have baseball back at all, even if it is just in this spring training format. Soto is still going to be able to face quality MLB talent and, at the same time, give fans more opportunity to daydream for what he can do at Yankee Stadium when the lights shine the brightest.
Spencer Jones
With the spotlight on fellow Yankees Jasson Dominguez and Austin Wells, it was pretty easy to forget about Spencer Jones, who was one of the most impressive prospects in New York’s farm system. The front office believes in Jones so firmly that they’ve reportedly declined quality players like Corbin Burnes for the top prospect. Depending on what happens with the Soto sweepstakes following the 2024 season, Jones’ value to the franchise could mean even more in the long term.
I’m definitely interested to see how he showcases his power, while also seeing his approach at the plate. His strength specifically has been the talk amongst scouts and his 6-foot-6 frame has given a very loose comparison to Aaron Judge. While Jones has many tools in his arsenal, like his arm in the outfield or his impressive speed, a strong couple of weeks would be huge for the No. 1 prospect in New York’s system.
Ultimately, while it’s going to be tough for him to see any action at all in 2024 unless injury occurs, fans should definitely still be excited to check out what Jones can do in action during spring training. With a spring breakout game occurring this year, which is designed to put each team’s top prospects against each other, that’s just another great opportunity for fans and critics alike to watch Jones compete.
Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodón
These players are both in the same boat for one singular reason: they need to return to form in 2024. Both are coming off a 2023 season that was hampered by injuries, which ultimately played a part in New York’s poor pitching depth, besides Gerrit Cole.
To have both Rodón and Cortes return back to form would not only be exceptional for the Yankees, but also essential. Looking at their current pitching depth after their best five starters, it looks very bleak to say the least. Clayton Beeter hasn’t pitched a single game at the MLB-level and having Luis Gil in your rotation is certainly less than ideal. Yes, the Yankees have gone after options like Blake Snell, who has yet to be signed by an MLB club, but it’s far from a guarantee that he’ll be in pinstripes by Opening Day.
That puts even more pressure on both Cortes and Rodón to have great starts to spring training. Rodón especially needs to start off on the right foot considering his massive contract. When both are playing at their best, this team becomes really tough to play against.
Marcus Stroman
In my own sift through social media, there was certainly a mixed reaction around the Marcus Stroman signing. Some thought it was a great value grab from New York, while others criticized his past comments of the organization (although I thought he didn’t say anything wrong). However, I’m more than happy to see what he’s going to bring to the Bronx in 2024. With the current value of many pitching contracts over the offseason, I thought Brian Cashman and company hit it out of the park with this signing.
The best part is that Stroman has arguably shown more interest in donning the pinstripes than most players who have come from other teams. The Yankees need more players who want to contribute to this organization that also have the fiery passion of Stroman.
That’s not even mentioning what he could do on the mound. Sure, his second half wasn’t perfect in 2023 and he does have a track record of angering another New York club. However, I could certainly see this being different. If the entire organization is happy to sign him, why shouldn’t Yankees fans welcome him with open arms?