Meet a Prospect: Cody Asche

The New York Yankees felt like they needed a little more insurance and depth in the middle infield after the injury bug has hit the team hard thus far here in 2018, and with that mindset Yankees GM Brian Cashman gave the Kansas City Royals a call. The Royals agreed to trade infielder Cody Asche to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later or cash considerations. The Yankees promptly assigned Asche to their Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders so let’s meet the latest member of the Yankees organization. This is Meet a Prospect: The Cody Asche Edition.

Cody James Asche was born on June 30, 1990 in St. Charles, Missouri to Todd and Julie Asche. Cody also has a brother, Tyler, who he can remember playing baseball with in his backyard as early as the age of five. Cody also played football as a child but quit playing during his freshman year of high school at Fort Zumwalt West High School in O’Fallon, Missouri. Asche did play baseball for his high school team though which earned him a scholarship to play for the University of Nebraska. Asche had a breakout year while with the Cornhuskers in 2011 hitting .327 with 12 home runs and 56 RBI as a junior. Asche was named a second-team All-American all while maintaining a 3.407 GPA and a spot on the Honor Roll while at Nebraska. Asche’s brains and ability to handle himself with the bat caught the attention of the Philadelphia Phillies who selected Asche in the fourth round, 151^st overall, in the 2011 MLB First Year Players Draft.

The Phillies moved Asche to second base for his professional debut with the Class-A Williamsport Crosscutters, but he struggled there and was ultimately moved back to third base for the 2012 season. Asche excelled in 2012 back at the hot corner which earned him many honors within the Phillies organization that season including a trip to the All-Star Game and a trip to the Arizona Fall League with the Peoria Javelinas. After the 2012 season Asche was named the Phillies seventh-best prospect according to Baseball America. Asche made his debut at Triple-A in 2013 and made a return trip to the All-Star Game after batting .295 with 15 home runs and 68 RBI. Asche was promoted to the Major Leagues on July 30, 2013 amidst some controversy as many wondered why the team didn’t call up a bigger power option at third base in Maikel Franco.

Asche was the Phillies Opening Day starter at third base in 2014 and Philadelphia fans thought they had their third baseman of the future in the former Cornhuskers star. Asche struggled out of the gate in 2014 before being placed on the disabled list on May 25 due to a strained left hamstring. Asche continued to struggle after his return from the DL finishing with a disappointing 2014 campaign overall. Asche was back at third base on Opening Day in 2015 but the team had plans of working him in as an outfielder to make room for Franco at third base, a plan that came to fruition in 2016. Asche struggled for much of the 2016 season, some of which was due to the fact that he fought through an oblique injury that sidelined him until June of 2016, , and found himself back in the minor leagues until rosters expanded as a part of September call ups.

After the 2016 season Asche hit the free agent market for the first time in his career. Asche struggled to find a major league deal before the 2017 season and ultimately settled for a minor league pact with the Chicago White Sox. Asche spent the 2017 season in Triple-A with the White Sox before signing another minor league offer with the Kansas City Royals before the 2018 season. Now Asche finds himself a member of the most well-known and historical organizations in all of Major League Baseball, the New York Yankees.

Welcome to the organization Cody, and more importantly welcome to the family.