Meet the 2019 Yankees: Luke Voit

Photo credit: Elite Sports NY

One of the few spring training competitions this spring will be at the first base position for the New York Yankees. Greg Bird was the incumbent until Brian Cashman picked up basically, at the time, a career minor league player in Luke Voit from the St. Louis Cardinals. Voit immediately took the league, and the Yankees fans in the Bronx, by storm with his on-the-field play and energy, as well as with his off-the-field intense workout videos. Now Voit is back in 2019 looking to not be the next Shane Spencer or Chad Curtis, so let’s check in with him. Luke Voit, ladies and gentlemen.

Luke Voit, 28-years old, is a right-handed batting and throwing first baseman in the New York Yankees organization. Luke, standing 6’3” and weighing in at a solid 225 lbs., is an aggressive fastball hitter that is prone to swing and miss a lot, but when he makes contact the ball tends to go the other way towards the short porch in right field inside Yankee Stadium. Voit has shown patience on breaking pitches and offspeed pitches, but throughout his career he has been prone to the strikeout and prolonged slumps.

Louis Linwood Voit III was born on February 13, 1991 in Wildwood, Missouri where he attended Lafayette High School. Voit was drafted out of high school by the Kansas City Royals in the 32^nd round of the 2009 MLB First Year Players Draft but did not sign and instead opted to attended Missouri State University. While at the school, Voit played for the Missouri State Bears where he caught the eye of the St. Louis Cardinals, who drafted the senior in the 22^nd round of the 2013 MLB Draft. Voit, drafted as a catcher, immediately began his professional career within the Cardinals system before being ultimately moved to first base during the 2014 season.

Voit remained in the Cardinals system until June 25, 2017 when St. Louis called him up to the Major Leagues after hitting .322 with 12 home runs and 48 RBI with the Memphis Redbirds. Voit totaled 114 at-bats for the Cardinals in 2017, bouncing back and forth between Triple-A and the majors, posting a .246 average with four home runs and 18 RBI. Voit was back in the minors for much of the 2018 season before the New York Yankees came calling on July 27, acquiring Voit along with bonus pool money for LHP Chasen Shreve and Giovanny Gallegos. Voit was initially assigned to Triple-A Scranton before being promoted to the Bronx on August 2. Voit went back down to Triple-A on August 13 but was called back up to stay on August 21 after Didi Gregorious was added to the 10-day disabled list.

After his call-up, Voit essentially stole the first base job from incumbent Greg Bird by batting .333 with 14 home runs, 33 RBI and by posting a 1.095 OPS in 39 games down the stretch for New York. Voit was the Yankees starting first baseman in the 2018 American League Wild Card Game as well as their ALDS trip against the Boston Red Sox and will head into the spring of 2019 hoping to keep his stranglehold on the position. Good luck to you Luke. I have to admit, I have been down on you more than most this offseason, so prove me wrong. Much love.