The New York Yankees designated their only true backup first
base option this week when they gave Garrett Jones his walking papers thus
leaving Mark Teixeira without a backup. The Yankees have used Brian McCann,
Brendan Ryan, Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez at the position over the past
two seasons but New York and their GM Brian Cashman decided to bring in a true
backup first baseman for this 16 games in 16 days swing the Yankees are
currently in the middle of, enter Greg Bird.
Gregory Paul Bird was born on November 9, 1992 and attended
High School at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado where he was named the
Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year as a senior. Bird’s time as a High School
player garnered the attention of the New York Yankees who came calling in the
2011 Major League Baseball Draft with their fifth round pick. Bird was
committed to the University of Arkansas as a catcher but the Yankees were able
to talk him into foregoing his commitment with a hefty signing bonus.
Bird only got into four games in 2011 before suffering from
an injury riddled season in 2012 where he was limited to just 28 games. Bird
did finish slashing .337/.450/.494 with two home runs which was enough to
garner a promotion to the Tampa Yankees in 2013 but the back injury that cost
him much of his season is still a concern to this day. Bird looked healthy in
2013 though as he went on to hit .288/.428/.511 with 20 home runs while also
leading minor league baseball with 107 walks. Bird won the Kevin Lawn Award as
the Yankees Minor League Player of the Year with his impressive season, a season
to build on for 2014.
Bird repeated the 2014 season with the Tampa Yankees before
earning a promotion to the Trenton Thunder. Bird hit a combined 14 home runs in
2014 before the Yankees sent him to the Arizona Fall League where he hit a
450-foot home run in the AFL Fall Stars Game. Bird led the AFL with six home
runs and was named the AFL Most Valuable Player before earning a promotion to
the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders in 2015. Bird has continued to hit and is
now officially a member of the New York Yankees, welcome to the family Bird.
Bird is the word!
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)