In last week’s post we learned that Jorge Mateo was called up from Low-A Charleston to the High-A Tampa Yankees at just 20 years old and Mateo has started right where he left off with the Riverdogs. Mateo is still hitting the ball at an improved and impressive clip while taking pitches, working walks and getting on base in order to pad his stolen base totals. It seems unlikely that Mateo could close the gap to 100 stolen bases in a single season with minor league seasons ending in three or four weeks but I am not willing to put my money against him that much is for certain.
To think, Mateo was almost reportedly packaged in a deal
along with other minor league players for Craig Kimbrel and the atrocious
contract of Jedd Gyorko. While the Yankees improve in the interim that trade
would have had all the makings of a disaster in the long term, especially if
Didi Gregorius ends up not being the shortstop of the future after all.
Mateo leads an impressive crop of shortstops for the Yankees
that includes Abi Avelino, Kyle Holder and Tyler Wade but none of them have put
up the sheer numbers that Mateo has this season.
They have been working Mateo at 2nd and SS so if Didi turns out to be the Real Deal it would be one heck of a combination to have...Didi at SS and Mateo at 2nd. Not much would get through that middle infield.
ReplyDeleteNice to think about isn't it.
Mateo has 0 experience at second base unless they are doing it in between games.
DeleteI read that they were working him out at 2nd base. It will take time for him to get the footwork down before they try him in a game. I think he will be in some games because he is playing on the same team as another well thought of SS.
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