Meet the 2019 Yankees: Tommy Kahnle

The New York Yankees have an amazing bullpen on paper, but could you imagine just how good this bullpen could be if the team were to get back a healthy and effective Tommy Kahnle here in 2019? It’s already borderline unfair for the rest of the league as is, but with Kahnle mowing down batters like he did in 2017… well that’s just filthy. Let’s meet the man that has a lot to prove, but the man that could be a key piece for the New York Yankees this season.

Tommy Kahnle, 29-years old, is a right-handed relief pitcher that was originally drafted by the Yankees, only to see him selected in the Rule 5 Draft. Fate, and a well-timed July acquisition, brought Kahnle back to the Bronx to show off his 95 MPH four-seam fastball, 89 MPH changeup, and 83 MPH slider. Kahnle strikes out a lot of guys when he is effective and generates a ton of swings and misses, although last season the right-hander struggled a lot with his command and control, as well as various injuries.

Tommy Kahnle was born on August 7, 1989 in Latham, New York where he attended Shaker High School. After High School, Kahnle attended Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida where he caught the attention of the New York Yankees who drafted the right-hander in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB First Year Players Draft. Kahnle pitched well in his professional debut with the Staten Island Yankees and earned a promotion to the Charleston Riverdogs for the 2011 season. Kahnle continued his climb through the Yankees system in 2012, reaching Double-A with the Trenton Thunder, and earned an invitation to Yankees spring training camp in 2013. Kahnle was an Eastern League All-Star in 2013 and finished the season with a 2.85 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched.

The Yankees chose to leave Kahnle unprotected and off of the team’s 40-man roster before the 2014 season and the Colorado Rockies selected him in the Rule 5 Draft. The Rockies stashed Kahnle on their Opening Day roster and allowed him to appear in 54 games and 68+ innings, posting a 4.19 ERA as a rookie. Kahnle spent almost half the season in Triple-A in 2015 and was designated for assignment following the 2015 campaign. The Rockies traded Kahnle to the Chicago White Sox for Yency Almonte on November 24, 2014.

Kahnle rejuvenated his career while with Chicago posting a 2.63 ERA in 2016, although pitching in just 29 games, before truly breaking out in 2017 with the White Sox. Through the first half of the 2017 season, Kahnle posted a 2.50 ERA while striking out 60 batters in just 36 innings of work, while also lowering his overall walk total as well. This led Chicago to sell-high on Kahnle, sending him along with David Robertson and Todd Frazier to the New York Yankees for Blake Rutherford, Tyler Clippard, Ian Clarkin and Tito Polo.

Kahnle was lights out for the Yankees for the remainder of the 2017 season but was up-and-down for the New York for much of the 2018 campaign. Kahnle battled through injuries and inconsistencies as well as trips to-and-from Triple-A. Kahnle will look to be much better for New York in 2019 while sticking with the big-league club as much as possible.

Meet the 2019 Yankees: Ben Heller

The New York Yankees were without potentially one of their up-and-coming arms in their bullpen last season after Ben Heller had to undergo Tommy John surgery on April 6, 2018. Heller is expected to be back sometime here in 2019, so let’s get acquainted with him. Yankees #61, Ben Heller.

Ben Heller, 27-years old, is a right-handed relief pitcher in the New York Yankees organization that came over via trade from the Cleveland Indians system. Heller throws a 95 MPH four-seam fastball, an 83 MPH slider, and an 85 MPH changeup that he throws to keep hitters off-balance on his fastball. Heller fits the stereotypical mold that the Yankees like to employ in their bullpen, standing 6’3” and weighing in at 205 lbs. while throwing hard.

Benjamin Heller was born on August 5, 1991 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended Whitewater High School in Whitewater, Wisconsin. While at the school Heller set the team record for saves, pitched a pair of no-hitters, and had a 1.14 ERA during his senior season. Heller went on to play college baseball at Olivet Nazarene University where he caught the attention of the Cleveland Indians who drafted him in the 22^nd round of the 2013 MLB First Year Players Draft.

Heller bounced around the Indians organization until July 31, 2016 when he was traded alongside Clint Frazier, Justus Sheffield, and J.P. Feyereisen to the New York Yankees for Andrew Miller. Heller was called up a pair of times during that 2016 season and made his MLB on August 26, pitching a scoreless 8^th inning against the Baltimore Orioles. Heller spent another nine games with the Yankees big league club in 2017 before undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing the entire 2018 season.

Heller should be back around June of this season, if all goes well, and should be right back in the thick of things for a spot in the Yankees bullpen. Heller, a member of the team’s 40-man roster, should be one of the first arms on the Scranton Shuttle this season when needed. Good luck on the rehab, Ben, and we can’t wait to see you back in the Bronx this season.

And So It Begins, Yankees-Red Sox...

Photo Credit: Jim Davis-The Boston Globe

First Tune-up Between the AL East Elite…

Finally, the Yankees are playing today! It might just be a meaningless exhibition game and the biggest of the team’s stars stayed behind in Tampa, but the Yankees take the field later today (1 pm EST) at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, FL. Woohoo! Let’s get this party started!

Here are the scheduled lineups for today’s game.

YANKEES

CF Aaron Hicks

2B Gleyber Torres

3B Miguel Andujar

1B Greg Bird

LF Clint Frazier

DH Mike Ford

C Kyle Higashioka

SS Tyler Wade

RF Matt Lipka

SP Nestor Cortes, Jr

RED SOX

LF Gorkys Hernandez

C Sandy Leon  

DH Rafael Devers 

CF  Rusney Castillo

RF Bryce Brentz

3B Michael Chavis

2B Tzu-Wei Lin

1B Josh Ockimey

SS C.J Chatham

SP Josh A. Smith

Who will be the next Yankees Captain? I’ve seen more than a few people say that Aaron Judge needs to win a few championships before he is appointed as the next Captain. Why? I think the guy is the clear leader of this team and he sets the standard both on and off the field. If you are a proponent for the role of a Captain, there is no one more deserving than Judge.    

Photo Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

When Thurman Munson was named the Yankees Captain in 1976, it was the first captain of the team since Lou Gehrig. At the time, the Yankees had not won a championship during Munson’s tenure with the team. They won the 1976 American League Championship in his first year as Captain but fell to the Cincinnati Reds in a four-game sweep in the World Series despite Captain Munson’s heroic efforts. Under Munson’s leadership, the Yankees won the next two World Series in 1977 and 1978. His captaincy was ended prematurely with his tragic death on August 2, 1979.  

The next Captains were products of those 1977-78 World Champions. Graig Nettles held the title from 1982 until March 1984 when he was traded to the San Diego Padres. Willie Randolph and Ron Guidry served as Co-Captains from 1986 to 1988.  Randolph left the Yankees in December 1988 through free agency, signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Guidry retired.  

Don Mattingly, with no championships on his resume, was appointed the Captain in 1991 and he held it until his retirement following the 1995 season after the disappointing loss to Randy Johnson and the Seattle Mariners in the playoffs. Still, he helped usher in the new era of Yankees baseball which collected multiple championships in the late 1990’s and 2000.  

When Derek Jeter was appointed Captain in 2003, he held four championships. This was more than any of his predecessors since Lou Gehrig who had four under his belt at the time of his appointment in 1935.  

I guess you could argue the Yankees don’t need a Captain. I think it is a good honorary role that has served the Yankees well over the years. I really wish Mattingly could have enjoyed winning a World Series in New York but his back was not cooperative. Yet, I still view Mattingly as a champion even if he didn’t get the ring.

I do know that Aaron Judge has earned the right to stand in the same conversation with the previous Captains. He sets the example for his teammates and he represents the Yankees as well as anyone has since Jeter retired. He is worthy of being the Captain and probably for the most part he is currently recognized as the team’s unofficial Captain. Maybe eventually the honor will come to Judge but I believe it should happen sooner rather than later. He’s a great Yankee despite his youth. If the Yankees win the World Series in the next couple of years, there’s no doubt Judge will be at the forefront, leading the charge.

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported yesterday that among his various positions on the field, D.J. LeMahieu could also serve as the backup first baseman. This leads to the conclusion that either Luke Voit or Greg Bird will head to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the start of the season depending upon who wins the job this Spring. It seems odd to put such a great defensive middle infielder at first base, but he’s athletic enough to make the transition. Still, it seems to carry risk since LeMahieu has only played four games in first base in his Major League career with no appearances there since 2014. I had really wanted someone who could play both left field and first base which is why I liked Marwin Gonzalez so much. I think the Minnesota Twins grabbed a good player at a decent price when they signed Gonzalez this week for two years at $21 million ($3 million less than the Yankees are paying LeMahieu over the same time frame). But I do recognize that if LeMahieu can successfully add first base to accompany his skills at second and third bases, it helps to potentially open the door for Clint Frazier which is not a bad thing if Frazier has a good Spring.  

I remain concerned about going into the season with Brett Gardner as the starting left fielder. If Aaron Hicks gets hurt, then Gardy is the starting center fielder. This seems like such a huge risk to me.  I am not trying to diminish what Gardy has meant to the Yankees but he seems best suited for part-time duty as the team’s fourth outfielder at this stage of his career. Frazier seems ticketed for Triple A given how much time he lost last year, but I really hope he is ready soon. Meanwhile, we really need Brett Gardner to have a career renaissance. I think the 2019 Yankees are an improved team over the one that lost to the Boston Red Sox last October, but I am concerned about how left field will play out. Giancarlo Stanton made 72 starts in the outfield last year. As it stands, he’ll need to make more this season.  The team’s physical trainers had better take special care of the big guy. We really need him to stay healthy. 

Today’s game will be a battle of no-names after the first couple of innings but at least baseball is here. Beating the Red Sox under any circumstances always feels good. Bring home the “W”, guys!  

As always, Go Yankees!

Meet the 2019 Yankees: Chance Adams

One of my favorite Yankees prospects coming through the system was and is Chance Adams. Adams was drafted as a relief pitcher and was converted to the starting role down in the Minor Leagues with varying degrees of success. Chance took off as a starter but fell on hard times at the end of the 2017 season and throughout the 2018 campaign as well. I, personally, am not ready to give up on such a promising arm and I fully expect him to bounce back here in 2019 as a starter for the Yankees. Let’s meet him, Mr. Chance Adams.

Chance Adams, 24-years old, is a right-handed starting pitcher out of the New York Yankees organization. Adams’s repertoire consists of a 93 MPH four-same fastball, a 79 MPH curveball, an 85 MPH slider, and a rarely thrown 85 MPH changeup. Adams’ fastball is considered to be average, with little movement, and is used as a pitch-to-contact pitch rather than to strike out opposing batters. Adams uses his slider to generate groundballs to get the majority of his outs. Adams is 6’1” and weighs in at 220 lbs., unless of course he is sporting that impressive beard that he was seen with during the offseason. That has to add a pound or two, you would think.

Chance Adams, no middle name like myself, was born on August 10, 1994 in Scottsdale, Arizona where he attended Chaparral High School. Adams played college baseball at Yavapai College for two years before transferring to Dallas Baptist University. After one year there, the New York Yankees drafted the right-hander in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB First Year Players Draft. Adams made his professional debut with the Staten Island Yankees and finished his first professional season with the High-A Tampa Yankees.

Adams was converted into a starting pitcher beginning in 2016 and saw immediate results from the conversion. Adams started the 2016 season with a 5-0 record with a 2.65 ERA in 12 games before being promoted to Double-A with the Trenton Thunder. Adams finished the season in Trenton with an 8-1 record and a 2.07 ERA. Adams continued to destroy AA pitching in 2017 and quickly earned a promotion to Triple-A before finishing the season with a combined 15-5 record and a 2.45 ERA in 150.1 innings pitched.

Adams would struggle for a lot of the 2018 season, but he was called up to make his MLB debut against the Boston Red Sox inside Fenway Park on August 4. Now, Adams will look to build on the positives from last season and move forward in his path back towards the big-league level. I’m not ready to give up on you Chance, and I’m sure there’s plenty of fans backing you that feel the exact same way as I do. Good luck to you this season and I look forward to seeing you back in the Bronx at some point here in 2019.

TGP Trivia and Fact of the Day for February 23rd, 2019

Good morning Yankees family and Happy Saturday!

New York City May, Fiorello LaGuardia, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at seven consecutive openers at Yankee Stadium from 1939-45. LaGuardia also did it from 1934-37, giving him a run of 11 times in 12 years. Maybe that one year they were planning to name an airport after him? I don't know, I wasn't there.

And a special good morning to my amazing wife. It sucks that you have to work today, but you will be home to me soon enough. I love you.

Meet the 2019 Yankees: Domingo German

The New York Yankees caught some lightning in a bottle last season when the team called up a young started named Domingo German to make some spot starts for the team. German was consistently inconsistent, but when he was on the Yankees young right-hander showed flashes of absolute brilliance and dominance at the Major League level. If German can put it all together and pitch like that 25-30 times a season the Yankees starting rotation may be borderline unfair, in the very best way possible, so let’s meet the man that will look to take that next step this season towards greatness. Domingo German, come on down.

Domingo German, 26-years old, is a right-handed starting pitcher inside the New York Yankees organization that relies on five pitches to keep opposing hitters off-balanced. German possesses an 82 MPH curveball, a 95 MPH four-seam fastball, a 95 MPH sinker, an 88 MPH changeup, and a rarely thrown 93 MPH cutter. German’s curveball is a 12-6 curveball that generates a ton of swings and misses on the pitch. German is prone to giving up the flyball, and subsequently the home run ball inside Yankee Stadium III, but also strikes out enough to get by when he is on.

Domingo German Polanco was born on August 4, 1992 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic where he was signed as an international free agent in 2009 by the Florida Marlins. German made his professional debut in 2010 and was selected to represent the Marlins in the All-Star Futures Game in 2014. After the 2014 season the Marlins, along with Nathan Eovaldi and Garrett Jones, traded German to the New York Yankees for Martin Prado and David Phelps. German would not pitch for the Yankees in 2015 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and was promptly non-tendered after the season. The Yankees signed German to a new minor league deal following the season and added him back to the 40-man roster following the 2016 season.

The Yankees promoted German to the Major Leagues on Jun 10, 2017 and watched as he made his MLB debut the next day against the Baltimore Orioles. German pitched out of relief for seven appearances for New York in 2017, posting an 0-1 record with a 3.14 ERA. German was back on the Major Leagues on May 6, 2018 as a starter against the Cleveland Indians, pitching six no-hit innings while allowing two walks and striking out nine. German made 13 starts for New York in 2018 and posted a 2-6 record with a 5.68 ERA before being optioned to Triple-A on July 21.

German will look to pitch much better in 2019 and could be an integral part to the Yankees bullpen and rotation going forward this season. We want “good” German in 2019, and not the German that seemingly struggled in every other start and appearance that we saw last season. Baby steps, I’m not worried and I am totally confident that we will see just that this season. Good luck!

Meet the 2019 Yankees: Stephen Tarpley

Stephen Tarpley came up last season for the New York Yankees to help solidify the bullpen as a left-handed option for manager Aaron Boone. Tarpley is not a name you heard a lot about in 2018, but he did a lot to impress me as a fan and I am extremely excited to see what he can bring to the table here in 2019. Honestly, I think he wins a spot out of spring training, but that is nothing more than that, speculation. He will have to stay healthy and earn the spot this spring, but his arm and his stuff is ready for the big stage and the MLB level. For those who know him, you know that, but for those who don’t, let’s meet him. Stephen Tarpley, everyone.

Stephen Tarpley, 26-years old, is a left-handed relief pitcher for the New York Yankees and a right-handed bat that is under team control through the 2024 season. Tarpley is 6’1” and weighs 235 lbs. and is still considered to have his rookie status through the 2019 season. Tarpley brings a 92 MPH sinker, a 93 MPH four-seam fastball, a 79 MPH curve ball and a rarely thrown 86 MPH changeup with him in his bag of tricks every time he walks up to Yankee Stadium. Tarpley is flyball prone, which is odd given that he is primarily a sinker pitcher, but he neutralizes left-handed hitters well enough to earn a spot on most teams in their bullpen.

Stephen Tarpley was born on February 17, 1993 in Los Angeles, California. Tarpley attended Gilbert High School in Gilbert, Arizona where the Cleveland Indians drafted him in the eighth round of the 2011 MLB First Year Players Draft. Tarpley did not sign and instead attended the University of South Carolina to play baseball for the Trojans. After one year at USC, Tarpley transferred to Scottsdale Community College where the Baltimore Orioles drafted him in the third round of the 2013 MLB Draft. Baltimore gave Tarpley a $525,000 signing bonus and assigned him to the Gulf Coast Orioles to begin his professional career.

On January 27, 2015 the Orioles traded Tarpley to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with a player-to-be-named-later, for Travis Snider. Tarpley pitched well for Pittsburgh, catching the eye of Yankees GM Brian Cashman who swung a trade for him along with Tito Polo for Ivan Nova. Tarpley pitched well for New York in 2017, posting a 7-0 record with an 0.88 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 relief appearances between Tampa and Double-A Trenton.

Tarpley began the 2018 season in Double-A, but quickly earned the promotion to Triple-A before being called up as a September call-up on September 1. Tarpley pitched in 10 regular season games for the Yankees and even earned a spot on their postseason roster, pitching one inning in Game Two of the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox.

Tarpley will look to earn a spot out of spring in 2019 at the Major League level, and honestly, I think that he will. Good luck to you, Stephen!

Baseball Writer Nick Cafardo Passes Away...

One of America’s Best MLB Writers Gone Too Soon…

I know this is a Yankees blog but we have to give a hat tip to the late Nick Cafardo, a baseball columnist for The Boston Globe. Cafardo died yesterday of an embolism at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida while covering Red Sox Spring Training. He was not scheduled to work yet there he was covering the game he loved. 

Although I did not know Cafardo personally, I am very heartbroken over his passing. Every weekend, I made time in my day to read his Sunday Baseball Notes. For me, it was required reading. Cafardo may have been a lifelong Red Sox fan but I always felt that he never sugarcoated the Red Sox and he never unfairly discredited the Yankees. If the term ‘Yankees Suck’ was part of his vocabulary, it never appeared in any written form that I saw. I didn’t read the Sunday Baseball Notes column because I wanted insight on the Yankees’ primary rival -- I read it because I wanted insight on Major League Baseball through the passionate eyes of a true baseball fan who understood the game better than most. I can count on one hand the number of professional MLB writers I hold in very high regard but Cafardo was one. Through so many of his colleagues, a common theme of Cafardo’s superior professionalism and high value of his friendship resonates. I know Boston is hurting over his loss, but his impact reached a Nation (United States, not just the RSN) and perhaps beyond. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Nick Carfardo, 62, began his employment with the Globe in 1989. Prior to joining the Globe, he worked for The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA. He covered the Red Sox until 2001 when he switched to the NFL’s New England Patriots. It coincided with the first Super Bowl Championship for Head Coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady. Cafardo has been back on the baseball beat for the last 15 years. I am not sure when I first started reading Cafardo’s work, or how I even became aware of him, but he’s been a staple for me for many years. I appreciated and valued his insight as told through an objective and impartial lens.

The Red Sox released the following statement:

We are saddened by the sudden loss of long-time baseball reporter, Nick Cafardo. For over three decades, Nick was a fixture at Fenway Park and throughout ballparks across the country. His coverage was as consistent as the game itself. His opinions on the Red Sox and the most pressing issues facing Major League Baseball were a constant, particularly through the prominent Sunday baseball notes column in the Boston Globe. 

The Cafardo family will always be a part of the Boston baseball family, and the Red Sox will honor Nick's legacy at the appropriate time.

Boston mayor Marty Walsh probably said it best, “Nick Cafardo was a man who talent, enthusiasm, and contribution to Boston’s sports coverage was incomparable and something that I always enjoyed reading”. Me too, Marty. Even though I didn’t know him outside of his words, there’s a huge void in my life today. I am sure many feel the same way. 

Cafardo is survived by his wife, Leeanne, and two children, Emilee and Ben. Ben is a communications director for ESPN. 

He will be missed.

As for the Yankees, the first Spring Game is nearly here. The Yankees travel to Fort Myers to play the Red Sox tomorrow. Nestor Cortes, a non-roster invitee, gets the opening nod to start the game. Cortes, attending his first Yankees MLB Camp, was wearing a Baltimore Orioles spring jersey this time last year as a Rule 5 Draft selection. I remember a few of his starts last March for Baltimore and I am excited that he’ll be doing it for the Yankees this Spring. I know he’s not a top prospect but I’ve always liked the lefty. I doubt he ever gets an opportunity in the Bronx unless injuries force the Yankees’ hand. Most likely, he’ll need to go to another team to get his shot. Hopefully with his performance tomorrow and over the next few weeks, he can open some eyes even if they don’t belong to Yankee scouts. 

Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com reported that Miguel Andujar, Greg Bird, Aaron Hicks, and Gleyber Torres will be making the trip to JetBlue Park. It’s also been reported that Clint Frazier, Kyle Higashioka and Estevan Florial will be there. Otherwise, I expect to see the lower end of the 40-man roster and the non-roster invitees on the field in the first meeting of the two AL East Superpowers. Go Trey Amburgey, Phillip Diehl and Billy Burns! Despite who may or may not be on the field for the Yankees, I know I’ll be watching and look forward to the first organized, albeit unofficial, game of the year for America’s best team (the visitors, not the home team). The soon-to-be dethroned World Champions play their first game today against Northeastern University. 

I know it’s way too early to get excited but I loved seeing that Adam Ottavino struck out the four batters he faced yesterday, including Tyler Wade twice. Afterwards, Wade said, “Think about how nasty he is in highlights. Then times that by a lot.” I had wanted the Yankees to re-sign David Robertson but I’ve never once been disappointed that they signed Otto (and re-signed Zack Britton) instead of bringing back D-Rob. I think Otto is going to be one of my favorite relievers this year.  I am glad he’s a Yankee.

Photo Credit: Lynne Sladky-The Associated Press

Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com had a nice column today about Miguel Andujar. In it, he quotes Willie Randolph saying, “I think he (Andujar) can be above average at third base.” Randolph added, “Listen, if you give me average defense, I’ll take that because the way he can hit. I think he’s going to be a batting champion one day.” Nice job by Randy and good read for Andujar naysayers. I know that I am hopeful we’ll be seeing Andujar dancing at third base this year. 

As always, Go Yankees!

TGP Trivia and Fact of the Day for February 22nd, 2019

Good morning Yankees family!

What Yankees hurler holds the record for the most consecutive scoreless innings in World Series play?

Highlight below to reveal the answer, but leave your comments in the comments section (without Google please) and let's have some fun with it.



Whitey Ford, who threw 33 straight scoreless innings in the World Series from the 1960 World Series until the 1962 World Series.



I love you my amazing wife, Kari!

Meet the 2019 Yankees: Clint Frazier

Clint Frazier doesn’t want to be called “Red Thunder” anymore and has taken on the nickname of “The Wildling” this offseason. His new nickname goes along with his new drive to stay on the field, stay healthy, and produce for the New York Yankees in 2019. Will that translate? There’s only one way to find out, we have to tune in throughout the 2019 season, but until then let’s check in with the man I personally nicknamed “Red Squad” earlier in the winter. Clint Frazier, your starting left fielder for the New York Yankees if he gets his way.

Clint Frazier, 24-years old, is a right-handed hitting and throwing outfielder for the New York Yankees that was brought over in the trade with the Cleveland Indians for Andrew Miller. Clint played a lot of center field in the Minor Leagues for both clubs and possesses an impressive bat speed that allows him to reach and make contact on pitches that many others cannot effectively. Clint’s biggest issue, offensively speaking, is his ability to attack breaking pitches, but if he ever figures that out, he could truly become the special kind of prospect and player that he was projected to be when the Yankees acquired him a couple years ago.

Clint Jackson Frazier was born on September 6, 1994 in Loganville, Georgia to Mark and Kim Frazier. Frazier attended Loganville High School where he played baseball with fellow major league player Austin Meadows. As a junior in 2012, Frazier won the Jackie Robinson Award given to the Perfect Game national Player of the Year. Frazier later won the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year as a senior before committing to the University of Georgia. Despite being committed to the University of Georgia Bulldogs baseball team, Clint ultimately signed with the Cleveland Indians and forewent that commitment after the team drafted him fifth overall in the 2013 MLB First Year Players Draft.

Clint spent time working his way through the Indians organization until July 31, 2016 when Cleveland sent Frazier, Justus Sheffield, Ben Heller and J.P. Feyereisen to the New York Yankees for Andrew Miller. Clint finished the 2016 season down in Triple-A with Scranton and started the 2017 season with the RailRiders as well until the New York Yankees promoted him to the Major Leagues on July 1, 2017. Frazier ended his season on the disabled list with a left oblique strain and did not participate in the 2017 postseason that saw the Yankees get within one game of the World Series. Frazier began the 2018 season on the disabled list with a concussion, an issue that he struggled with all season long and an issue that eventually ended his season prematurely. Now with the concussion symptoms behind him he will look to finally win a starting everyday job with the Yankees this spring.

Also, it is worth mentioning that Clint did an interview with the Short Porch podcast, and damn he is a great interview. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed. It turned me into a Clint fan immediately, if I’m being honest. Good luck to you, Clint!