Last night, the Yankees announced they were opting for the outfielder. Clint Frazier and right-handed reliever Ben heller to their alternative training site. The club plans to bring righties Nick Nelson and Brooks Kriske to the active list instead. They will add a new pair of arms to a body of pitchers they saw James Paxton working just one more inning in Saturday’s loss to the Nationals.
Thus continues Frazier’s repeated journeys on and off the major league roster. The best prospect ever has been a decent offense, albeit with some high-profile defensive issues, when he’s had MLB opportunities (.254 / .308 / .463 career line in 429 plate appearances). Still, he has struggled to decipher a Yankees outfield.
Due to his immense power potential, he has long been rumored as a potential business candidate. So far, the organization has expressed little interest in giving it up. However, given the club’s competitive outlook, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see his name float in rumors again this season. Yesterday’s demotion does not suggest that the organization has soured in Frazier in the long term, but it does underscore the difficulty for him of playing an immediate and significant role in the Bronx.
Nelson and Kriske, meanwhile, will make their MLB debut every time they enter a game. They each recorded strong strikeout and prevention numbers in Double-A in 2019, albeit with slightly elevated walk rates.
