TAMPA — Thursday was day 2 of spring training for Yankees pitchers and catchers at Steinbrenner Field, and another workout day for elsewhere else across Dale Mabry Highway at the minor-league complex.
Here’s some of you missed:
The Yankees finally announced the signing of slugging first baseman Chris Carter.
Carter, who tied for the NL lead with 41 homers playing for Milwaukee in 2016, agreed on Feb. 6 to a one-year, $3.5 million contract for 2017.
Carter hasn’t hit the practice field yet as a Yankee, but was at the minor-league complex greeting future teammates one day later week, first baseman/outfielder Tyler Austin told NJ Advance Media.
Carter will be around again soon because spring training reporting day for infielders and outfielders is scheduled for Friday and the first full-squad workout is Saturday. It wouldn’t be surprising if Carter showed up to the minor-league complex on Friday to hit.
Left-hander Richard Bleier, who debuted in the bigs last season for the Yankees at as a 28-year-old, was designated for assignment to free up a 40-man roster spot for Carter.
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Yankees No. 1 starter Masahiro Tanaka, rookie starter Chad Green and pitching prospect James Kaprielian threw bullpens on Thursday.
Yankees’ James Kapreilian throws first bullpen of 2017 spring training
Check out our video of Kaprielian getting in his work:
Kaprielian, by the way, will have his innings “managed” this season, manager Joe Girardi said during his daily media session.
The Yankees’ 2015 top draft pick was sidelined last season from late April until pitching Instructional League ball in September due to a flexor tendon strain in his right (pitching) elbow.
Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka throws first bullpen of spring 2017
Tanaka, who already has been named the Yankees’ Opening Day starter, looked good in his throwing session, which was watched by pitching coach Larry Rothschild and Girardi.
Tanaka also looked healthy. He pitched a career-high 199 2/3 innings last season, but was scratched from his final scheduled start due to a flexor mass strain in his pitching arm.
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Reliever Dellin Betances has a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Friday, and bullpen ‘mate Tyler Clippard told NJ Advance Media how the three-time All-Star should respond when management criticizes him during the case.
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Yankees’ Aaron Judge bats left-handed
Rookie right fielder Aaron Judge, who rocketed some long homers during his batting practice at the minor-league, provided a comical moment when he stepped into the batter’s box left-handed while standing in give a minor-league pitcher a better feel during a throwing season.
Check out our video of Judge (looking out of place) as a left-handed hitter … and then taking cuts in the batting cage while taking batting practice from his natural right side.
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Outfielder Clint Frazier returned to the minor-league complex for a day’s work Thursday after taking a few days off.
Here’s a video on Frazier at the plate, playing left field and signing autographs for fans.
We missed his BP session, but a fan who witnessed it says Frazier put on a show.
Yankees’ Clint Frazier on cutting his hair
One more thing on Frazier: He’s trimmed his beloved red hair so that he will attend his first big-league spring training not breaking team rules regarding appearance policy:
No hair allowed past the collar.
Frazier said in an NJ Advance media interview that he plans to keep his hair as long as the Yankees will allow.
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Yankees prospects tutoring
The last players to leave the field at the minor-league complex were shortstop prospects, Gleyber Torres, Jorge Mateo and Tyler Wade, as they hung around for schooling on how to turn double plays if they’re playing second base.
As you can see in the video, a Yankees infielder instructor became animated while showing the players what to do before all three took turns making DP turns after catching balls spitting out a pitching machine that was positioned at third base.
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GM Brian Cashman talked to reporters for the first time this spring on Thursday morning outside the Yankees clubhouse at Steinbrenner Field.
Interestingly, Cashman was asked at one point if he wants more this season from center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and the GM responded by lumping three others in as Yankees who “have the ability” to play better: No. 3 starter Michael Pineda, second baseman Stalin Castro and shortstop Didi Gregorius.
Here are a 5 other recent Yankees posts worth checking out:
— Justus Sheffield’s bold spring training plan
— Takeaways from Hal Steinbrenner presser
— 15 things you need to know about Michael Pineda
— Judge could have major impact, ESPN analyst says
— Tejada, now with Yanks, says Utley incident finally is ‘history’
Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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