SKY-HIGH TALK
Prospect Wade not shy about Yankees ambition
HE could have walked back his words, laughed off an offseason tweet as a fanciful lark and echoed the keepingmy-head-down generics that so many have refined.
But Tyler Wade, a top Yankees prospect with aspirations much higher than that billing, doesn’t regret a word. Four months ago, the Yankees’ ostensible Triple-A shortstop declared that a World Series ring is the goal for this season — “Big things on my mind for 2017,” he wrote with a picture of a ring, not the wedding variety. This week, Wade expressed the same kind of confidence, saying the target hasn’t changed for 2017.
“Absolutely,” Wade said over the phone. “That’s always the goal, getting that ring. That was kind of an excitement thing, you’ve got all these guys just talking about it. That’s definitely the goal. … I think we’ve got a great team to do that with and a great group of guys in the clubhouse.”
He clubhouse for now belongs to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, but he was referring to the one he wants to join. Wade, a 22year-old from California, is watching the youth movement take hold in The Bronx and is itching to a part of it.
Didi Gregorius’ right shoulder nearly made that a reality. The Yankees delayed Wade’s promotion — they would have had to add him to the 40-man roster — instead sticking with Pete Kozma (who was designated for assignment Friday) and Ronald Torreyes. Wade, handling Triple-A to the tune of a .314/.372/.357 slash line and seven steals entering Friday, knew his time was close during an impressive spring training.
“I was in the talks for a little bit,” Wade said. “I competed every day. Nothing really changed at spring training. I came in at camp from Day 1 trying to win a job. … Things needed to happen for me to get the job, but right now, I’m happy where I’m at. I’m still working to get to New York and win a job.”
If Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and Greg Bird have brought the bats to the bigs, Wade and outfielder Clint Frazier may be bringing the personalities. Triple-A manager Al Pedrique singled out Wade as a leader, a bundle of energy the Yankees plan to use all over the diamond. Wade has been constrained this year to his longtime position of shortstop and second base because the Yankees wanted him ready if another shortstop went down.
But with Gregorius back, and without a call to Wade, he now will add third base, center field and left field, expanding his role ever since Gleyber Torres was acquired as the Yankees’ shortstop of the future.
“You look at the guys like Ben Zobrist or Brock Holt, really successful guys in that utility role,” Wade said of guys he would like to emulate. “They’ve been on a couple championship teams. Those guys are very wellrounded athletes, and I feel like a couple good guys to model your game after.”
The 2013 fourth-round pick swiped 27 bags last year at Double-A, and has climbed steadily through the Yankees’ system with killer speed, a careful eye (which Pedrique raved about) and virtually no power (nine homers in nearly 2,000 minor league plate appearances). The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Wade envisions himself providing some diversity to the Yankees: a surehanded fielder with great range who can worry opposing pitchers on the basepaths.
Wade is banging on the proverbial door, but doesn’t know when it will open.
His words and his bat suggest he’s ready, but for what? At shortstop, Gregorius blocks him now and Torres figures to in the future. He is an emergency option seemingly everywhere.
“I would like to say this kid’s going to be in the big leagues in a month or two, and everything has to be put into consideration, but he’s headed in the right direction,” Pedrique said.
“Hopefully that day comes soon,” Wade said.