No second thoughts for Refsnyder
Rob Refsnyder was never told he was going to be the Yankees’ regular second baseman in 2015. Nor was he guaranteed to be part of a platoon with Dustin Ackley.
So, when the Yankees acquired Starlin Castro from the Cubs for Adam Warren and Brendan Ryan on Dec. 8 to play second, Refsnyder took the news in stride.
“I didn’t have much of a reaction,’’ Refsnyder said Tuesday by phone. “It didn’t change much about how I go about my business. I was raised to work hard and make the most of the situation.’’
Barring an injury, Castro, who will turn 26 in March, is the Yankees’ regular second baseman and will be expected to add punch to the bottom third of the lineup.
Where that leaves Refsnyder, who turns 25 in March, isn’t quite clear, though the early money says the Yankees would like him to play regularly at TripleA Scranton/WilkesBarre rather than loiter on the big league bench.
Ackley’s lefthanded bat, and being a favorite of the Yankees’ analytical department that pushed for him to be acquired from Seattle, likely give him the edge to stay as an extra infielder. Ackley didn’t play much second until arriving from Seattle late last season and he also has played first and left field.
However, there are those within the Yankees’ organization who value Refsnyder’s righthanded bat. While the bulk of his minor league career and brief stints in the majors have been at second, he played the outfield at the University of Arizona and broke into the minors as a right fielder.
Scouts say Refsnyder has enough arm strength to make the throw from third.
Despite hitting .271 in 117 games at TripleA in 2015, Refsnyder is a career .290 minor league hitter with a .813 OPS, and batted .302 (13for43) with a .859 OPS in 16 big league games.
He started at second base in the AL wildcard game against Astros lefty Dallas Keuchel in a 30 loss that ended the Yankees’ season.
Refsnyder committed 18 errors in 107 games at second base in TripleA and needs to improve in the field, though the Yankees believe he improved in that area last season.
As for Castro, Refsnyder remembered watching him on television and was impressed with the former shortstop.
“He made the game look easy,’’ Refsnyder said.