The Yankees introduced this afternoon that they’ve claimed infielder Jordan Groshans off waivers from the Marlins. New York designated lefty reliever Matt Krook for task to open a spot on the 40-man roster.
Miami designated Groshans for task final Tuesday because the corresponding transaction once they traded for fellow infielder Jonah Bride. Groshans heads again to the AL East, the division wherein he started his profession. A highly-regarded expertise in highschool, he was drafted twelfth total in 2018 by the Blue Jays. His inventory had dipped by the 2022 commerce deadline, when Toronto flipped him to the Fish for relievers Anthony Bass and Zach Pop.
Groshans acquired to the massive leagues not lengthy after that commerce. He appeared in 17 MLB contests, hitting .262/.308/.311 with one dwelling run by means of his first 65 plate appearances. Miami optioned him again to Triple-A to open the 2023 marketing campaign. Groshans spent the entire yr there, thanks largely to a mediocre offensive season.
The proper-handed hitter put up a .243/.339/.330 slash line over 528 journeys to the plate. He confirmed sturdy consciousness of the strike zone, strolling at a 12.5% clip whereas hanging out solely 17.4% of the time. Groshans supplied little or no impression when he made contact, although, hitting simply six dwelling runs, 20 doubles and a triple. He break up his defensive work between the 2 nook infield spots, enjoying principally third base. Groshans had expertise within the center infield early in his profession however was at all times considered by most prospect evaluators as a greater match on the scorching nook.
Final yr was Groshans’ first minor league possibility season. New York can nonetheless ship him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the subsequent two years in the event that they maintain him on the 40-man roster. He slots in in the back of an infield depth chart that additionally options Oswald Peraza, Oswaldo Cabrera and Jorbit Vivas behind the beginning group of Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu and Anthony Volpe.
Taking a flier on Groshans might come on the expense of Krook, a 29-year-old who made his main league debut final season. The Oregon product pitched in 4 MLB video games, strolling six batters and permitting 11 runs in 4 innings. Whereas that’s clearly a dismal small-sample exhibiting, Krook turned in a 1.32 ERA by means of 34 frames in Scranton. He punched out 39% of batters confronted in Triple-A.
The 6’4″ southpaw clearly has swing-and-miss potential, but he has by no means thrown strikes at a tenable fee. Krook walked over 18% of opposing hitters with the RailRiders final season. He’d issued free passes at a 12.1% fee there the yr earlier than that, main New York to maneuver him to the bullpen by 2023. That didn’t end result within the mandatory step ahead in his command, but it surely’s potential one other crew takes a flier given the gaudy minor league whiff charges. The Yankees have per week to commerce Krook or try and run him by means of waivers.