2017 Yankees: Year in Review - Outfielders

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Matt Linder

Let’s continue our look back at the 2017 Yankees with a recap of how the outfielders performed this season.  Coming into the year, there were certainly some questions marks about the outfield, particularly right field.  In spring training there was a competition between “The Aarons” for the right field opening, but nobody really knew what to expect.  Would Judge be able to be able to improve upon his September cameo in 2016?  Would Hicks, a former top prospect with loads of potential, be able to put together the caliber of performance he showed glimpses of last season.  Both players put up nice numbers in camp, but Judge won the starting spot.

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When recapping the 2017 Yankees outfield, there is no better place to start than Aaron Judge’s awe-inspiring season.  Coming into the year, there were major doubts about Judge’s ability to handle major league pitching, even after his strong spring training.  Aaron only hit .179 while striking out in 44.2% of his plate appearances during his debut late last season.  He made a few key adjustments in the off-season, both mechanically and mentally, in terms of his approach at the plate.  His advanced batting eye not only resulted in walks, it also allowed him to get into favorable hitting counts.  By the end of April, Judge put to rest any lingering doubts people may have had about his ability.  Aaron’s first year was historic, and not just by rookie standards.  Judge was first in the MLB in WAR (8.2), second in MLB with 52 home runs, second in OPS+ (171), third in OBP (.422).  He also hit the longest home run of the year, a 495ft moon shot, and had the highest average exit velocity of all big leaguers at 95.3 mph.  Judge was the leading vote getter for the All-Star game and put on a jaw-dropping spectacle in winning the Home Run Derby.  His power gets all of the attention, and deservedly so, but he is also an excellent right fielder and base runner.  It is remarkable that somebody 6’7” and 282 lbs was a Gold Glove finalist in right field.  Sometimes I wonder how we are members of the same species.  Even with all of his success, Judge still went through the growing pains of a rookie season.  For two months after the All-Star break, Aaron struggled.  In the 49 games during this stretch, he hit .194 with 77 punch outs.  The fact that he still came in second place for AL MVP, even with the terrible two month span, shows how spectacular he was in his rookie campaign. Aaron is everything a manager, executive and fan dreams about in a franchise player.  He plays hard, has fun and is the ultimate team guy.  He is already the face of baseball.  I cannot wait for more gravity-defying home runs and rocket armed outfield assists in 2018.  All Rise!
Grade: A+

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From one Aaron to the other, Aaron Hicks finally showed glimpses of his full potential, but also left the organization with some unanswered questions.  Through his first 50 games of 2017, Hicks had a slash line of .317/.429/.584.  While batting in the two hole for much of this stretch, Aaron was getting on base and hitting for power.  When Brian Cashman traded John Ryan Murphy to the Twins in exchange for Aaron Hicks, he was buying low on a switch hitter with a ton of upside.  Even considering Hicks’ exciting tools, after his struggles in 2016, the first two and a half months were a pleasant surprise.  Unfortunately, he was not able to carry that level of production over the course of the full season.  Aaron made two trips to the DL with injuries to both obliques and as a result, only played in 88 games.  Thankfully he was able to return in time for the playoffs, where he was exceptional in the ALDS vs the Indians.  However, like his fellow teammates, Hicks struggled against the Astros in the ALCS.  Overall, even with the injuries, 2017 was the best season of Aaron’s career, although that is not saying a lot.  When on the field, he was an impact player with his glove and bat.  Although his batting average against righties (.240) was much lower than his average vs southpaws (.312), he still got on-base and hit for power from both sides of the plate.  A switch hitter who can draw walks and hit dingers is a nice player to have.  At 27 years old, this was a make or break year for him and it was clear Hicks came into spring training a new player.  He showed emotion and confidence in both the batter’s box and the outfield.  He gave the fans and front office a taste of what he is capable of doing when he is healthy.  Hopefully, the new Aaron Hicks is here to stay and he can put together a full season of what he showed us in April and May as the Yankees everyday centerfielder in 2018.
Grade: B-

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Moving across the outfield, we get to leftfield and Brett Gardner.  He was one of the few certainties the team had coming into the season.  As the longest tenured current Yankee, Brett is a leader on the team and a consistently solid all-around ball player.  As he has aged, Gardner has changed his style of play.  Coming into the big leagues, he was a slash hitter who stole bases.  In 2017, he hit a career high 21 home runs, while also being an efficient base stealer (23 for 28).  Brett is a perfect lead off hitter.  He gets on base 35% of the time and sees a ton of pitches each at-bat.  Gardner ranked twelfth in the MLB with 4.23 pitches per plate appearance.  In addition to his nice offensive production, he also plays an excellent left field and was a finalist for the AL Gold Glove Award.   Brett’s contributions on both sides of the ball are reflected in his WAR of 4.9, which is an All-Star caliber season.  Although Gardner may not have had the best statistical postseason, his twelve pitch at-bat against Cody Allen in the ninth inning of Game 5 was symbolic of the Yankees 2017 season.  He battled and eventually broke through with a base hit to right field, extending the Yankees slim one run lead to a far more comfortable 5-2 lead.  The upcoming 2018 season is the last guaranteed year of Gardner’s contract, but there is a team option for 2019.  With Clint Frazier and Tyler Wade knocking on the door to the big leagues, next season may be Brett’s last in pinstripes.
Grade: B+

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After recapping the Yankees starting outfielders, let’s review the performance of the most expensive back up in the majors.  Last season was the quintessential Jacoby Ellsbury year: two stints on the DL and very mediocre production.  His inability to stay on the field is impressively consistent.  Over 112 games, he slashed .264/.348/.402 with a slightly below average OPS+ of 97.  He was an extremely effective base stealer, swiping 22 bases in 25 attempts.  Ellsbury got on base at a solid rate this season, but he provides absolutely no power.  His 32 home run season back in 2011 was clearly a fluke.  Jacoby played sparingly in the postseason and Cashman has already said that Ellsbury will not be a starting outfielder in 2018.  Being that the Yankees have to pay him whether he plays or not, it is possible that Cashman tries to move him to a team that is willing to eat $4-5M of his annual salary.  A trade would be a win for all three involved parties: the Yankees, the acquiring team and Ellsbury.  The Yankees would be shedding a few million bucks which could help them get under the luxury tax, while opening up the fourth outfielder role to a younger player.  The acquiring team would be getting a high contact hitter and good defender for a very cheap price.  And Jacoby, if he waived his no trade clause, would be going to a team where he could get to play everyday.  I hope a trade gets worked out sometime between now and opening day, but I am not optimistic.
Grade: C

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The other outfielder who received a significant number of at-bats in 2017 was Clint Frazier.  He was the key prospect the Yankees received from the Indians in the Andrew Miller deal last season.  A consensus top 25 prospect coming into the season, Frazier was expected to spend the entire year in AAA.  However, when the injury bug hit the Yankees outfield, Clint was the next man on the depth chart.  Although he may have been slightly rushed out of necessity, he performed more than adequately during his first stint in pinstripes.  The stat line does not tell the whole story.  He only hit .231 with an OBP of .268, but his at-bats always seemed competitive.  Frazier was not overmatched in the MLB, considering he only had about 100 games of AAA experience before his debut.  To quote Brian Cashman, Clint’s “legendary bat speed” jumped off of the screen.  He hit a home run in his first MLB game and seemed to be immune to high velocity.  Clint was able to turn around the best fastballs, as evidenced by this walk-off dinger against the Brewers on a 97mph heater.  Also, Frazier always hustled and looked to take the extra base.  Depending on what the team does with Ellsbury, Clint could play a large role in the 2018.  With him and Aaron Judge in the corner outfield spots, the fans should have a fun duo for the next decade!
Grade: B+

So, that concludes the outfield installment of the 2017 Yankees – Year in Review.  Check back in a few days for a look back at the bullpen last season.

If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com