NEW YORK -- Gary Sanchez, rated as the Yankees' No. 3 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, has a non-displaced fracture of his right thumb and will be placed on the Minor League disabled list. In two weeks, Sanchez will undergo a repeat of the X-rays he had in New York on Wednesday afternoon.
Sanchez, 23, was forced to exit Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's game against Louisville on Tuesday after being hit by a foul tip.
Losing Sanchez would serve as a blow to the Yankees' upper-level catching depth. Thought of as the favorite to serve as Brian McCann's backup this season, Sanchez lost his Spring Training battle with Austin Romine but has rebounded well at Triple-A, where he owns a .290/.333/.529 line with five homers and 26 RBIs in 34 games.
Sanchez made his first big league start earlier this month, summoned to serve as the designated hitter against White Sox left-hander Chris Sale. Sanchez went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Chicago's 7-1 victory over the Yankees, then was optioned back to the Minors the next day.