Severino, Judge among 26 invited to Spring Training
NEW YORK -- The Yankees have announced the invitations of 26 additional players to their 2015 Spring Training camp, including two of the game's brightest up and comers: right-hander Luis Severino and outfielder Aaron Judge, who were listed among MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects last week.
Severino, an electric starter who led all Yankees farmhands with 127 strikeouts and should begin the year at Double-A Trenton, was rated as baseball's 23rd overall prospect. The power-hitting Judge, who led the Yanks' pipeline with 78 RBIs and also projects to play in Trenton this year, clocked in at No. 68 on MLB's list.
Fourteen of the non-roster invitees were originally drafted by the organization, including left-hander Jacob Lindgren, who was their second-round pick last June and is considered to be the Yankees' No. 9 prospect by MLB.com. He could make the jump to the Majors at some point this year after advancing to Double-A Trenton, posting a 2.16 ERA over 19 appearances in the Yanks' chain.
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Right-hander Nick Rumbelow, left-hander Tyler Webb and catcher Trent Garrison are also products of the 2014 Draft. Infielder Rob Refsnyder (the Yankees' No. 6 prospect, according to MLB.com), right-hander Nick Goody and left-hander James Pazos were selected in 2012, while infielder Greg Bird (No. 11) and outfielder Jake Cave (No. 8) were brought in through the 2011 Draft.
Rounding out the Yanks' Draft selections in attendance are a pair of past first-round picks in infielder Cito Culver and outfielder Slade Heathcott, plus infielder Kyle Roller and catcher Kyle Higashioka. In addition, catcher Francisco Arcia, right-hander Vicente Campos, right-hander Diego Moreno and right-hander Wilking Rodriguez have been invited to camp.
The Yankees also announced the signings of six players to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training: right-hander Scott Baker, infielder Cole Figueroa, infielder Jonathan Galvez, catcher Juan Graterol, infielder Nick Noonan and catcher Eddy Rodriguez.
Included in the list of invitees is former big league closer Andrew Bailey, who signed a Minor League deal with the Yanks earlier this winter. Bailey, 30, spent last season in New York's system while recovering from right shoulder surgery, and he owns 89 saves over 206 career appearances with the A's (2009-11) and Red Sox (2012-13).
The total number of players scheduled to report to camp is 66. Yankees pitchers and catchers are due to report to Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 20, with their first workout set for Feb. 21 at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The first full-squad workout is Feb. 26.