TAMPA — Let the game begin.
After four days of full-team training at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees are set to kick off their Grapefruit League schedule on Friday against the Orioles in Sarasota, Florida.
Next weekend, several players, including infielders Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jose Caballero, and Amed Rosario, along with catcher Austin Wells, will leave camp for the World Baseball Classic. However, Elmer Rodriguez, a promising pitching prospect, is poised to start.
Meanwhile, Team USA captain Aaron Judge, who has announced his retirement, is expected to make his spring debut. He’ll be starting Saturday’s home game against the Tigers in right field and is likely to play designated hitter against the Mets on Sunday.
Manager Aaron Boone expressed his desire for Judge to participate in four or five of the Yankees’ first nine games before heading to camp in the U.S.
Rodriguez, aged 22, was picked up from the Red Sox last offseason to fill the gap left by catcher Carlos Narváez and will represent Puerto Rico in the WBC. He had an impressive season at various levels, boasting a 2.58 ERA with 176 strikeouts across 150 innings.
“Rodriguez has made a big impression,” Boone noted, mentioning he hasn’t seen the pitcher in person yet. “He’s one of the few players I’m eager to meet. I believe he has the potential to be a long-term starter in this league—at least that’s what I’m hearing from others. I’m looking forward to seeing him in action on Friday. It seems he has a really bright future.”
On a different note, Rafael Montero, currently housed at Steinbrenner Field, has yet to report to camp due to some paperwork and visa complications, according to Boone.
The Dominican relief pitcher recently signed a minor league deal with an invitation to major league camp but has not progressed quickly enough to establish a solid claim for a spot in the bullpen.
Meanwhile, Will Warren threw three innings during live batting practice on Thursday, raising his pitch count to 49. He typically throws a fastball clocking in at 93-96 mph—his average last season was around 93.3 mph—and even managed to strike out Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton, and Judge in consecutive innings.
