The Yankees are letting teams know that they’re open to hearing offers for Rob Refsnyder, George A. King III of the New York Post reports. Once seen as a potential candidate to become the Yankees’ second baseman of the future, the acquisition of Starlin Castro last offseason recast Refsnyder as something of a utility man, and he now faces a crunch to make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster.
Refsnyder, who turns 26 later this month, was a fifth round pick for the Yankees in the 2012 draft, and he has a strong .293/.379/.429 slash line over 2080 career plate appearances in the minors. Originally drafted as a right fielder, Refsnyder was shifted to second base with middling results. The 2016 Baseball America Prospect Handbook (which ranked Refsnyder as the eighth-best prospect in New York’s system) said that he was “unlikely to be an average defender, but has worked enough to make playable at the position,” with some scouts using Daniel Murphy as a comparable.
In 2016, Refsnyder started to see action all over the diamond, playing second, third and right field in both the majors and minors while also getting action with the Yankees as a left fielder and first baseman. Refsnyder actually ended up making 21 starts at first last season as the Yankees dealt with several injury problems at the position. Over 222 career PA in the majors, Refsnyder has hit .262/.332/.354 with two home runs.
The Yankees have such veterans as Castro, Chase Headley and Brett Gardner blocking Refsnyder at three positions, while a more promising youngster is in Refsnyder’s way in right field (Aaron Judge). As for first base, Greg Bird and Chris Carter will handle the position while Tyler Austin could be a factor in both right and at first once he returns from the DL. Bench-wise, Aaron Hicks and Ronald Torreyes look like the favorites to claim the two remaining reserve spots on the 25-man.
With these options all in play, it maybe isn’t surprising that New York is at least exploring what it can obtain for Refsnyder on the trade market. Refsnyder should carry some trade value given his promising bat, defensive versatility and controllable contract through the 2022 season. Of course, being open to hearing offers for a player is technically different than outright shopping someone, so GM Brian Cashman could simply be gauging Refsnyder’s market rather than actively looking to move him.
This isn’t the first time Refsnyder has been involved in trade buzz — back in the summer of 2015, the Yankees refused a deal that would’ve sent Refsnyder and Adam Warren to the A’s for Ben Zobrist. (That rejection shaped the postseason, as Zobrist was instead dealt to the Royals and played a big role in their World Series title.) Ironically, the Yankees ended up trading Warren to the Cubs for Castro that winter, which blocked Refsnyder’s clearest path to a regular spot in the Bronx.
I wouldn’t mind keeping him. You can play him anywhere on the field
I would say you can put him anywhere on the field. He can’t really “play” anywhere on the field. He’s like a poor man’s Daniel Murphy. Maybe someday he’ll be as good a hitter as Murphy, but for now, he doesn’t really offer much with the bat or glove. Give this guy a starting job on a bad team, and let him play out a season to see what he’s got. I don’t know why the Yankees haven’t done that, instead of playing broken down veterans that get them nowhere beyond mediocre and offer no long term solutions.
Yeah, he’s pretty atrocious in the field and he hasn’t hit in a long time
How can he hit if he get ABs. He needs regular ABs, when he got them a few years ago he hit pretty well
Yeah put him anywhere in the field and see how many time he gets hit in the face with the ball!
Padres
I don’t see him as a poor man’s Daniel Murphy. I see him as a poorer fielding Jackson Profar. Both were top prospects that haven’t had a full opportunity, didn’t produce when they did play, and now find their value that of a utility infielder. Yankee fans seem to realize that, Texas fans don’t.
Refsnyder was never even on the same planet as Profar, in regards to prospect rankings. Profar had been hurt the better part of 4 years and just last season finally got healthy, Refsnyder just flat out hasn’t performed. There’s a reason teams are still trying to pry Profar away from Texas while the Yankees are trying to trade a Refsnyder, a controllable player, during a rebuild.
Top prospects lol. Jurickson Profar was a top 3 prospect in all of baseball at one point, Refsnyder wasn’t even the best prospect on the Yankees. Refsnyder hasn’t performed as well as expected when given the opportunity. Profar hasn’t performed because he was out for a couple of years with injuries.
Rob Refsynder will never be a starter how the hell you give him Daniel Murphy potential
Can’t expect much back for him. I really wished the Yankees would have played him in 2015 at 2B instead of re-signing Drew.
I can totally see Beane offering Jed Lowrie for him.
Cant’t see why the yanks would accept that. They’d be taking on money for an older player that’s not really more useful.
I doubt the Yankees have any interest in Lowrie.
You said yourself “cant expect much back for him”. Lowrie falls into that category as a guy who helps now who can play multiple positions well, and (ST, I know) he also looks fully recovered from his injury woes. Being that Beane already asked for Ref, I can see him circling back around on him.
They both may fall into that category but it doesn’t mean their value is equal.
Royals could use a 2B. How about Christian Colon or Paulo Orlando?
Royals could just use Colon at 2nd?
Colon is better as a utility player who you could fill in at several positions. Refsnyder would be a down grade defensively, but might give more bat upside. Plus, he would have options where Colon and Cuthbert don’t.
Would much rather have Sean Manaea+ instead of Refsnyder and Warren, that worked out well for Oakland.
I thank God they are not waiting a lifetime now to see who has to go!! C YA!
Well I guess if we can get a Starting Pitcher with the same talent if not a little younger with a better prospect rating I’d go for it
A younger starting pitcher with the same talent and a better prospect rating would cost you more than Refsnyder.
That’s why they probably won’t get much back for him.
So you’d be willing to accept a trade from someone who would make a lopsided trade in the Yankees favor.
Here’s my offer. a bag of balls. that might be too much actually
lololol
Excluding your own, we assume….
Two years ago everyone was screaming for Gerardo to start Refsnyder. Now they’re rejoicing in a potential trade…
That’s because 2 years ago we were stuck with Stephen Drew who had a 76 wRC+ after a year where he had a 45 wRC+ with the Red Sox and Yankees (yes, that’s just Forty Five, I didn’t leave out a One for 145). Ref in 2014 had a 137 wRC+ in AAA and 123 wRC+ in AAA in 2015.
Ref is a low level prospect start torres at ss. Put didi 2nd n Castro 3rd. Bird 1st. Judge right fraiser center gardy right n do davis Holliday n elsbury
Have you not seen Didi play defense? He’s not moving anywhere. Unless Torres turns out to be Andrelton Simmons-like with the glove, he’ll probably be the one to shift positions, assuming both players are still in the organization by the time he’s called up to the show
First of all, Didi hasn’t played second base since his senior year in high school, and he’s a better shortstop than Torres. Torres hasn’t even played passed single A, Castro has never played 3rd. Frazier isn’t fast enough to be a center fielder and only hit .222 in triple a, and you’re not putting 22 million dollar Ellsbury on the bench. That’s unethical.
Frazier’s handful of AB’s in AAA don’t mean anything. What if he batted .460 in AAA? Would that mean he’s a a Hall of Famer? He already admitted he pushed to hard to try and impress everyone last year because he was traded for a top MLB reliever. He’s started off spring training strong and most of the outs he has made have been hard hit balls. And yes, he has adequate speed to play CF. Benching Ellsbury is unethical? Since when do ethics play a role in setting the starting lineup? If the guy doesn’t produce this year Yanks will trade him and eat 80% of his contract.
Yes benching Ellsbury is unethical, I wouldn’t pay him 18 million dollars to go somewhere else or sit, have to maximize his value. Frazier is going to have to move to a corner just look at the scouting reports, your best defender should normally be in center.
And when I mean ethics I mean his straight up value, talent for dollar.
Them 3. Duh cycle
Dh I mean
Make him the headliner in a Quintana deal.
Lol
I’m kind of surprised he lasted this long on the roster. He doesn’t field any of the positions well and the Yankees has so many better options. And they could probably put his roster spot to better use at some point.
I think that there’s a good chance that the Yankees pull off a deal for an SP sometime in spring training or within the first month of the season and Ref will probably be a part of that package. The Yanks and other teams are getting a good look at the NYY prospects this spring and while it’s early and only spring training, they all look pretty good. And while they’d probably prefer to move Gardner or Ellsbury I think they end up dealing from Fowler, Frazier, Judge, Sheffield, and Kap. Personally, I’d rather see them keep the young guys but I don’t see that happening if they want a good SP.
IMO, Fowler is the only one of those that you listed the Yankees might be willing to trade at some or any point this season. As for the others I don’t see Cashman willing to trade any of them this year. They all project to be a big part of the Yankees future. Just my opinion.
they should be willing to listen to offers for anyone – except maybe Gary Sanchez – and even he is not untouchable. if the nationals offered Bryce Harper and Strasburg for Sanchez we’d have to consider the deal – or at least take a very serious look at Strasburg’s elbow before saying “no”. the last players the Yankees had who they would never listen to offers for were Derek Jeter and ‘maybe’ Mariano Rivera – and even then if they had known the haul people were willing to pay for Miller and Chapman they might have been wise to trade away Mo’ in one of his contract years after they fell out of contention. I’m not saying they should GIVE Refsnyder away but at his age with Castro ahead of him and Torres / Mateo / Wade not to far behind, the window is closing fast on Refsnyder’s opportunity to be a MLB starter for the Yankees and if we can trade him for a few younger prospects to a team that would be able to play him everyday in the bigs – or package Refsnyder with a few other players for a MLB ready starting pitcher it could be a win-win for all involved.
Do you really expect any team to give up a “few young prospects” for Refsnyder. At best Refsnyder is a role/utility player at worst he’s a journeyman minor leaguer.
Yankees out of contention when Mo was playing hahaha. Do you realize who the Yankees were up until 2013 which was the year he retired. They missed the playoffs ONCE in 2008 and that came in the last week of the season. So the Yankees were NEVER out of contention by the deadline when Mo was playing
“if the nationals offered Bryce Harper and Strasburg for Sanchez we’d have to consider the deal – or at least take a very serious look at Strasburg’s elbow before saying “no”.”
Hahahahahaha.
Oh, wait. You’re serious?
Thats a clown statement bro
Stick Michael used to tell my Dad,”Boss, you can’t teach intangibles!”……. I like this kid, he’s our “26th man” and designated Calzone getter…..
Costanza!
Refsnyder serves as an example how the Yankees have botched the development of their once promising prospects.
Being pushed around positions in favor of an aging roster full of massively overpaid washed-up veterans, Refsnyder never had chance to establish himself. Cashman and Girardi treated him as poorly as one can handle a young player.
The Yankees called him up when one of their over-the-hill money guzzlers pulled a hammie or had fallen out of his stair lift. They sent him down, despite playing well, as soon as gramps was able to walk again.
When the club desperately needed quality hitting, they’d again call up a red-hot Refsnyder only to sit him for almost two weeks before sending him down again without giving him a single AB!
I hope Ref gets out of there and receives another chance with a better organization. Girardi and Cashman suck at developing prospects, plain and simple.
Quintana for Refsnyder straight up. No one says no to that.
Refsynder should get the same type pitcher the Yanks got for Game;. a good young prospect.
Who’s Game?
Gamel!
Refsnyder’s too old to be a prospect at this point, so the bottom line is that he’s an unproven commodity. Very difficult to get a valuation on him.
It’s a shame how NY messed up his development. In 2015 they should’ve had Ref play out the year at second base to see what he had instead of trading for Drew. I hope they do trade him so that he gets a shot at regular playing time to prove that he can hit.
Area man willing to listen to offers on Hootie And The Blowfish CD.
Cracked Rear View? I’d trade Refsnyder for that.
Like Ref but man there’s gotta b something they don’t like. He’s been given little chance.
Never heard of him but they’ll likely get more back for him than Castro
“Yankee willing to listen to offers for Refsnyder”
Lol no shyt? The headline makes it sound like Refsnyder is some sort of previously untradable superstar that the Yankees are now reluctantly making available.
He might be good somewhere, someday for someone. There is no room for him in pinstripes.