Yankees cut three players from spring roster

Earlier today, the Yankees made a series of cuts from the spring training roster. According to the team, Billy Burns, Ryan Lavarnway, and Matt Lipka all were reassigned to minor league camp.

Burns, 29, hit .125/.222/.156 with four stolen bases in 32 at-bats. The Yankees signed the speedy outfielder to a minor league deal back in January. As a career 81 wRC+ batter, Burns was always a long shot to crack the roster. Don’t worry, though, there’s a good chance he ends up as this year’s Shane Robinson.

Lavarnway, on the other hand, hit well with the limited action he saw. The 31-year-old slashed .350/.435/.450 in 20 at-bats. The Yankees signed the journeyman backstop in November because the organization had such thin catching depth. Lavarnway surely ranks behind Austin Romine, and probably Kyle Higashioka as well. Nonetheless, don’t forget that Erik Kratz appeared for the 2017 Yankees.

Lipka also had a decent showing this spring. The 26-year-old outfielder hit 265/.419/.500 with two home runs in 34 at-bats. The Yankees figure to have Lipka roam the outfield at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. At that point, a player is just a phone call away. After all, Billy McKinney joined the team in the first series of the season last year.