Tyler Wade has made Rob Refsnyder expendable

The Yankees are ready to trade Rob Refsnyder. After several years of testing him at second base, the experiment didn’t seem to work. He doesn’t have the bat of an MLB regular, and without a true position to his name, it’s hard to say he deserves a spot on a major league roster. The Yankees don’t seem convinced, and they have proven that by making him available. Now it looks like they already have his replacement in Tyler Wade.

The hope was that if Refsnyder couldn’t be a starting second baseman, he would at least be a utility player capable of playing all over the field, but that didn’t work either. In preparation for a season that could surely make or break his career, Refsnyder decided he wanted to hit more home runs in 2017. Unfortunately, he’s only been able to collect three singles in 12 spring training games this year, and the Yankees aren’t impressed.

While this has been happening, Tyler Wade has shown the potential to be everything the Yankees wanted Refsnyder to be. If you’ve been watching spring training this year, you should have become very familiar with Wade by now. In the team’s 17 games, he’s played in 13 of them so far, which is tied for the most on the team. He has also hit .429/.478/.524 in that time on his way to leapfrogging the competition on the depth chart. The Yankees giving him a chance at the same time Ref could be booted out the door is no coincidence; they see him as the player they wanted Refsnyder to be.

Wade is, of course, a much better prospect than Refsnyder has ever been. After a full season at Double-A Trenton in 2016, he has only just turned 22 and could see significant time in Triple-A. He is a skilled shortstop who was expected to stick at the position, but the presence of Gleyber Torres and Jorge Mateo has forced him into service at second base. He has also played at third base and all three outfield positions. Unlike Refsnyder, he has been able to adapt to the changes on the field.

There wasn’t going to be room on the active roster for Refsnyder anyway, so don’t think that Wade has a chance to make the team out of spring training. He is working to be remembered in the heat of the summer, when players wear down, get hurt, and need replacing. Instead of having to go to the well once again and bring up Refsnyder, they will have Tyler Wade ready to offer a better glove in the field, faster legs on the base paths, and likely a better bat at the plate.

The job Wade could really be eyeing is that of Ronald Torreyes’ role as backup infielder and utility player. He might have the abilities to start for a team devoid of so much talent, but he will certainly get a chance to contribute everywhere on the field. It’s the job Refsnyder could have had at one point, but things haven’t worked out. If Refsnyder finds himself traded soon, don’t be surprised.