The Yankees are putting Rob Refsnyder on trade block
By George A. King III March 5, 2017 | 9:11pm
Modal Trigger The Yankees are putting Rob Refsnyder on trade block
Rob Refsnyder at Yankees camp Charles Wenzelberg
[nypost.com]

TAMPA — According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the Yankees have let clubs know they are willing to listen to trade offers for infielder/outfielder Rob Refsnyder.

Refsnyder, who turns 26 this month, has started games at first base (21), second base (17), right field (14) and left field (four) in the past two years for the Yankees.

Greg Bird’s return from missing a year due to shoulder surgery and the signing of Chris Carter has boxed the right-handed-hitting Refsnyder out of first base.

Aaron Judge and Aaron Hicks are battling for the right-field job. Brett Gardner is the everyday left fielder. A .293 career minor-league hitter, Refsnyder has a .262 average in 74 big-league games the past two seasons.

Scouts like Refsnyder’s bat better than his glove. The fifth-round pick in 2012 from the University of Arizona started as a right fielder and was moved to the infield. He resurfaced as a right fielder last year, when he started 14 games there, five for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Refsnyder has one minor-league option remaining.



“He changes the game in a lot of different ways and it’s not always his bat,’’ Joe Girardi said.

Matt Holliday is seeing what the big buzz over the Yankees’ young talent is all about.

“I’ve been really impressed. I had heard and knew that they were very talented and highly thought of but having laid my eyes on them and getting to see them perform, I’m very impressed,’’ the veteran said Sunday. “They’re smart and seem to know what they are doing. You watch how they work and listen to the kind of questions they ask, how they go about their business says a lot.’’

Ji-Man Choi, a non-roster first baseman, was hit in the right shoulder and batting helmet flap when hit by a pitch from the Pirates’ Antonio Bastardo. Choi was removed from the game but said he was fine.

“He was able to answer all the questions,’’ Girardi said of Choi, who was scratched from Monday’s travel roster to Bradenton.