HERE COMES GARY SANCHEZ!

Opportunity may be knocking for Gary Sanchez. He has been in the minors since 2009 but he may finally have the chance to play in the majors. It's been a long road for Sanchez, and we have been watching him for a long time now. Is this the year we finally see Sanchez catching in Yankee stadium?

Maybe. Now that John Ryan Murphy is a Minnesota Twin, the Yankees will have a to choose who will be a backup to Brian McCann. Sanchez could be a great backup catcher, but he has some competition with Austin Romine who will be returning to camp to compete for the backup job again. While Romine is a good defensive catcher, he lacks some of the offense that Sanchez has. It will be an interesting battle to watch this spring.

Sanchez can still improve defensively, but he has caught the attention of Brian Cashman, read more about that HERE.  For years we have heard about his potent bat, but now the Yankees are impressed by his improved defense behind the plate, which is something that Joe Girardi really relies on for a backup catcher. Has Sanchez finally put it all together with offense and defense?

Years ago, Yankeeland was buzzing about Sanchez and his lack of a work ethic and a supposed bad attitude, but now that seems to be changing. He is focused and dedicated to his development, read more about that in THE MATURE GARY SANCHEZ. Maybe the New York Post is right....and maybe opportunity, marriage and fatherhood has made him motivated, and a motivated man and not just a promising prospect anymore.

The Yankees are definitely high on Sanchez, and look to be ready to give him his opportunity. He was a call-last season and represented the Yankees this year in the Arizona Fall League where he had an impressive .295BA with 7 home runs and 21 RBI's. You can see the passion that Sanchez has and that will make this spring even more exciting.

So who starts the season out in AAA and who gets the call to the Majors....Romine or Sanchez? It will be a battle of experience versus growth and I can hardly wait. Let the countdown to the battle begin!


   

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ 

 


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