Elmer Rodriguez set to start Yankees’ Grapefruit League opener
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TAMPA — Let the games begin.
After four days of full-squad workouts at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees are set to begin their Grapefruit League schedule Friday against the Orioles in Sarasota, Fla.
Elmer Rodriguez, one of the club’s top pitching prospects, will get the start while the Yankees are bringing infielders Jazz Chisholm Jr., José Caballero and Amed Rosario, plus catcher Austin Wells, all of whom will be leaving camp next weekend to play in the World Baseball Classic.
Aaron Judge, who is also leaving to captain Team USA, will make his spring debut Saturday at home against the Tigers, starting in right field, before likely serving as DH on Sunday against the Mets.
Aaron Boone has said he wants to get Judge into four or five of the Yankees’ first nine games before he heads to USA’s camp.
The 22-year-old Rodriguez, acquired from the Red Sox last offseason for catcher Carlos Narváez, will pitch for Puerto Rico in the WBC.
The right-hander broke out last season across three levels (High-A, Double-A and one start in Triple-A), posting a 2.58 ERA with 176 strikeouts in 150 innings.
“[Rodriguez has made] a big impression,” Boone said Thursday. “He’s one of those guys that I hadn’t seen really in person, but one of those few guys you get excited to come down here and see. I think he’s got a chance to be a starting pitcher in this league for a long time. That’s how he profiles to me and everything I hear about him. I’m excited to see him go [Friday]. I think he’s got a really bright future.”
Rafael Montero has a locker inside the clubhouse at Steinbrenner Field but has not yet reported to camp due to paperwork and visa issues, Boone said.
The reliever from the Dominican Republic signed a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp last week, but is delayed in getting to make his case to win a bullpen job.
Will Warren threw three innings of live batting practice Thursday while building his pitch count to 49.
With his fastball sitting at 93-96 mph — it averaged 93.3 mph last season — Warren at one point struck out Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton and Judge in succession.
