New York Yankees

Could Rob Refsnyder be the Yankees "Ace in the Hole"?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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With the struggles of rookie Aaron Judge hurting the Yankees playoff chances, the team should consider giving more time to Rob Refsnyder in right field.

With the New York Yankees crucial sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays concluding on Wednesday night, the Pinstripers solidified their spot as a legitimate playoff contender. As a whole, the team’s offense showed extreme grit and productivity, outscoring arguably the best offense in baseball 14-9 in the series.

The one major blemish on the Yankees offense is the lackluster performance they have received out of right field. While newcomer Tyler Austin recorded a hit in a rare right field start Wednesday night, the position has largely been occupied by top-prospect Aaron Judge.

The 6’7″ righty has hit at an abysmal .174 clip heading into play Thursday, and has shown little-to-no signs of changing his approach at that plate. He has mustered just three home runs in 69 at-bats, and is a victim of constantly hitting behind in the count after taking a first pitch fastball for a strike.

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While it may be beneficial for the Yankees long-term goals to give Judge as much playing time as possible to get him acclimated to MLB pitchers, New York is just 2.5 games out of a playoff spot, and the team needs to put their most productive hitters at each position.

With Mark Teixeira hitting below the Mendoza line (.198 AVG) with less than a month to go, Austin, who has recorded five hits in his last 12 at-bats, will likely be the benefactor of more playing time at first base than right field down the stretch.

If only the Yankees defensively versatile player who has a high-ceiling at the plate and has even started a wild card game before waiting in the wings… oh wait, that sounds a lot like Yankees youngster Rob Refsynder!

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Through his first 63 MLB games, Refsnyder has hit at a very respectable .276 AVG/.344 OBP/.376 SLG clip. While Refsynder does not possess the capability to leave the yard nearly as frequently as Judge, he is hitting almost .100 points higher (.268 AVG on the season).

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While some may argue that since Refsynder was groomed as an infielder during his ascent through the minors, the South Korea-native is not capable of playing in the outfield every day. However, in a limited MLB sample size this season, Refsnyder has played 19 games in the outfield and recorded 19 putouts and two assists without committing an error.

While he may not be the next Willie Mays in the outfield, he plays adequate defense. More importantly, a closer look at his offense shows why he deserves a chance in right field over Judge.

First and foremost, it is important to note that the Yankees are 28-19 in games that Refsnyder has played in. Considering the fact that he has played in just nine games since the Yankees began their winning ways with the turn of the calendar in August, this statistic speaks volumes for how Refsnyder’s aggressive style of play can spark the rest of the team.

Unlike Judge, Refsnyder is aggressive early in the count. In fact, he is 8-12 (.667) when he swings at the first pitch, 8-21 (.381) in 0-1 counts, and 6-14 (.429) in 1-1 counts. Judge on the other hand is 2-11 (.182) in those three counts.

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Additionally, Refsynder is clutch. Very clutch. With two outs and runners in scoring position Refsynder is 5-14 (.357) with three doubles and five RBIs.

He is currently 14-48 (.292) in one-run games, and is 26-87 (.299) in games where the deficit is three runs or fewer. And to put a cherry on top, Refsynder never folds and eases up when his team is trailing. In at-bats where the Yankees are behind, Refsnyder is 16-41 (.314)!

Are these statistics taken from a small sample size? Yes. Is it risky to make a lineup change in the middle of a pennate race when the team is already playing so well? Absolutely. But these statistics indicate that Refsnyder has the potential to make significant offensive contributions, and could even contribute clutch, game-changing at-bats in crucial situations.

If Yankees skipper Joe Girardi is adamant about letting Judge start in right field the rest of the season even with his dreadful performance thus far, he should at least consider Refsnyder to spell Brett Gardner or Jacoby Ellsbury against left-handed starters. He is currently 18-50 (.360) against left-handed starters, while Gardner is 26-106 (.245) and Ellsbury is 30-112 (.268).

Is it finally time for the Yankees to give Refsnyder a chance at steady playing time or should they stick it out with Judge and hope for a turn around? Leave us a comment or tweet at us with your thoughts.

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