New York Yankees 2026 Spring Training Storylines to Follow
SportsGrid Contributor Just Baseball
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The sound of mitts popping and bats cracking signals the official start of spring training. Position players have joined pitchers and catchers at their respective training facilities, and spring games are finally underway.
For the New York Yankees, players have flocked to Tampa, Florida, for camp at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The next month or so is for players to work through adjustments and get ready for the season, while teams can evaluate various players and make the proper decisions for the Opening Day roster.
The Yankees boast some exciting young talent making their first appearance in spring training, as well as some returning top prospects looking to build on their success and quickly rise through the ranks.
The team also has some big decisions to make regarding roster spots in the bullpen and filling the remaining bench roles.
With the World Baseball Classic returning in March, spring training is going to look and feel a lot different for the entire baseball community. Several players will depart for most of spring training, leaving younger guys more opportunities to shine in camp.
Today, we will examine key prospects and roster decisions that will headline some major storylines throughout Yankee spring camp.
Roster Battles
As mentioned, spring is a time when teams are making roster cuts and holding unofficial position battles for the less-solidified roles on the roster. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has no shortage of key decisions to make in the coming weeks, and here are a few to mention.
Outfield
The first and one of the more talked-about storylines so far is how former top prospect Jasson Domínguez fits into the overall scheme of things.
The 23-year-old switch-hitter had over 400 plate appearances last season after sharing time with outfielder Trent Grisham. Still, early camp reports have indicated that Domínguez might be starting the year in Triple-A.
One of the biggest knocks on Domínguez in his young career has been the defense. Last season, he posted a -7 DRS and a -9 FRV, making it difficult to trust him to play left field for the team in the future unless improvements are made.
When it comes to hitting, Domínguez has shown pop and potential from the left side, but his right side has severely lagged, posting a .186 batting average and a .530 OPS over his young career.
An already lefty-heavy lineup leaves the question of where he fits in as a platoon outfield bat that isn’t very solid in the field. The Yankees could still value his potential and keep him on the major-league bench, but his role will start to become clearer as spring goes on.
An interesting part of the Domínguez situation has been the power explosion from prospect Spencer Jones.
Last season, Jones cracked 35 home runs in the minors and played all three outfield positions, with center field being his main spot.
In just the second spring game of the season, Jones already displayed his power in 2026. The former first-rounder launched a 408-foot home run that cleared the stadium.
While Jones is a lefty, similar to Domínguez’s best side and most of the lineup, his power is hard to keep down in the minors for much longer.
Both may start in Triple-A, and one may be called up after an injury, but deciding who to call up will be tough and probably based on the hot bat at the time.
Monitoring the bench, specifically in the outfield, will be a main storyline for the Yankees as spring training pushes on.
Bullpen
The bullpen will easily be one of the most talked-about aspects of the team in camp.
After losing relievers like Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in free agency, the Yankees are relying on last year’s trade deadline acquisitions like David Bednar and Camilo Doval to be the main high-leverage relievers in this year’s pen.
Barring any trades for a major reliever, the team will most likely look to complete the bullpen with guys already in spring camp. Jake Bird, Cade Winquest, and Angel Chivilli are all names who could be big pieces of the Bronx bullpen this season.
Bird was acquired at last year’s trade deadline in a deal with the Colorado Rockies, but he struggled in the only three games he pitched in before being sent to Triple-A. The 30-year-old has shown excellent strikeout stuff in his career, highlighted by a wipeout sweeper.
There have already been some reports that Bird has tweaked the arsenal in some capacity, and with a solid showing in spring camp, he will certainly see himself in the Yankees’ bullpen to start the season.
Winquest was acquired during the Rule 5 Draft in December from the St. Louis Cardinals and presents as an intriguing option for the bullpen. The 25-year-old has demonstrated a couple of plus pitches, including a mid-90s fastball and a sinker, with a solid curveball and changeup to complement them.
Since he is a Rule 5 selection, he must remain on the roster for the entire season, or he will be offered back to the Cardinals, making spring training a massive audition for Winquest.
Chivilli is a name that is even newer to the organization than Winquest, having been acquired in late January for first-base prospect T.J. Rumfield.
The right-hander is a project piece for pitching coach Matt Blake, but he’s already bringing a solid arsenal, including an explosive fastball, to lead the charge.
The bullpen will be a main area of focus for many people this spring, and there are a decent number of names who could fill the remaining spots, provided that each pitcher has a solid spring showing.
Non-Roster Invitees to Watch
While spring training is the time of year to get major leaguers tuned up and ready for the upcoming grueling 162-game season, it’s also an important time to see an organization’s young prospects get a chance to play with and against some higher competition.
The Yankees have unveiled their comprehensive roster of non-roster invitees, which includes both prominent prospects and lesser-known names poised to make significant contributions to the big-league club in the near future.
Yankees top pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange is making his first appearance in spring training. The 22-year-old dominated the minors last year and comes in as the No. 64-ranked prospect in baseball, according to Just Baseball’s 2026 rankings.
The big righty features a fastball that regularly touches triple digits as well as a cutter, a low-90s changeup, and a nasty slider.
Lagrange has already turned heads in the early goings of camp, striking out Judge on a 102 mph fastball in a sim game that went viral online. The top pitching prospect is climbing fast and could even make a major league appearance this season.
Two former first-round selections headline the other notable prospects invited: infielder George Lombard Jr. and right-handed pitcher Ben Hess.
Lombard, the No. 53-ranked prospect for Just Baseball, has been the Yankees’ top prospect basically since being drafted out of high school in 2023 and is projected to be an important piece of the future. The 20-year-old is making his return for his second spring training with the team.
For Hess, the 2024 first-rounder is making his first appearance in spring camp after an impressive first season in the minors. The 23-year-old struck out 139 in 103.1 innings pitched while posting a 1.074 WHIP.
Hess is a name to watch for a rotation spot next year if he has another successful season in the minors.
When it comes to some lesser-known names to look out for, my attention turns to a couple of bullpen arms, Harrison Cohen and Carson Coleman.
Cohen showed some impressive stuff across Double-A and Triple-A last season, posting a 1.76 ERA and a 1.098 WHIP while punching out 59 in 51 innings. The young righty will also be pitching for Team Israel in the upcoming WBC.
Coleman is one of the most intriguing stories to join the Yankee camp, having only tossed 17 innings this past season in the minors, which was his first season since 2022 after several injuries.
The 27-year-old spanned four different levels last year, ending the season in Double-A, and is a name to look out for in spring camp.
WBC Participation
This year’s spring training camp will look different for pretty much every MLB team, with the World Baseball Classic making its return this year.
All 30 MLB teams will have to prep for the new season without several players and coaches throughout their organizations in the crucial weeks leading up to Opening Day on March 26.
The Yankees are no exception when it comes to WBC subtractions, with 11 players from their spring camp joining various countries for the WBC, including the team Captain, Aaron Judge, who will carry the same title over to the United States squad for the tournament.
One of the biggest discussions surrounding the WBC is injuries and the risks many players take by participating in the tournament before the MLB season begins.
Three of the team’s main relievers will each be representing their countries in the tournament. Closer David Bednar will suit up for Team USA, setup man Camilo Doval will play for Team Dominican Republic, and veteran punchout machine Fernando Cruz will pitch for Team Puerto Rico.
With limited depth and high-leverage relievers, one significant injury could really hamper the bullpen’s success in the first half of the season and possibly beyond.
When it comes to position players other than Judge, the team will see three starting infielders leave as well. Star second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. will represent Team Great Britain, and backstop Austin Wells will suit up behind the plate for Team Dominican Republic.
Shortstop José Caballero will also leave camp to join Team Panama for the tournament. The speedster is projected to be the Opening Day starter, with Anthony Volpe expected to be still rehabbing from offseason surgery on his shoulder.
As previously mentioned, injury is the main concern for most fan bases, and the Yankees will have several vital pieces leaving camp to participate, including the all-important reigning MVP, Judge.
The health of the departing members will be something to monitor as they compete for their countries.
The flip side of the team’s subtractions is that it opens up more opportunities for prospects in camp to impress. This fact alone could lead to some even harder roster decisions when the time comes, as some prospects may make it very difficult to leave them off the roster.
As previously mentioned, top prospects such as Lagrange or Jones fit into this category. Each could have stellar spring camps that propel them at least into some tough internal conversations.
Overall, the WBC is an amazing cultural celebration of baseball. Still, it also offers a different kind of spring training for every major-league team and its players in various ways.
The post New York Yankees 2026 Spring Training Storylines to Follow appeared first on Just Baseball.
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