Anthony Rizzo has been the New York Yankees’ go-to man when it comes to first base. However, seems like the team’s finally looking to move on.
The New York Yankees have signed a two-year extension deal with their first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, with an option to continue until 2025. Rizzo, 33, is unlikely to get an extension post his current deadline as he deals with persistent nagging injury issues. Hence, the Yankees shall look around to find a long-term replacement as first base is a critical position.
Here’s one name the front office should pay special attention to, Andres Chaparro. The baseman signed with the New York Yankees as an international free agent in 2019 and has been making waves in the team’s minor league system ever since. Moreover, Chaparro’s performance in the ongoing spring training has caught the attention of the Yankees’ coaching staff and front office. But how good is he to replace Rizzo at first base?
Andres Chaparro Could Be The Yankees ‘ Term First Baseman
A 23-year-old baseman from Venezuela joined one of the largest sports organizations, the New York Yankees, at the tender age of 19. The baseman wreaked havoc in the minor league. Last year, he played 64 games for Double-A Somerset and hit .289, 19 homers, and 52 RBIs. Further, he caught the attention of the scouts who called him in for major league spring training this season. The baseman understood the value of the opportunity and grabbed it with both hands.
This spring training, Andres Chaparro has featured in 13 games and hit .333 with 9 hits, 4 homers, and 11 RBIs across 27 at-bats in total. He jointly shares the record of hitting the most home runs this spring training with a fellow prospect, Jasson Dominguez. Further, apart from being a first baseman, Andres is versatile enough to experiment at third base. Chaparro’s combination of size, power, and hitting ability makes him stand apart from the crowd.
In his recent outing against the Blue Jays, a home run coming off from his bat traveled around 420 feet and left a dent in the batter’s eye. While Chaparro is still several years away from the majors, his early success in the minor leagues and training camps is a promising sign for the Yankees’ future.
Anthony Rizzo Dealing With Recurring Back Issues
Meanwhile, Anthony Rizzo is fighting a tedious battle with his back injuries. The baseman’s last season was heavily hampered due to stiff back problems. He even had to skip a couple of games and missed a significant amount of game time. Furthermore, while he looked all healthy for the 2023 season, the “back” is back to haunt the baseman yet again.
Last week, Rizzo refused to travel with the team for away games after complaining of a “cranky” back. However, both him and the Yankees skipper confirmed that it’s nothing major, and the former will be back soon for the home game. But, Rizzo emphasized the frequent reoccurrence of the injury and said that it’s something he will have to learn to deal with for the rest of his life.
