Like Betances, Banuelos makes impression

LAKELAND, Fla. - On Sunday, it was Dellin Betances impressing Joe Girardi.

Manny Banuelos took his turn Monday.

The 19-year-old lefthander worked a 1-2-3 fourth inning against the Tigers, getting Victor Martinez to ground softly to short before striking out Jhonny Peralta and Brandon Inge, both looking, on curveballs.

"He looked really good," Girardi said.

Banuelos, one of the organization's top pitching prospects, will start the season with Double-A Trenton regardless of how well he pitches in spring training, general manager Brian Cashman has said. Same for Betances, 22, who struck out three of the four Phillies he faced Sunday.

"Yeah, I heard that," Banuelos said. "If they want to send me to Trenton, it's OK. I want to move up quickly. If I start at Trenton, I will try to move up quickly."

And yes, he'd like to pitch well enough to change Cashman's mind, unlikely as that is.

"I hope so," Banuelos said with a smile. "But I want to do the best job I can in spring training and maybe he'll change [his mind]. I want to."

Prior debut

Mark Prior, who hasn't appeared in a big-league game since 2006 because of various injuries, pitched a 1-2-3 fifth, sandwiching two flyouts around a strikeout.

Prior said he knows the numbers don't work in his favor, even if, as expected, the Yankees leave camp with 12 pitchers. His main concern is making it through spring training healthy and putting himself in position to pitch in the regular season should the need arise. Which, because of injury and/or underperformance, it almost always does.

"I understand what I signed up for," he said. "I understand the situation here."

Extra bases

Russell Martin played in his first game, starting at DH and going 0-for-1 with two walks. Girardi said Martin likely will get another DH day, then start at catcher Thursday or Friday . . . OF Greg Golson, hit in the head by an A.J. Burnett pitch Sunday during BP, said the pitcher called him Sunday night. When Burnett entered the clubhouse Monday, his first stop was Golson's locker. Golson said he's fine and Girardi said he could play as soon as tomorrow . . . RHP Andrew Brackman (groin) said he came through his Sunday flat-ground session "fine" and expects to be back on the mound Wednesday . . . The Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, in his first game since his DUI arrest, received a polite round of applause when introduced before his first at-bat.