Yankees' Rosell Herrera goes 3-for-3, continues to ''open some eyes"
The Yankees' Rosell Herrera hitting a single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the bottom of the 3rd inning of the first game in spring training at George Steinbrenner Stadium, in Tampa, FL on Saturday Feb. 22, 2020. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
LAKELAND, Fla. — A player who Aaron Boone on Sunday morning said had “opened some eyes” continued to do so Sunday afternoon.
Rosell Herrera, a switch-hitting utilityman, started in rightfield in the 10-4 loss to the Tigers and went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. He improved to 7-for-14 in six games.
“I’m just going to try and help the team at every position they want to see me,” Herrera said. “Nothing different. Keep playing hard and do my thing.”
Herrera, a natural shortstop who originally was signed by the Rockies as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and made his big-league debut in 2018, has appeared in 149 major-league games the last two seasons, including 63 with the Marlins last year.
Herrera said he played primarily shortstop his first five years in the Rockies’ organization before a move to centerfield, but he’s moved around since. Last season, for example, he appeared in games at short, third, second and all three outfield positions.
“Just a lot of good at-bats, both sides of the plate,” Boone said. “He’s played well in the infield. He’s a guy that can play a lot of different positions. He’s had a good camp.”
Paxton progressing
Boone said James Paxton, who had back surgery to remove a cyst Feb. 5, soon will begin a throwing program.
“It’s gone according to plan,” Boone said. “As they’ve ramped him up [with conditioning and weights], he’s bounced back the way they’ve hoped each and every day. I would say throwing’s probably on the horizon. Whether it’s next week or the following week, I’m not sure yet.”
Getting a taste
Infielder Anthony Volpe, the Yankees’ first-round pick a year ago, was among the minor-league call-ups who made the trip to Lakeland. The 18-year-old, drafted out of Delbarton High School in New Jersey, pinch hit in the eighth inning and, after hitting a rope just foul down the leftfield line, grounded out to short.
“Surreal,” Volpe said of the overall experience. “It was awesome.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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