MLB Players Power Rankings (4): Gio Urshela, New York Yankees
Week-17 Stats: 0.957 SLG | 0.562 wOBA | 261 wRC+ | 0.5 fWAR
Gio Urshela has been a tremendous blessing for a New York Yankees team that has suffered an unprecedented number of injuries. Having lost the 2018 runner-up for the AL Rookie of the Year award, Miguel Andujar, to injury in the first week of the season, Urshela has stepped up to the plate and isn’t looking to give up his position this season or anytime thereafter.
A career .225 / .274 / .315 hitter before donning the Yankee pinstripes, Urshela has reinvented himself into a threat at the plate and on the field. This season, Gio is slashing .309 / .354 / .515, all the while setting a career-high in home runs with 11.
With Yankees pitching struggling to escape the first inning unscathed, offensively the team is looking to keep up with opponents over the last couple of weeks. With underrated hitters like Urshela stepping up to the plate, the Yankees have been fortunate to keep up with the opposition.
At the deadline, the organization will look to improve it’s pitching. However, with one option in Marcus Stroman having been dealt to the crosstown rival New York Mets, the options are starting to become limited. This makes offensive production from players like Urshela more important than ever.
So far this season, Urshela has delivered. It doesn’t look like he plans on slowing down anytime soon.