The New York Yankees have several major holes on their roster. One of their biggest is that they do not have a true center fielder that they can count on. Aaron Judge was decent in center for the Yankees last year, and Aaron Hicks continues to exist, but neither can truly be counted on at the position.
The Yankees addressed center in some aspect on Thursday. They have signed Ender Inciarte to a minor league contract, presumably with an invitation to spring training.
Yankees transaction page says they've signed center fielder Ender Inciarte to a minor league deal. Inciarte, 31, is a defense-first CF who played 52 games with Atlanta last year before getting DFA'd/released.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) December 16, 2021
New York Yankees add outfield depth in Ender Inciarte
Inciarte had spent six years with the Braves, coming to Atlanta as part of the Dansby Swanson trade, before being released. He has produced a .280/.333/.383 batting line in his eight years in the majors, hitting 42 homers and 138 doubles while stealing 118 bases.
However, most of that production came in his first six seasons. Inciarte has been lost with the bat since the start of the 2020 season, producing an abysmal .200/.267/.277 batting line in his 220 plate appearances. His dropoff, coupled with Ronald Acuna Jr.‘s injury, led the Braves to completely revamp their outfield last year.
Even though Inciarte is not going to provide anything with the bat, he still has value. He has won three Gold Glove awards in his career and has saved a total of 80 runs in the outfield. Inciarte saved 49 of those runs in center, showing the type of defense the Yankees have been lacking.
Inciarte is not going to be a starter for the Yankees. If he is, then the outfield is in even more trouble than anyone could imagine. However, his ability to play all three outfield positions, provide excellent defense, and solid speed make him a viable option as a fourth outfielder. It may not be the biggest move, nor the type of signing that Yankees fans would hope for, but Inciarte can solve what had been a major problem for the Yankees.
The New York Yankees have quietly made a solid move by signing Ender Inciarte. He dramatically improves their outfield depth.