With Vaughn Grissom locked in at second base, where does that leave Nick Yorke?
When the Red Sox acquired infielder Vaughn Grissom from the Braves for Chris Sale in December, the club hoped they’ve found their long-term solution at second base.
Grissom is under team control through 2029 and if he transitions from shortstop to second base, Boston will have the position locked up for years to come. In the process, top prospect Nick Yorke is seemingly blocked from a spot in the Red Sox infield.
Yorke was former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom’s first draft pick back in the MLB Draft in 2020 and at the time projected as the potential future second baseman.
With Grissom in, what does that mean for Yorke in the future?
Yorke will get work in the outfield this spring, primarily on the backfields at Fort Myers. By learning a new position and transitioning into the outfield, Yorke gives himself options as he continues to climb within the organization.
Despite Grissom blocking Yorke’s path at second base, the 22-year-old is excited that the former Braves top prospect is in Boston.
“Vaughn’s a good buddy of mine. I got to play against him a lot in High A. We get along. We’re really good friends. To me, it’s just cool to have someone that young in the position that he’s in because he’s a lot more relatable to me than some older veteran,” said Yorke to MassLive’s Christopher Smith.
“But someone like Vaughn, he’s super approachable and I’m good friends with him. So in terms of the learning aspect of it — from someone who is kind of my age and has already been in the big leagues — to me, it’s just cool to be able to work with someone like that. I think it could only help me,” added Yorke.
Yorke is close to the majors, he’s projected by SoxProspects to start the season with the WooSox. The California native spent last season with Double-A Portland where he batted .268 with 13 homers, 61 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 110 games.
With second base and shortstop locked up between Grissom and Trevor Story, Yorke’s development and learning the outfield could also increase his trade value. It’s no secret that the Red Sox have been searching for additional young pitching prospects or controllable MLB ready pitching options for the 26-man roster.
“It’s not on my mind right now,” Yorke said when asked if he’s considered the idea of possibly being traded. “That’s kind of all out of my control. There’s not a whole lot I can do about any of that. What I can do is come in here with a good attitude and continue to work hard and give myself the best chance to get to the big leagues. So that’s all I can do and all I’m going to do.”
