LAKELAND, Fla. — Shortly before the Yankees’ exhibition opener on Saturday, Aaron Boone noted that Trent Grisham has some pop.
As if on cue, the lefty swinger proceeded to homer in his second at-bat, drilling a three-run shot off Tigers southpaw Jake Higginbotham, a minor leaguer. Grisham’s pull shot just stayed fair, but the 115.5-mph, 421-foot blast gave the Yankees an early lead in a 22-10 win at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
“I wasn’t sure it was fair,” Grisham, who also walked, said after the game. “It was hooking a little bit. But I’m glad it ended up being fair.
“The known adage is that left-handed hitting is a little tougher against lefties. So when those guys get in, I kind of like that edge that it gives me.”
grisHIM. pic.twitter.com/neEphdtB2H
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 24, 2024
Grisham has flown under the radar since being acquired from the Padres alongside Juan Soto. A two-time Gold Glove winner, there’s no doubt that the Yankees have a “legit,” “premium” defender in center field, as Boone put it.
Grisham’s bat is less of a sure thing. While he totaled 30 longballs, 103 RBI and a 12.2% walk rate over his last two seasons in San Diego, the 27-year-old also had a .191/.300/.347 slash line, an 84 OPS+ and a 28.2% strikeout rate during that 305-game stretch.
“He’s a guy who’s had some successes, some struggles at the plate,” Boone said of Grisham, who hit .243/.334/.424 with 31 homers, 112 RBI and a 107 OPS+ over 242 games from 2019-2021. “Has the ability to control the strike zone. Has some power. Obviously, some playoff experience where he’s had some success.”
Grisham is a .169 hitter over 19 postseason games, but the Texas native hit three home runs in the 2022 playoffs.
Boone is hoping that the Yankees can get more out of Grisham offensively, and the manager expects the former first-round pick to be a “big part of our team.”
However, Grisham projects as a backup right now. His quality defense will come in handy in the late innings of close games when the Yankees may look to replace Soto’s glove. Or whenever Boone wants to rest Aaron Judge.
“All things being equal, he probably walks in here as our fourth outfielder,” Boone said, as Alex Verdugo is expected to start as well. “That said — and I’ve talked to [Grisham] about this — he’s going to play a lot. Maybe if we open tomorrow, he’s not playing as much as he’s accustomed to playing. But one thing happens and that changes in a hurry and I can’t get him out of the lineup.”
Jasson Domínguez’s midsummer return from UCL surgery could also add to the logjam, but Grisham isn’t trying to set any sort of expectations for his playing time.
“I’m just trying to be ready and exceed and [have] a very good attitude to whatever role they put me in,” he said.
While Grisham may see less action than in years past — he’s totaled more than 150 games and 500 plate appearances the last two years — he’s looking forward to the season ahead.
He started seeing a mental skills coach over the offseason, someone who can help him “stay in a neutral headspace” throughout the course of a campaign.
Meanwhile, Grisham’s theater-loving better half is also eager to experience the next chapter of his career.
“I was really excited for a change of scenery and to get over here and play in New York,” Grisham said. “Me and my wife had always wanted to live in New York, but never wanted to leave Texas. So now we kind of get the best of both worlds getting to play there and live there.
“I was always kind of ‘eh’ about it. But after visiting, just feeling the energy of the city and the liveliness of it, I’m excited to experience it.”
