Yankees Add Depth, Call Up Power Hitting Prospect Greg Bird

Greg Bird (Photo by Catalina Fragoso – Double G Media)

With an offense struggling to score runs and a jam packed schedule until the regular season ends, the New York Yankees are adding some depth by calling up power hitting prospect Greg Bird from Triple-A Scranton. Bird will back up Mark Teixeira at first base and Alex Rodriguez at DH.

Jack Curry of Yes Network first announced the move.

There are no health concerns surrounding Teixeira and Rodriguez, but the Yankees want to have a fresh backup with 50 games remaining in the regular season. Bird, 22, was just named Player of the Week in Triple-A.

Bird has been impressive in the minors, batting a combined .277 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI this season between Double-A and Triple-A. He has hit .301 with six home runs and 23 RBI in 34 games in Scranton.

The Yankees have lost five straight and fallen out of first place in the American League East. The team has scored a total of nine runs in their past seven games.

They may not be injured, but at ages 35 and 40, Teixeira and Rodriguez, are likely feeling the toll of a long season. Rodriguez has been a surprise overall this season but has hit just .162 in August. Teixeira has not been much better, batting .175 so far this month.

Bird will provide Joe Girardi with a left-handed power bat off the bench while allowing him to give some of the older players needed rest. The Yankees enter Thursday a half game behind the red hot Toronto Blue Jays.

Bird is the second major prospect the Yankees have called up in the second half of the season. The first was starting pitcher Luis Severino. Severino has pitched two games so far, going 0-1 with a very respectable 2.45 ERA.