New York Yankees Manager Reveals Team Has Major Plans for Non-Roster Invitee

A non-roster invitee to New York Yankees spring training looks to have a great shot at locking down a roster spot.

Jul 30, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Dominic Smith (2) hits an RBI single against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees knew that they would eventually have to deal with an injury to designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton.

It has become a yearly occurrence having to fill his spot in the lineup since he has missed at least 23 games in six consecutive campaigns.

This time around, they may have to find a replacement right out of the gate.

Stanton is reportedly dealing with significant pain in both his elbows, which Aaron Boone has compared to tennis elbow. He has not swung a bat in over a month to put into perspective how much he is hurting, which puts his availability for Opening Day in danger.

This is reportedly an issue he has been dealing with since last season. He battled through it down the stretch and in the playoffs, which makes his performance all the more impressive when he hit a franchise-record seven home runs in October.

However, it is incredibly concerning that he had the entire winter to rest up and the issue hasn’t subsided.

It will be a matter of pain tolerance to determine when he will get on the field. But, if he hasn’t swung in weeks, it is hard to imagine he will be out there Opening Day against the Milwaukee Brewers on Mar. 27.

That makes spring training all the more important for some players, since a spot in the lineup could now be up for grabs.

One player to keep an eye on is Dominic Smith, who Boone recently spoke about as a player who will be under consideration for at-bats as the designated hitter.

The team is also planning to see how he looks in the outfield.

"The guys been a really good hitter throughout his career, a pro hitter. We'll even probably try to get him out in the outfield a little bit, so we'll just see,” the skipper said.

Aaron Boone on if he is considering Dom Smith as a DH:

"The guys been a really good hitter throughout his career, a pro hitter. We'll even probably try to get him out in the outfield a little bit, so we'll just see." pic.twitter.com/dkv8AbUFVP

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) February 17, 2025

Smith was a first-round pick of the New York Mets in 2013 and one of the most highly-regarded prospects early in his career. He performed at a high level in the minor leagues but never quite lived up to expectations in the Majors.

In five out of eight years in the MLB, he has recorded a negative bWAR.

It is interesting that Boone mentioned him as a potential option in the outfield since he hasn’t appeared in the grass in a Major League game since 2021 and has only played at first base.

Smith turned himself into a solid defender there, and he looked to be in the mix for the backup first baseman’s job coming into spring training.

Alas, the team seems to have other plans for him.

He is being viewed as a potential replacement for Stanton as the team’s designated hitter and for a bench outfield spot, something not many people expected when he was signed.

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