Red Sox prospect Nick Yorke likely to see playing time in outfield this season

“He didn’t do much offensively,” manager Alex Cora said of Yorke when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) on Monday. “It felt like he was in between the whole camp. He didn’t get too many opportunities because of lack of versatility. He played great at second base. The times he was on the bases, good instincts.

“But the offensive side of it, that was his ticket when he got drafted — he’s going to be an offensive middle infielder,” Cora added. “And we’ve got to get back to that. I think now, slow things down, go do your work wherever he starts. PD (player development), they’ll determine that. Get his at-bats and get back to the hitter the organization envisioned when they drafted him in ‘20.”

Yorke was, of course, originally selected by the Red Sox in the first round (17th overall pick) of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose. The California native came into the spring ranked by Baseball America as the No. 8 prospect in Boston’s farm system after bouncing back from an injury-riddled 2022 at High-A Greenville and batting .268/.350/.435 with 25 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 61 RBIs, 74 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, 51 walks, and 122 strikeouts in 110 games (506 plate appearances) with Double-A Portland last year.

Though his production dipped to some degree in the second half, Yorke represented the Red Sox at last July’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle and was later named the Sea Dogs’ 2023 Most Valuable Player. He is now considered by Baseball America to be the best hitter for average in Boston’s farm system, though he struggled to put those bat-to-ball skills on display this spring.

As noted by the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, the Red Sox will use the rest of spring training to determine if Yorke — who turns 22 next month — will return to Portland or make the jump to Triple-A Worcester for the start of the 2024 minor-league campaign. They will also dispatch the 5-foot-11, 200-pounder at other positions besides second base throughout the season in an effort to add to his defensive versatility.

“I was just talking to Abes (director of player development Brian Abraham). I think they are going to introduce him to left field,” Cora said. “He’s a good athlete. Big, strong and he moves well. He moves really well. So they are probably going to try to do that.”

Yorke, who has been used exclusively as a second baseman since entering the professional ranks, began taking reps in the outfield earlier in camp but saw all of his playing time in games this spring come at either second or DH. He told The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham last month that he hasn’t played outfield since eighth grade but was “happy to give it a shot.”

“I was always an outfielder until I got to high school,” said Yorke. “I never touched the infield until then. I was one of the more athletic kids and they put me there and the rest is history.”

Regardless of where he plays or what level he starts out at, though, Yorke is entering a pivotal season for his development in that he can become Rule 5 eligible for the first time later this year. As such, the Red Sox are surely planning on using these next few months to determine if Yorke, who needs to be added to the 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November, is in their future plans or not.