Yankees Playing Several Key Players in Spring Training Opener

Kirschner named catcher Austin Wells, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., shortstop Jose Caballero, and third baseman Amed Rosario in action. That doesn't mean they'll play the entire game, but is still great to see so many names playing in late February.

Wells is on a quest to finish 2026 as a top five catcher, something that seems very doable. His defense is up to par and offensively he's been a one-man wrecking crew behind the plate.

Chisholm Jr. recently spoke about his goals for 2026 as it's clear he has big aspirations. While there's nothing wrong with that, the soon to be free agent isn't setting himself up for success if he comes nowhere close to the 10 WAR that was discussed.

Caballero is set to get the nod at shortstop until Anthony Volpe gets his shoulder injury sorted out. Yankees fans expect Caballero to be the main guy at shortstop for the first month or so, but obviously things can change on a dime.

Finally, Rosario is a suitable bench player for this Yankees lineup. Ryan McMahon will be the everyday third baseman but the 30-year old impressed in his limited at-bats last season. Out of these four, it's safe to assume Rosario will see the most action throughout the next month.

One Notable Pitcher Other Than Rodriguez

At this point it's common knowledge that Rodriguez will start on the 20th and Carlos Lagrange will get the nod the very next day as the Yankees host the Detroit Tigers.

Other than those two, Kirschner expects Jake Bird to make an appearance as well. Bird, 30, made just three appearances with the Yankees last year. New York traded for him on July 31 but he was optioned to Triple-A on August 5. Knowing their bullpen is still one of the main issues, a strong outing from Bird this spring could make things extremely interesting.

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