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Yankees Add Former First-Round Pick as Team Looks for Answers in Spring Training

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Josh Valdez | Last updated Feb 26, 2026 5:00 AM ET

The New York Yankees' most significant move this offseason was re-signing outfielder Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million contract. The 30-year-old was one of the team's best players in his first season in New York last year, finishing second on the squad in hits (179), first in triples (five), second in RBIs (98), second in total bases (282), and second in WAR (5.0).

Not adding any new stars after getting bounced in the AL Division Series by the Toronto Blue Jays was risky, but the Yankees do have ace pitcher Gerrit Cole coming back after missing 2025 due to Tommy John surgery. 25-year-old hurler Cam Schlittler also has a chance to establish himself as a star after notching a 2.96 ERA over 14 starts last year, in addition to a 1.26 ERA in two playoff starts.

However, the Yankees did acquire a potentially impactful outfielder on Wednesday night by extending a non-roster invite to veteran Randal Grichuk, per YES Network's Jack Curry. The 34-year-old owns a career slash line of .251/.298/.465 with 212 homers and 629 RBIs over 1,360 games since 2014.

The right-handed Grichuk could fill in against left-handed pitchers for New York this season if he does well in spring training.

Randal Grichuk will be joining the Yankees as a non-roster invite on a minor league deal. Grichuk is a RHH outfielder and the Yanks have been looking for more right-handed hitters.
— JackCurryYES (@JackCurryYES) February 26, 2026

Randal Grichuk Has Path to Success With Yankees

Former Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Randal Grichuk (15)Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

Grichuk had a down year in 2025, as he slashed just .228/.273/.401 with nine homers and 27 RBIs over 113 combined games for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals. But the journeyman slashed .291/.348/.528 with 12 homers and 46 RBIs over 106 games for the Diamondbacks in 2024, so he can still be an effective part-time player.

Grichuk fills a potential need for New York as a right-handed backup outfielder. Its projected starters are left-hander Bellinger in left, left-hander Trent Grisham in center, and right-hander Aaron Judge in right, with switch-hitter Jasson Dominguez and left-hander Spencer Jones the primary backups. Dominguez is better from the left side of the plate, and fellow outfield non-roster invites Seth Brown and Yanquiel Fernandez are lefties.

That's why Grichuk has a shot to stick with the Yankees if he plays more like he did in 2024 than in 2025. The 2009 first-round pick hit .319 with a .913 OPS against southpaw pitchers in 2024 and .227 with a .703 OPS in 2025.

Grichuk broke into the big leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014 before playing with the Blue Jays from 2018 to 2021. He then played with the Colorado Rockies from 2022 until midseason in 2023, when they traded him to the Los Angeles Angels. After that, he signed with the Diamondbacks in 2024, who traded him to the Royals this past July.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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