The Yankees announced Tuesday that they have added two players to their 60-man roster, signing infielder Jordy Mercer to a minor-league deal and tranferring minor-league catcher Wynston Sawyer to their Alternate Site.
Mercer and Sawyer give the Yankees further depth after injury replacements and Chris Iannetta’s retirement left just seven position players, including two backstops, at the Alternate Site with 15 pitchers. Their additions bring the total player pool to 56, with RHP David Hale currently in limbo after being designated for assignment on Monday.
From the Yankees’ release:
Mercer, 33, made the Tigers’ Opening Day roster played in three games with Detroit (2-for-9, 1R) before being designated for assignment, outrighted to the Tigers’ Alternate Site and electing free agency on 8/6. Despite missing two and a half months on the injured list in 2019, batted .270 (69-for-256) with 24R, 16 doubles, 9HR and 22RBI in 74 games for Detroit. Over parts of nine Major League seasons with Pittsburgh (2012-18) and Detroit (2019-20), the right-handed hitter has batted .257/.315/.387 (764-for-2,975) with 316R, 166 doubles, 64HR and 299RBI in 898 games. He has appeared at all four infield positions, as well as right field, in his Major League career.
A native of Taloga, Okla., Mercer was selected by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma State University.
Sawyer, 28, was signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent on 1/24/20. He attended spring training with the team in Tampa as a non-roster invitee, going 1-for-6 with 3R, 1 double, 1RBI and 1BB in five games before being reassigned to minor league camp on 3/5. The right-handed hitter spent the 2019 season with Triple-A Rochester, batting .260 (40-for-154) with 23R, 17 doubles, 2HR, 20RBI and 11BB in 43 games. Over parts of 10 minor league seasons, has hit .248 (538-for-2,166) with 274R, 127 doubles, 41HR and 288RBI in 641 games. A San Diego, Calif., native, Sawyer was originally selected by Baltimore in the eighth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.
Also per the team, Mercer will wear No. 22 and Sawyer will wear No. 94 if they reach the major-league roster.
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