While there have been three players in the NBA who have tested positive for the coronavirus there hadn't been any known cases of professional baseball players contracting the disease. That changed this weekend.
According to ESPN.com, a Yankees minor-leaguer has become the pro baseball player to be identified as carrying the coronavirus.
A minor league player in the New York Yankees system has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell ESPN. He is the first known case in baseball. He was quarantined Friday morning after saying he was running a fever.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 15, 2020Yankees confirm that a minor leaguer tested positive for coronavirus. He was never present at Steinbrenner Field, according to the team, but was at the minor league complex.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 15, 2020The news comes shortly after the Yankees major-leaguers voted unanimously to remain in Tampa for team workouts.
"Whether or not we have a chance at (winning the World Series) this year or we're going to have an opportunity, guys want to be ready for whenever that opportunity comes," Yankees pitcher Zack Britton, the team's players union representative, told reporters. "I was happy to know that we're all pulling in the same direction. I feel like we were anyway. We have a great clubhouse. But guys want to stick it out here. They could have easily gone home to be with their families and they decided we want to stick together and get ready for the season."
It appears Major League Baseball is taking that option of the players' hands, with MLB reportedly telling teams they can't conduct group workouts for players at their respective spring training facilities.
