Kelly Johnson is making a tour of the American League East. The utility man was a Toronto Blue Jay as recently as 2012, and was a Tampa Bay Ray in 2013. He has now signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees for the 2014 season. According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman the deal is worth around $3 million and is pending a physical. It seems a bargain basement insurance policy for the Yankees.
While it is expected that the Yankees will explore other options to fill the hole that will most likely be left at second base when Robinson Cano signs elsewhere, Johnson is capable of playing the position. He is also capable of playing third base and may have to do so depending on the status of Alex Rodriguez next year. Johnson has also spent time in left field.
Last season Johnson batted .235/.305/.410 with 16 home runs and 52 RBIs in 118 games for the Tampa Bay Rays. He is a career 253/.335/.427 hitter. Being a left handed hitter with a little bit of power in his bat, Johnson will surely benefit from playing in the friendly confines of New Yankee Stadium, with the short right-field porch.
Johnson’s bestseason came in 2010 when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That year, he hit .284/.370/.496 with 26 home runs and 71 RBIs. He even stole 13 bases and hit five triples, showing speed on the basepaths.
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