by The Yankees have claimed outfielder Lane Adams (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) off waivers from the Royals, the team announced. He was designated for assignment a few days ago when Kansas City re-signed Alex Gordon. The Yankees designated infielder Ronald Torreyes for assignment in a corresponding move. The 40-man roster remains full.
Adams, 26, is a right-handed hitter who hit .275/.342/.436 (115 wRC+) with 16 home runs and 31 steals in 140 games split between Double-A and Triple-A last year. He appeared in six big league games in 2014. Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked Adams as the 15th best prospect in Kansas City’s system prior to 2015. Here’s a snippet of their scouting report:
He is a plus-plus runner who is a plus defender in center field. He’s not a good fit in right field because of his fringe-average arm. Offensively, Adams has some strength and shows pull power, but he projects as an average hitter with the ability to hit 8-10 home runs and plenty of doubles. He most likely winds up as a fourth outfielder.
From the Choctaw Tribal news paper about Lane:
“Lane maintains his connection with the Choctaw Nation through a variety of ways, including his off-season work outs at the Wellness Center. This connection has been present throughout his life, Lane said, starting when the late Randle Durant helped finance his team’s summer league play.
“They provide opportunities a lot of people don’t get,” he said. “They have helped me and my family forever. I’m proud to be Choctaw and glad I can put some positive spotlight on the tribe.”
