Yankees Invite Five More Players to Spring Training

The New York Yankees announced Tuesday that they have invited five additional players to Major League spring training, including former RiverDogs Brandon Laird and D.J. Mitchell.  The club has now invited 25 non-roster players to 2010 Spring Training in Tampa, Fla., including 13 pitchers, five catchers, two infielders and five outfielders.  The total number of players now scheduled to report is 65.
 
Laird, a 2008 RiverDog, hit .266 (120-for-451) with 20 doubles, 13 home runs and 75 RBI in a career-high 124 games with Single-A Tampa in 2009, tying for third among all Yankees minor leaguers and leading the Florida State League in RBI.  Following the season, played with the Surprise Rafters and was named to the Arizona Fall League Top Prospects Team.  Laird was originally selected by the Yankees in the 27th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.  He is the brother of Detroit Tigers catcher Gerald Laird.

Mitchell made his professional debut in 2009, combining to go 12-7 with a 2.63 ERA in 25 appearances (24 starts) with Single-A Charleston and Single-A Tampa.  Among all Yankees minor leaguers, ranked second in strikeouts (125), tied for second in wins and ranked fourth in ERA.  Mitchell was selected by the Yankees in the 10th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft and is attending his first spring camp.

RHP Dustin Moseley, 28, made three starts with Los Angeles-AL in 2009, going 1-0 with a 4.30 ERA, before being placed on the disabled list in April with right forearm tightness.  He also underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left hip in August.  In 64 career appearances (23 starts)-all with the Angels-has gone 8-7 with a 5.41 ERA.  Moseley was originally selected by Cincinnati in Compensation Round A (34th overall) of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft.

RHP Ryan Pope, 23, spent the 2009 season with Double-A Trenton, going 5-12 with a 4.78 ERA in 26 appearances (25 starts) and striking out 106 batters with only 34 walks.  Pope was selected by the Yankees in the third round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, becoming the first player ever drafted out of the Savannah College of Art and Design.

INF Jorge Vazquez, 27, was a 10-year veteran of the Mexican League prior to signing with the Yankees in December 2008.  He made his Double-A debut in 2009, batting .329 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI in 57 games for Trenton before missing the final two months of the season on the disabled list with a left wrist sprain.  He played for Team Mexico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic prior to the season, batting .294 (5-for-17) with one home run and five RBI in five games.