31-year old switch-hitting 1B Mark Teixeira played in 156 games for the Yankees last year and he was 146 for 589 (.248 avg, .835 OPS) with 90 runs scored, 39 homers, 111 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Teixeira has now played in 470 games in his first three years with the Yankees and he is 478 for 1,799 (.266 avg, .877 OPS) with 306 runs scored, 111 homers, 341 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. He has played in 1,374 games in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 1,467 of 5,213 (.281 avg, .904 OPS) with 872 runs scored, 314 homers, 1,017 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. The Yankees would like Teixeira to hit for a higher average in 2012 but that’s nitpicking a little bit as he is good for 35-40 homers and 100+ RBIs this year as long as he can stay healthy. Teixeira is also a really solid defensive 1B as he has nice range and he only had 4 errors in 147 games at 1B for the Yankees last year.

36-year old lefty swinging Russell Branyan will try to win a job with the Yankees this spring. He played in 68 games for the D-Backs and Angels last year in which he was 25 for 127 (.197 avg, .665 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 5 homers, 14 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Branyan has now played in 1,059 games in his first 14 years in the majors and he is 682 for 2,934 (.232 avg, .814 OPS) with 405 runs scored, 194 homers, 467 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. Branyan is a all or nothing hitter, but he still would hit a lot of homers for the Yankees if he got to play fairly regularly. The only way that might happen is if Mark Teixeira got injured. Branyan played in 25 games at 1B last year and he made 1 error while showing about average range.

Switch-hitting Nick Swisher could come in from RF to play 1B if the need arises. He played in 11 error-free games at 1B for the Yankees while showing decent range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 1B IN 2012: A

The Yankees have signed 30-year old righty reliever David Aardsma to a 1-year, $500,000 dollar deal with a club option for 2013. Aardsma didn’t pitch at all last season due to Tommy John Surgery which will likely also knock him out for the first half of 2012. He last pitched in the majors in 2010 with the Mariners. Aardsma has now pitched in 254 games (0 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 13-15 with 69 saves, a 4.20 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. This was an outstanding move for the Yankees as Aardsma is a good reliever when he is healthy.

UPDATE: (2/27/2012) - The Yankees have placed David Aardsma on the 60-day disabled list to open up a roster spot for infielder Eric Chavez.

The Yankees have signed 23-year old righty swinging IF/OF Burt Reynolds to a minor league deal. He is Robinson Cano’s cousin, which was likely the reason the Yankees inked him. Reynolds played in 71 games in the Independent League last year and he was 61 for 263 (.232 avg, .736 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 13 homers, 36 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. He has now played in 235 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 216 for 887 (.244 avg, .702 OPS) with 119 runs scored, 23 homers, 115 RBIs and 44 stolen bases. Don’t expect Reynolds to make it to the majors any time soon.

The Yankees have placed 35-year old lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano on the 60-day disabled list as he continues to recover from rotator cuff surgery that he had last September. Feliciano didn’t pitch at all in his first year with the Yankees in 2011. He last pitched in the majors in 2010 with the New York Mets. Feliciano has now pitched in 459 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 22-19 with 4 saves, a 3.31 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. The Yankees hope to get Feliciano back late in 2012. His roster spot was needed for reliever David Aardsma.

The Yankees have re-signed 3B Eric Chavez to a 1-year deal. Chavez played in 58 games for the Yankees last year and he was 42 for 160 (.263 avg, .676 OPS) with 16 runs scored, 2 homers and 26 RBIs. He has now played in 1,378 games in his first 14 years in the majors and he is 1,318 of 4,943 (.267 avg, .817 OPS) with 746 runs scored, 232 homers, 813 RBIs and 47 stolen bases. It was smart of the Yankees to bring Chavez back to give A-Rod a break when he needs one in 2012.

The Yankees are in good shape behind the plate in 2012. 29-year old righty swinging Russell Martin will be the starter behind the plate for the Yankees in 2012. He played in 125 games for the Yankees last year and he was 99 for 417 (.237 avg, .732 OPS) with 57 runs scored, 18 homers, 65 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. Martin has now played in 792 games in his first six years in the majors and he is 737 for 2,761 (.267 avg, .757 OPS) with 404 runs scored, 72 homers, 365 RBIs and 74 stolen bases. Martin’s glove work isn’t his best asset. He played in 125 games behind the plate for the Yankees last year and he had 10 errors and 4 passed balls. Martin threw out 35 of 135 (25.9%) base stealers last year and Yankees’ pitchers had a 3.70 ERA with him behind the plate.

25-year old righty swinging Francisco Cervelli will be the backup catcher in 2012 for the Yankees. He played in 43 games for the Yankees last year and he was 33 for 124 (.266 avg, .719 OPS) with 17 runs scored, 4 homers, 22 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Cervelli has now played in 181 games in his first four years with the Yankees and he is 133 of 489 (.272 avg, .692 OPS) with 57 runs scored, 5 homers, 71 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Cervelli’s hustle is one of the big reasons why he has been the backup for the last couple of years. Cervelli played in 41 games behind the plate for the Yankees last year and he had 6 errors and 3 passed balls. He threw out only 4 of 28 (14.3%) base stealers last year but Yankees’ pitchers had a 3.50 ERA with him behind the plate. Despite all of the warts in his game, Cervelli is still a decent backup.

23-year old righty swinging Austin Romine is likely the Yankees’ catcher of the future. He comes into this season as the Yankees’ #8 prospect according to Baseball America. He played in 9 games for the Yankees last year and he was 3 for 19 (.158 avg, .358 OPS) with 2 runs scored. It was his first taste of the majors. Romine also played in 89 games in AA+AAA-ball last year in which he was 98 for 351 (.279 avg, .710 OPS) with 44 runs scored, 6 homers, 48 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Romine only played in 8 games behind the plate for the Yankees last year and he had 1 error but no passed balls. He threw out 1 of 6 (16.7%) base stealers and Yankees’ pitchers had a 4.26 ERA with him behind the plate. Romine has a bright future for the Yankees.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CATCHERS IN 2012: B

The Yankees have signed 39-year old lefty DH/OF Raul Ibanez to a 1-year, $1.1 million dollar deal with another possible $2.9 million bucks that he can earn in incentives. Ibanez played in 144 games for the Phillies last year and he was 131 of 535 (.245 avg, .707 OPS) with 65 runs scored, 20 homers, 84 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He has now played in 1,817 games in his first 16 years in the majors and he is 1,791 of 6,387 (.280 avg, .813 OPS) with 928 runs scored, 252 homers, 1,054 RBIs and 44 stolen bases. Ibanez will serve as the quasi starting DH for the Yankees as they are going to also use the DH spot to rest players like A-Rod and Derek Jeter as they aren’t getting any younger. This was a great signing for the Yankees as Ibanez’ swing is perfect for the short porch in RF in Yankees’ Stadium.

The Yankees have signed 30-year old lefty reliever Clay Rapada to a minor league deal. Rapada pitched in 32 games (0 starts) for the Orioles last year and he was 2-0 with a 6.06 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He has now pitched in 78 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 5-0 with a 5.13 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Rapada will get a chance to make the Yankees’ pitching staff this spring as a second lefty to Boone Logan.

The Yankees have sent 35-year old righty starting pitcher A.J. Burnett and $20 million bucks to the Pittsburgh Pirates for 25-year old righty reliever Diego Moreno and 20-year old lefty swinging outfielder Exicardo Cayones. Burnett pitched in 33 games (32 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He pitched in 99 games (98 starts) in his three years with the Yankees and he was 34-35 with a 4.79 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Burnett just couldn’t cut it in the pressure cooker with the New York Yankees.

Diego Moreno pitched in 41 games (0 starts) in A+AA-ball last year and he was 2-4 with 5 saves, a 3.63 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has now pitched in 116 games (6 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 11-19 with 15 saves, a 2.41 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. Exicardo Cayones played in 38 games in Rookie+A-ball last year for the Pirates and he was 26 for 114 (.228 avg, .658 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 0 homers, 12 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. He has now played in 149 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 128 for 471 (.272 avg, .752 OPS) with 77 runs scored, 1 homer, 68 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. Neither of these guys project to be anything more than fringe prospects.

The bottom line here is that the Yankees saved $13 million bucks by moving the underperforming Burnett to Pittsburgh, so it didn’t really matter what kind of prospects that they were getting back in the deal.

The Yankees have signed 36-year old lefty swinging 1B/OF Russell Branyan to a minor league deal. Branyan played in 68 games for the Diamondbacks & Angels last year and he was 25 of 127 (.197 avg, .665 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 5 homers, 14 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Branyan has now played in 1,059 games in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 682 of 2,934 (.232 avg, .814 OPS) with 405 runs scored, 194 homers, 467 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. Branyan is an all or nothing hitter as he has whiffed 1,118 times in his major league career so far, but that doesn’t change the fact that his power is big time. It will be interesting to see Branyan hit in Yankee Stadium if he can make the team this spring.