ZOILO ALMONTE
MELKY MESA
MUST-SEE HITTER: Ronnier Mustelier rounds the bases after hitting a home run Friday against the Phillies. Mustelier, Zoilo Almonte and Melky Mesa are competing for an outfield spot with Curtis Granderson sidelined with a fractured forearm. (AP)
TAMPA — One has a heartwarming story and a bat that can’t be ignored. Another is an athletic switch-hitter. The final part of the troika has power, an above average throwing arm, sterling defensive abilities and was considered the second-best player in Dominican Winter League.
Combined they cost the Yankees $450,000 to sign.
Welcome to the group of outfielders who may or may not be competing for a fifth spot in the wake of Curtis Granderson’s fractured forearm.
The story comes from Ronnier Mustelier, a 28-year-old Cuban refugee who hasn’t seen his son, Ronnier, Jr., since the five-year-old was one.
Zoilo Almonte is the switch-hitter who has steadily climbed the organization ladder.
Melky Mesa, who withdrew from the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic team, is the third entry, and now that he has learned to cut down on strikeouts has put himself in position to be called the favorite.
Of course, all three might start the season in the minors if the Yankees take right-handed hitting outfielders Matt Diaz and Juan Rivera to New York.
Nevertheless, if it’s Diaz, who historically hits lefties, or Rivera, who has more power, the need for a fourth outfielder will be there until Granderson returns. The Yankees hope that is by early May.
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Because Mesa has played in Triple-A and is an outstanding defensive player, he has to be considered the leader. Still, Mustelier and Almonte can’t be ignored because of skills that catch your eye.
In addition to swinging a bat that impacts the ball more often than not, Mustelier, who defected in 2009, has a story that tugs at even the coldest heart strings.
“He wasn’t even one year old the last time I saw him,’’ Mustelier said of his son, who he talks with daily as well as his parents. “It was very difficult to do, but this is part of the sacrifice. I am doing this for him.’’
The barrel-chested 5-foot-10, 210-pound Mustelier, who signed for $50,000, also has a large chip on his shoulder.
After two years in the Yankees’ organization, Mustelier’s reputation is for being a good hitter, but a weak fielder.
When he hears that, Mustelier bristles.
“I can play the outfield and the infield,’’ Mustelier said sternly. “If they say I have no position that is not true.’’
Signed in June 2011, Mustelier hit .356 and drove in 27 runs in 36 games for the Gulf Coast Yankees (Rookie League). Last year when he was jumped three levels, he batted a combined .314 (141-for-449) with 15 homers and 69 RBIs in 114 games for Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Almonte, a 23-year-old switch-hitter from the Dominican Republic who was signed for $200,000 in 2005, is looking to take advantage of Granderson’s injury to jump from Trenton to The Bronx.
“I do know there is an opportunity right now,’’ said Almonte, a corner outfielder who hit .277 with 21 homers and 70 RBIs for Trenton last summer.
The lone knock against the 26-year-old Mesa has been his inability to make consistent contact. In 2,386 minor league at-bats, Mesa has fanned 760 times (31.9 percent). A year ago he cut that to 118 whiffs in 458 at-bats (25.8 percent).
“His pitch recognition is better,’’ hitting coach Kevin Long said of Mesa, who appeared in three games for the Yankees last September. Mesa signed for $200,000 in July 2003. “The biggest issue is ‘can he consistently swing at strikes and lay off pitches out of the zone?’ He has gotten a lot better.’’
According to Robinson Cano, Mesa was the talk of the winter league.
“This year he was killing the league, hitting home runs and line drives,’’ said Cano, who ranked Pittsburgh’s Sterling Marte ahead of Mesa. “You can see the difference here.’’