TAMPA — After undergoing heart surgery this week at a New York hospital, Yankees prospect Gary Sanchez has been cleared to resume workouts Monday.
During a recent EKG, the 18-year-old catcher was found to have an extra nerve in his heart from birth. Surgery was performed to cauterize the nerve.
General manager Brian Cashman said Thursday that Sanchez was OK.
“Trust me, there are no worries now about Gary Sanchez,” Cashman said.
Sanchez, a native of the Dominican Republic, was given a $3 million signing bonus in 2009 and quickly became one of the hottest prospects in baseball. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound right-handed hitter batted .353 with six homers and 36 RBIs in 31 games for the Yankees’ entry in the Gulf Coast League (Rookie) last year, his first in professional baseball.
A big reason the Yankees’ minor league system is considered strong is depth at catcher. And though Sanchez isn’t close to being ready for the big leagues, it might not take long due to his power and catching ability.
Jesus Montero, 21, is competing for the major league backup job due to his awesome power. Francisco Cervelli, who will turn 25 next month, has two years of big league experience. Austin Romine, 22, also is in the mix for the backup job and possibly is the best defensive catcher in the organization. And the Yankees drafted J.R. Murphy, 19, in the second round of the 2009 draft.