The Yankees might have stumbled upon an unexpected gem in Ismael Munguia, a 26-year-old Nicaraguan outfielder who spent his entire minor league career with the San Francisco Giants before landing in the Bronx this offseason. With an already crowded roster, fitting him in won’t be easy, but his elite plate discipline and impressive contact ability could force their hand.
A Pure Contact Hitter with Exceptional Plate Discipline
Last season, Munguia played 50 games at the Triple-A level, hitting .250/.368/.368 with two homers and 17 RBIs. While those numbers weren’t jaw-dropping, his ability to control the strike zone was evident. This spring, he’s taken things to another level.
Over 13 games, Munguia is hitting a scorching .481/.500/.630, with three stolen bases and an almost impossible-to-ignore 3.6% strikeout rate. His 197 wRC+ indicates he’s been nearly twice as productive as the average spring training hitter. Simply put, he puts the ball in play at an elite level, a skill set the Yankees don’t currently have in abundance.
Just check out this clip of Mungia pulling off his best Ichiro impression.
Ismael Munguia 🇳🇮 conecta su hit #6 del Spring Training con los Yankees.
El OF nicaragüense batea para .400 y sigue peleando por un puesto en MLB pic.twitter.com/qkcsoqpS7O
— Fernando Rayo (@Rayo2Fer) March 9, 2025
Where Would He Fit?
Munguia is an outfielder through and through, having spent his entire career patrolling the grass. The Yankees would love to stash him at third base, where they currently have a glaring need, but that’s not an option. Instead, they’ll have to decide whether his bat and defense are strong enough to earn a spot on the 26-man roster.
The logjam ahead of him is real. The Yankees already have Trent Grisham, who figures to be their fourth outfielder, along with rising bats like Ben Rice and J.C. Escarra competing for at-bats. If the team decides to keep Munguia, they may need to get creative with how they use him.
Boone Sees Something Special
Manager Aaron Boone has been around enough elite hitters to recognize a unique talent when he sees one, and he had high praise for Munguia’s approach at the plate.
“There were two guys I played against that I was convinced they surveyed the field and certainly looked at me at third base, like, ‘All right, where is he? Where are my lines?’” Boone said. “That was Ichiro and Gwynn. I think Munguia has a little bit of that in him.”
Comparing any player to Tony Gwynn or Ichiro Suzuki is no small compliment. Those two were masters of their craft, known for their ability to spray the ball all over the field with precision. If Munguia has even a sliver of that skill, he may be too valuable to let go.
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At the very least, the Yankees should consider adding him to the 40-man roster to ensure they don’t lose him. He’s making it tough to ignore his potential, and with his ability to make contact, get on base, and play solid defense, the Yankees might just have to find a way to keep him around.