DENVER — When he was pulled from a minor league game last week, Abiatal Avelino thought he was finally headed for Yankee Stadium. Some teammates told him Gleyber Torres was feeling sick, but within a couple hours, Avelino found out he actually was headed across the country.
On Wednesday, his second day in a new clubhouse, Avelino said he’s excited for the window that has opened. He played three Triple-A games with the Giants before being added to the September roster. With the Yankees, he was blocked by young prospects like Torres and Miguel Andujar.
“I’m really happy because maybe now I have an opportunity,” Avelino said.
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The Giants could give him a start at shortstop — his natural position — as soon as this weekend. Brandon Crawford is battling a sore knee and was out of Wednesday’s lineup, and manager Bruce Bochy said that at some point this month, the lineups will be far more rookie-filled. For now, the staff feels a responsibility to throw out normal lineups against teams fighting for postseason spots, but parts of the schedule will allow for the club to basically become the Sacramento River Cats.
For the newest Giant, this is a partnership that has been years in the making. Avelino actually worked out for the Giants three times as a 15-year-old in the Dominican Republic, but the Yankees offered him $300,000 and he signed with them. He has developed into a nice prospect with a chance to be an everyday player, and the floor, seemingly, of a super-utility guy. Avelino said he approached Yankees coaches this spring — knowing he was blocked at infield spots — about playing the outfield. He made one start in right in Double-A, and while the Giants haven’t yet talked to him about adding another position, Bochy said it’s a “no-brainer” to see if Avelino can play the outfield.
“He’s a really athletic kid,” Bochy said. “He could be a super-utility guy like a Hanson. He’s got a plus arm and runs well.”
The Giants love what they’ve found in Hanson, who has given them the kind of athleticism they have lacked in recent years. Avelino could fit that mold, and if both are on the bench at some point next year, Bochy would certainly have more options. The Giants would be less station-to-station, too.
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Avelino seems up to it. Asked to describe his game, he pointed to defense and speed.
“I play aggressively,” he said.