The New York Yankees report to Spring Training Feb. 20 with a roster that, barring injuries and anything else unexpected, appears to be largely set following a busy offseason. 

With the beginning of the season approaching let's look at moves the Yankees have made during the Winter, questions they hope to answer before the beginning of the regular season and offer a projection on what the 25-man roster might look like when the Yankees open the season April 6 vs.


the Toronto Blue Jays.  [Full season schedule]

Below, a projection for the Opening Day roster. Below, each category will be a discussion of the question marks and possibilities at each position.

[Yankees' Hot Stove Tracker]

25-Man Roster Projection

Pitching Staff

SP Masahiro Tanaka
SP CC Sabathia
SP Michael Pineda
SP Nathan Eovaldi
SP Chris Capuano
RP Andrew Miller
RP Dellin Betances
RP Justin Wilson
RP David Carpenter
RP Adam Warren
RP Esmil Rogers
RP Chasen Shreve

Starting Pitching 

What's Expected -- Provided everyone comes out of Spring Training healthy, and that has to be a huge question mark considering that the Yankees' top three starters all missed significant chunks of the 2014 season, the rotation appears set. Tanaka, Sabathia and Pineda are the top three. Eovaldi, a young, ascending pitcher acquired in a trade for Martin Prado, and Capuano, a veteran lefty who pitched to a 4.25 ERA in 12 starts last year, are expected to round out the rotation. The Yankees also expect Ivan Nova back from Tommy John surgery at some point during the year.

What Might Happen -- If there are injuries, the Yankees could move reliever Adam Warren into the rotation. Esmil Rogers, with 43 starts in 192 big-league appearances, is another possibility, along with Chase Whitley, who started 12 games for New York a year ago. The closest youngsters to the big leagues would appears to be Bryan Mitchell and Jose Ramirez, who each appeared briefly in the Bronx in 2014. Luis Severino, who turns 21 in February, is the most highly-regarded starting pitcher in the Yankee system, but it seems highly unlikely they would rush him to the big leagues. 

Relief Pitching

What's Expected -- Neither Betances nor MIller has ever been a closer. They were both dominant set-up men in 2014, and one or both should handle closing duties just fine. Wilson, Carpenter and Warren should be locks to make the team.

What Might Happen -- Rogers should make the team, and I have penciled Shreve, a third lefty, into the final bullpen spot. In reality, anything could happen. Warren could start. Mitchell, Whitley, Ramirez, Chris Martin, Jacob Lindgren (last year's first-round pick) or another young pitcher could force their way onto the staff. In reality, bullpens are fluid and the arms in the final two or three spots change constantly. Get to know all the names.

Catchers

Brian McCann
John Ryan Murphy

The Yankees dealt backup Francisco Cervelli to the Pittsburgh Pirates for reliever Justin Wilson. The expectation is that Murphy, who batted .284 in 32 games last season, will win the backup job. Romine, who hit .207 in 60 games as the backup for most of the 2013 season, has an outside shot at reclaiming the No. 2 job.

Infielders

1B Mark Teixeira
2B/SS Stephen Drew
SS Didi Gregorious
3B Chase Headley
3B Alex Rodriguez
INF Brendan Ryan 
1B/OF Garrett Jones

What's Expected -- The regular infield should feature Teixeira at first base, Drew at second, Gregorious at shortstop and Headley at third base. Ryan is expected to be the primary middle infield reserve, with Jones backing up at first base and the corner outfield spots. Rodriguez is expected to see most of his time as a designated hitter.

What Might Happen -- What if Rodriguez lights it up in Spring Training and shows he still has the reflexes to handle a heavy load at third base? That seems unlikely, but it's possible. The Yankees signed Headley to a rich four-year deal. Would they platoon or even bench him? The Yankees could also decide they want to keep one of their two interesting rookie infielders, Rob Refsnyder or Jose Pirela. That would likely mean Ryan being out of a job.

Outfielders

Brett Gardner
Jacoby Ellsbury
Carlos Beltran
Chris Young

The fifth outfielder here is Jones, who has experience as both corners. The biggest question here will be how much time the 38-year-old Beltran, who had serious elbow trouble in 2014, can spend in the outfield. Young outfielders Tyler Austin, who hit .275 at AA Trenton in 2014, might be the young outfielder closest to the big leagues.