Yankees to call up top prospect Greg Bird

And for those upset that Bird won’t get much playing time while sitting on the bench, understand that it’s August, the Yankees just fell behind the Toronto Blue Jays and into second place in the American League East standings, and at this point helping out the big-league team is more important that development at-bats.

According to Jack Curry of the YES Network, Bird has been called up to the New York Yankees and will be available for the lineup against the Cleveland Indians on Thursday. With the Yankees losing five straight, the team needed a different face to try and fashion a spark in the New York offense. With Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez perhaps starting to show signs of fatigue, Bird will have every opportunity to step in and give extra support to the Yankees core of veterans. His role, though, is now limited.

Bird, drafted out of high school in the fifth round of the 2011 draft, has quickly worked his way up the Yankees’ organizational ladder.

The 22-year-old Bird has flourished since making his Triple-A debut July 4.

A poll of coaches and managers named Bird the best defensive first baseman in the Eastern League, according to Baseball America. Cashman also stated that Bird was “untouchable” at the trade deadline. He had the same amount of home runs as he did in AA, while bringing in 23 runs along with seven doubles and one triple to boot.

Bird, 22, was hitting.301/.353/.500 with six home runs in 34 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. 553 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs for the Wolves.