Jorge

Vazquez

Vazquez clubbed 32 homers last season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but the organization would prefer to use Steve Pearce at first base in 2012. The 30-year-old will hope to latch on elsewhere.

Vazquez scuffled this spring, batting just .091 (2-for-22) with six strikeouts. Some clamored for the 30-year-old to get an opportunity at the Yankees’ DH job after smacking 32 homers with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season, but he’s unlikely to get a legitimate chance in the big leagues.

Concerns about Vazquez’s strikeout rate and ability to hit for average remain, but the Yankees have yet to sign an everyday designated hitter and could be content to wait things out. The 29-year-old hit .262 with 32 home runs in 500 at-bats for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season.

Mexico jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the contest before Venezula battled back with four straight runs to take a 4-2 advantage in the seventh. Mexico added a pair of their own in the bottom half of the seventh to tie the game, setting the stage for Vazquez’s dramatic blast. The 33-year-old hasn’t played professionally stateside since being released by the Yankees in 2012, but was the shining star on a large stage on Sunday.

Saturday’s homer was a pretty massive blast to straight-away center field. Today he took a slider that Brad Lidge missed with and lofted it over the wall in left field. Vazquez turns 29 next month and is hardly a prospect, but with Juan Miranda out of the way, perhaps he could make his major league debut this year if injuries strike. He hit .270/.313/.527 with 18 homers in 293 at-bats for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season.