Former Cincinnati Reds Derek Dietrich, Ryan LaMarre and Asher Wojciechowski are among the New York Yankees' non-roster invitees to 2021 Spring Training, according to a release from the team.
In addition, free-agent outfielder Jay Bruce signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees and will join Dietrich and LaMarre at the team's camp.
Dietrich was released by the Chicago Cubs last August. He had asked the Reds for his release when he wasn't placed on their roster. He signed with the Cubs later in the same week, but never received a call-up to Chicago's active roster.
Dietrich missed the first two weeks of the Reds' preseason camp after testing positive for COVID-19 in June. In 2019 - his only season with the Reds - he hit 18 home runs before the All-Star Break, but just one after it. He hit .187 with 43 RBIs in 306 plate appearances.
In March, Dietrich whispered into a microphone as he chewed gum, ate peanuts and covered Eminem's "Lose Yourself" while adding lyrics - including a reminder that he homered off of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Chris Archer last April. Archer threw behind Dietrich - sparking the first Reds-Pirates brawl of the season - after Dietrich reacted to a home run against Archer in Pittsburgh on April 7.
LaMarre, a second-round pick of the Reds in 2010, had two hits in 26 plate appearances for Cincinnati in 2015. He has since played in the Majors for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland A's, Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox. Last year, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as well as the Cubs, but was released by both teams.
Wojciechowski, a right-handed pitcher, posted a 6.50 ERA in 25 appearances - including eight starts - for the Reds in 2017. He earned his first big-league win as a member of the Reds against Colorado on May 20 of that season.
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