Yankees tell why Clint Frazier is no threat to steal Aaron Hicks’ job

Clint Frazier has been hot in Triple-A, and he’s been playing some center field, but Aaron Hicks will remain the Yankees’ starter there.

NEW YORK — Not happy with Aaron Hicks as the Yankees‘ center fielder?

Too bad!

The starting job is his and nothing’s probably going to change anytime soon … no matter how low Hicks’ average drops or how much raking Baby Bomber Clint Frazier does in Triple-A.

Fact is the Yankees are happy – make that very happy – with Hicks, who ended a mini slump on Wednesday night by going 1 for 3 with an RBI bloop double, walk and run scored in a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros.

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Yankees manager Aaron Boone practically confirmed as much in his pre-game news conference after he was told there have been a lot of pleas on social media for Frazier, a fan favorite who has been hot for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, to get called up and take over in center for Hicks.

Asked for his take on what Hicks when he’s not hitting, Boone responded, “When he’s not getting hits, he’s getting on 35 percent of the time and he’s a real center fielder that can legitimately play center field.”

That ‘real center fielder’ line was a beat-around-the-bush way of saying Frazier is regarded by the organization as a corner outfielder.

Frazier usually plays left field, but he has made seven starts in center since he joined Scranton on May 1 after sustaining a spring training concussion and then playing four rehab games with high A Tampa.

Frazier, who recently was up with the Yankees for a few days and did well in his one game, is hitting .341 in 22 Triple-A games after going 0 for 3 with a walk and strikeout Wednesday night in a 3-1 win in Louisville. Prior to this hitless night, he was 10 for 18 with two doubles, a triple and homer in a four-game series against Syracuse.

Here’s the ammunition for those down on Hicks, who hasn’t yet produced the way he did last season when he stole the starting center field job from Jacoby Ellbsury.

— His average is just .232, down from .266 last year

— His on-base percentage is .339, down from .372 last year.

— His OPS is .745, down from .847 last year.

“Of course I want to get out there and get hits, but I feel like every time I’m hitting the ball hard I’m not getting the result that I want,” Hicks said. “That’s just kind of baseball. It’s a long season and everything seems to be able to work itself out.”

But, again, the Yankees still really like what Hicks is bringing as is and they’re thinking he still can develop into a better all-around player because he’s just 28.

Here’s an example of what Hicks can bring without getting a hit:

Leading off Wednesday night, Aaron Hicks ignited a rally by working a first-inning walk off Astros starter Dallas Keuchel, then he used his speed to go first to third on a single to left by Aaron Judge before scoring the first run of the game on a sac fly by Giancarlo Stanton.

Also, Hicks plays a great center field day in and day out, his throwing arm is a big weapon in the field and he’s a switch-hitter with pop from both sides.

“He has power,” Boone said. “In a lot of ways, he’s still a young player developing and has been highly productive, as is Clint (who is) continuing to grow and continuing to establish himself as a big part of our future.

“But Aaron’s a really good player for us that gets on and plays a premium defensive player. You can’t just fire anyone out in center field.”

Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.