Tex and Youk Begin Rehab Assignment in Thunder Win

Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis began their way back to the big club by suiting up for the Trenton Thunder Wednesday morning.

Teixeira was at his customary first base while Youkilis stood across the diamond from him at third base. Though both were 0-2 with a walk in Trenton's 3-1 win over the Erie SeaWolves (Youkilis scored a run), the fact that they played was more important than anything. With some of the Yankees bats coming back to Earth, it's not a bad thing that some of the cavalry could be re-joining then soon.

Both are expected to play again tomorrow, health willing.  You can see video of their at-bats at Mike Ashmore's Thunder Thoughts.

UPDATE 4:00 PM EDT: GM Brian Cashman has stated that, barring a setback, Teixeira and Youkilis will join the Yankees this Friday for the start of their home series with the Boston Red Sox.

Minor Notes

It was a pretty good day for some Yankees prospects as well. Outfielders Tyler Austin and Slade Heathcott both homered and starter Zach Nuding improved to 2-6 with six solid innings.

Lefty Jeremy Bleich continued in his quest to make the Major Leagues with one scoreless inning of relief. Bleich was the Yankees second pick of the first round in 2008's MLB amateur draft, but underwent surgery on the labrum in his left shoulder and missed all of the 2011 season. He's in his third stint at Trenton.

The opening round in 2008 was not kind to the Yankees who took Gerrit Cole with their first pick and 28th overall. Cole opted to attend UCLA instead and is now one of the top pitching prospects in baseball as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.