A second Yankees minor leaguer has tested positive for coronavirus, the team confirmed on Tuesday evening.
"We can confirm that a second minor league player from our Player Development complex has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus," the Yankees said in a team statement. "While under self-quarantine, the player reported fatigue and an elevated body temperature to Yankees medical personnel. The test was administered on Sunday, and the player returned to self-quarantine following the positive results. We can also report that within the past 48 hours his symptoms have dissipated.
"We will continue to follow all protocols and recommendations established by local and federal public health experts and Major League Baseball."
According to Jon Heyman, players from the Yankees' minor league side of spring training are still being tested and remain quarantined.
News came out on Sunday that the first Yankees minor leaguer had tested positive for the virus, making it the first known coronavirus case of any baseball player in the majors or minors. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the first Yankees player who tested positive was only on the minor league side at the team's spring training facility, and was quarantined this past Friday after reporting that he had a fever.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman spoke on Sunday about the first minor leaguer who tested positive, noting that the minor league facility had been shut down through March 25, and that players and minor league staff -- who are self-quarantining -- would be getting food sent to their rooms.
Since the coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) pandemic led to the shuttering of all major sports late last week, things have escalated as social distancing in order to prevent the spread of the virus has become the norm.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone, other coaches, and many players have been making plans to depart spring training, and MLB announced Monday afternoon that Opening Day will be pushed back even further, following the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to restrict events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks during the coronavirus pandemic.
The earliest the season could kick off would now be May 10, but MLB's statement added that the clubs remain "committed to playing as many games as possible when the season begins."
The season had already been delayed at least two weeks, with "social distancing" recommended over the weekend by MLB for spring training workouts for players who remain at team sites.