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Yankees minor-leaguer tests positive for coronavirus

George M. Steinbrenner Field
The exterior of George M. Steinbrenner Field is seen following the cancellation of a spring training game between the Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees due to the Covid 19 coronavirus outbreak. (Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports)

An unidentified minor-league player in the New York Yankees organization has tested positive for coronavirus, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan

It is the first reported case in baseball.

He was quarantined on Friday after admitting he had a fever but only worked on the minor-league side of the team’s spring-training facilities in Tampa, FL. It remains to be seen if he has come in contact with any major-leaguers, who voted unanimously on Saturday to remain in Florida to work through baseball’s shutdown. 

Major League Baseball announced on Thursday that it would cancel spring training and push the start of the regular season back by at least two weeks after the outbreak of coronavirus, which rocked the sports world after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus on Wednesday night.

Since then, the NBA, MLS, and NHL have suspended play while the NCAA Tournament was canceled.

 The Yankees’ spring-training facilities at George M. Steinbrenner Field are located in the Florida county of Hillsborough, which had a confirmed case of coronavirus reported as early as two weeks ago.