As Gerrit Cole walked through the newly renovated hallways of the Yankees’ spring facility this month, he could only think one word: “Unbelievable.” The upgraded space felt like a luxury hotel the team might stay in during the season, with elements of the franchise’s rich history thoughtfully woven into the design.
“They’ve done an amazing job,” Cole said. “I really like how they’ve maintained the nostalgia of the old stadium, because I’m a bit of a sucker for that.”
When the 2025 Yankees gather for their first full-squad workout on Monday, they will also experience the newly upgraded amenities at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Yankees’ spring training home since 1996, Steinbrenner Field has undergone a massive renovation over the past two years. The design plans included input from manager Aaron Boone, players like Cole and captain Aaron Judge, with Matt Ferry, the Yankees’ director of baseball operations, noting that Judge had specific concerns about improvements to the batting cage area.
“This is all player-driven,” Ferry said. “Players want top-tier facilities to train in, and our goal is to provide them with the best possible environment so they can perform at their best. We want them to have the most advanced facilities available, making them among the best in the Major League.”
The previous segmented and windowless training areas are gone, replaced by a more open layout that places the indoor workout zone, outdoor stretching area, and recovery/medical spaces next to each other. The old training room has now been reimagined as a versatile area for team meetings and press conferences. For player treatments, a sleek new therapy area has been created, featuring eight training tables, plunge pools, a SwimEx, a sauna, and red-light therapy. A two-story weight room, filled with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows, has weight training on the ground floor and a cardio loft above.
“Being able to see Field 2 and Raymond James Stadium, it’s a nice reminder of why we’re here and what we’re working toward,” Ferry said. “The natural sunlight has been a game-changer—most of the staff is raving about it. It lifts your spirits and makes every day feel a little brighter.”
If players get hungry, they can head to a dedicated made-to-order kitchen for healthy meals, which can be enjoyed either indoors or on the 2,400-square-foot patio overlooking a practice field. The lounge area is expansive, featuring multiple televisions and arcade games for relaxation.
“Everything’s new; the space is fantastic,” Cole said. “There’s a lot of natural light, high ceilings, and good privacy. The flow from the training room to the locker room is smooth, and players just seem to move through things more efficiently. The Rays are going to love this, I can tell you that.”
But it’s not just the Yankees who will benefit from these upgraded facilities. When Spring Training wraps up in late March, the Yankees will hand over the keys to Steinbrenner Field to the Rays, who will use the stadium for their 81 home games after hurricane damage forced them out of Tropicana Field.
The Rays will have exclusive access to the home clubhouse, with the Yankees playing as the visiting team during a couple of series in April and August (April 17-20, Aug. 19-20). During those games, the Yankees will use the visitors’ clubhouse and other temporary spaces along the third-base side.
“It’ll be strange for us to be in the visitors’ clubhouse at our own facility, but it’s the right thing to do,” Ferry said. “As our owner Hal Steinbrenner has said, the Rays needed a place to play, and with them being so close to St. Petersburg, it should be an easy transition for most of them. They won’t have to uproot their lives and can still have their Major League season.”
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