Pete Caldera

Staff Writer

NEW YORK – The first wave of next-generation Yankees have arrived, and Hal Steinbrenner is eager to see them inherit the full spotlight in 2017.

But that doesn’t preclude the Yanks from seeking veteran reinforcements – particularly when it comes to the bullpen.

Steinbrenner believes that Dellin Betances has the stuff and the makeup to continue as the Yankees' closer this coming season, but “that doesn’t mean we’re not going to strengthen the bullpen one way or the other,’’ Steinbrenner told the YES Network.

The Yankees' managing general partner also anticipated that Aaron Judge would emerge as the starting right fielder.

YES aired the first of a two-part interview with Steinbrenner on Monday night; the second part, also conducted by Meredith Marakovits, is scheduled for broadcast Thursday on Yankees Hot Stove.

Baseball’s annual winter meetings begin on Monday, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has already stated his interest in reacquiring free agent closer Aroldis Chapman.

The flame-throwing lefty is also publicly hoping for a reunion, though he’s a sought-after commodity – heading a closer’s market that includes Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon.

As a premier setup man, Betances made the AL All-Star team for a third straight year, but stumbled as the Yanks’ closer after having initial success. The right-hander assumed the closer’s role after both Chapman and Andrew Miller were dealt before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.

The Yankees are also mulling a reunion with free agent designated hitter Carlos Beltran on a one-year contract.

“We’ll see where he fits in, where he best ends up,’’ Steinbrenner said of Betances’ role. “We’re just starting that whole process. But particularly with some of the young starters we have, it behooves us to strengthen that bullpen and try to shorten the game a bit.’’

After a front three rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda, Steinbrenner suggested that Adam Warren, Chad Green, Luis Cessa, Bryan Mitchell and Luis Severino would be battling for the final two spots.

“It’s going to be pretty fun to watch, I think,’’ said Steinbrenner, who also mentioned the “big opportunity’’ for Judge in 2017.

“He’s got some work to do. He knows that. We’re going to figure out exactly what we think is wrong,’’ Steinbrenner said of Judge, who struck out 42 times in 84 at-bats during his 27-game pinstriped debut, with four home runs and 10 RBI.

Cashman anticipates a right field competition between Judge, Aaron Hicks and possibly Rob Refsnyder, but “my expectations are he’s going to be my starting right fielder this year,’’ Steinbrenner said. “So, that’s a big deal and a big opportunity, and I know he’s going to make the most of it.’’

That’s what Gary Sanchez did during his electric late-summer audition, crushing 20 home runs, finishing second in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting in just 53 games and making catcher Brian McCann expendable.

“We’ve been watching Gary for a lot of years now, and we always knew the potential,’’ Steinbrenner said in comments made before McCann was traded to Houston for two hard-throwing pitching prospects. “He’s the real deal. He’s everything we thought he would be.’’

Brett Gardner might also be sacrificed in the right trade, given the club’s outfield logjam.

Yankees pitchers and catchers report to Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 14, and the work has just begun to improve their fortunes in 2017.

“Tough year. Always disappointing when we don’t make the playoffs. That’s unacceptable, quite frankly, the way we view the world,’’ Steinbrenner said of the Yanks’ fourth-place finish in 2016. “But there was a lot of hope the last two months.’’

BRIEFS - Right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Nick Rumbelow and lefty Joe Mantiply were designated for assignment. Eovaldi's season ended in August due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.