Following up on last year's thread, here are BA's Top 30 in the NYY system along with age as of April 1 and top level played in 2012. Last year's rankings are in parentheses. Players who dropped in the rankings in red.
1. Mason Williams, OF, 21, A+ (5)
2. Slade Heathcott, OF, 22, A+ (10)
3. Gary Sanchez, C, 21, A+ (4)
4. Tyler Austin, OF, 21, AA (20)
5. Jose Campos, RHP, 20, A- (5 SEA)
6. Brett Marshall, RHP, 23, AA (11)
7. Angelo Gumbs, 2B, 21, A- (14)
8. Manny Banuelos, LHP, 22, AAA (2)
9. Ty Hensley, RHP, 19, R (--)
10. Rafael DePaula, RHP, 22, R (--)
11. Mark Montgomery, RHP, 22, AA (23)
12. Ramon Flores, OF, 21, AA (13)
13. Bryan Mitchell, RHP, 21, A- (17)
14. Nik Turley, LHP, 23, AA (27)
15. J.R. Murphy, C, 21, AA (9)
16. Jose Ramirez, RHP, 23, A+ (--)
17. Austin Romine, C, 24, AAA (8)
18. Melky Mesa, OF, 26, MLB (--)
19. Dellin Betances, RHP, 25, AAA (3)
20. Austin Aune, SS, 19, R (--)
21. Dante Bichette Jr., 3B, 20, A- (6)
22. Greg Bird, 1B, 20, SS-A (28)
23. David Adams, 2B/3B, 25, AA (26)
24. Adam Warren, RHP, 25, MLB (15)
25. Corey Black, RHP, 21, A- (--)
26. Matt Tracy, LHP, 24, AAA (--)
27. Corban Joseph, 2B, 24, AAA (--)
28. Cito Culver, SS, 20, A- (12)
29. Tommy Kahnle, RHP, 23, AA (--)
30. Gabe Encinas, RHP, 21, SS-A (--)
Those in last year's BA Top 30 who've moved on:
1. Jesus Montero, C - SEA
16. D.J. Mitchell, RHP - SEA
18. Brandon Laird, 3B/OF - HOU
21. David Phelps, RHP - NYY
And those who dropped out of the rankings:
7. Ravel Santana, OF
19. Zoilo Almonte, OF
22. Zach Nuding, RHP
24. Jack Cave, OF
25. Claudio Custodio, SS
29. Chase Whitley, RHP
30. Branden Pinder, RHP
BA ranked the Yankees system 11th:
Objectively, I think 11th is a pretty generous ranking, especially in light of Banuelos having Tommy John surgery and Betances shitting the bed. Both were once seen as future studs and perhaps could be again, but they were huge hits to NYY's system depth. The collapses of Romine, Bichette, Warren & Culver were pretty major. With the exceptions of Aune, Black and maybe Bird, the bottom half of the rankings are kids who suffered major injuries, regressed significantly in 2012, or were placed in the rankings by default. Adams, Tracy & Joseph are hardly the types of players I envision when I think of "prospects".
But the biggest laugher on that list is Melky Mesa. I mean, #18? Seriously?? This is his 10th year in the Yankees' system, and he put up a .230 BA and .271 OBP in 133 PA at AAA with a 43/7 K/BB last season. Oh, but he hit 23 HR including 14 at AA in 369 PA, so I guess he's now legit. This would be like having a rookie-eligible Darnell McDonald in the Red Sox' Top 20 last year. It's a joke.
Anyway, it should be interesting to see whether some of these kids can right the ship. Banuelos will miss the entire year after going under the knife in October, but I see no reason why he can't return to form. There's still plenty of pitching depth, but this team really needs their position players to continue making huge strides. They haven't produced a homegrown starter since Brett Gardner 6 years ago.
1. Mason Williams, OF, 21, A+ (5)
2. Slade Heathcott, OF, 22, A+ (10)
3. Gary Sanchez, C, 21, A+ (4)
4. Tyler Austin, OF, 21, AA (20)
5. Jose Campos, RHP, 20, A- (5 SEA)
6. Brett Marshall, RHP, 23, AA (11)
7. Angelo Gumbs, 2B, 21, A- (14)
8. Manny Banuelos, LHP, 22, AAA (2)
9. Ty Hensley, RHP, 19, R (--)
10. Rafael DePaula, RHP, 22, R (--)
11. Mark Montgomery, RHP, 22, AA (23)
12. Ramon Flores, OF, 21, AA (13)
13. Bryan Mitchell, RHP, 21, A- (17)
14. Nik Turley, LHP, 23, AA (27)
15. J.R. Murphy, C, 21, AA (9)
16. Jose Ramirez, RHP, 23, A+ (--)
17. Austin Romine, C, 24, AAA (8)
18. Melky Mesa, OF, 26, MLB (--)
19. Dellin Betances, RHP, 25, AAA (3)
20. Austin Aune, SS, 19, R (--)
21. Dante Bichette Jr., 3B, 20, A- (6)
22. Greg Bird, 1B, 20, SS-A (28)
23. David Adams, 2B/3B, 25, AA (26)
24. Adam Warren, RHP, 25, MLB (15)
25. Corey Black, RHP, 21, A- (--)
26. Matt Tracy, LHP, 24, AAA (--)
27. Corban Joseph, 2B, 24, AAA (--)
28. Cito Culver, SS, 20, A- (12)
29. Tommy Kahnle, RHP, 23, AA (--)
30. Gabe Encinas, RHP, 21, SS-A (--)
Those in last year's BA Top 30 who've moved on:
1. Jesus Montero, C - SEA
16. D.J. Mitchell, RHP - SEA
18. Brandon Laird, 3B/OF - HOU
21. David Phelps, RHP - NYY
And those who dropped out of the rankings:
7. Ravel Santana, OF
19. Zoilo Almonte, OF
22. Zach Nuding, RHP
24. Jack Cave, OF
25. Claudio Custodio, SS
29. Chase Whitley, RHP
30. Branden Pinder, RHP
BA ranked the Yankees system 11th:
They're getting ancient in the big leagues and don't have replacements ready yet. Their best prospects (Mason Williams, Slade Heathcott, Gary Austin, Tyler Austin) are promising but a few years away.
Objectively, I think 11th is a pretty generous ranking, especially in light of Banuelos having Tommy John surgery and Betances shitting the bed. Both were once seen as future studs and perhaps could be again, but they were huge hits to NYY's system depth. The collapses of Romine, Bichette, Warren & Culver were pretty major. With the exceptions of Aune, Black and maybe Bird, the bottom half of the rankings are kids who suffered major injuries, regressed significantly in 2012, or were placed in the rankings by default. Adams, Tracy & Joseph are hardly the types of players I envision when I think of "prospects".
But the biggest laugher on that list is Melky Mesa. I mean, #18? Seriously?? This is his 10th year in the Yankees' system, and he put up a .230 BA and .271 OBP in 133 PA at AAA with a 43/7 K/BB last season. Oh, but he hit 23 HR including 14 at AA in 369 PA, so I guess he's now legit. This would be like having a rookie-eligible Darnell McDonald in the Red Sox' Top 20 last year. It's a joke.
Anyway, it should be interesting to see whether some of these kids can right the ship. Banuelos will miss the entire year after going under the knife in October, but I see no reason why he can't return to form. There's still plenty of pitching depth, but this team really needs their position players to continue making huge strides. They haven't produced a homegrown starter since Brett Gardner 6 years ago.