NY minor league prospect news (2015 edition)
- Thread starter jon abbey
- Start date
Brendan Ryan's BA heading down to more familiar territory. But Refsnyder won't come up until Scranton completes the playoffs. Would be nice to have a better righty platoon option at 2B.jon abbey said:
Chance Adams was NY's 5th round pick this year (2015), but has already pitched on three levels this summer, in high A currently. He is a reliever who they have throwing 2-3 innings per appearance currently, very strong numbers overall.
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=664856#/career/R/pitching/2015/ALL
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=664856#/career/R/pitching/2015/ALL
Updated MLB.com chart ranking Yankee prospects. Love the format and like the left handed Jordan Montgomery, ranked 27th right now.
http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=nyy
http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=nyy
terrynever said:
How many of these guys were part of the international haul from last year? I thought I would see a few more of those guys towards the top of the list but I guess they are really far away.
Park gets a mention in this weekly prospect watch:
http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/143652844/twins-tyler-duffey-tops-prospect-team-of-week
http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/143652844/twins-tyler-duffey-tops-prospect-team-of-week
Wingack said:
Here's another one of last year's bonus babies, Miguel Flames, still in the Dominican Summer League, but written up today by Ben Badler:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-hot-sheet-prequel-aug-20-helium-hot/
jon abbey said:
This is the part I like:
"The early returns on the organization’s international spending spree have been strong, with Flames a big reason why."
Gary Sanchez is hitting better in Scranton than he did at Trenton. He is slugging .500 in 125 ABs in AAA ball, hitting .295 with 6 HRs, including a monster shot to left field tonight at McCoy Stadium. At 22, he is arguably the best hitter in Scranton's lineup, slightly ahead of Judge, Pirela and Refsnyder. No reason to rush him. Projects as a DH/backup catcher when they finally make room for this kid in NY. More likely, he is a trade chip this winter as the Yanks look for pitching depth.
Domingo Acevedo is still in class A short season, but he is 6'7" and struck out 10 in 6 innings earlier this week, with his velocity allegedly peaking at 103 (!!!).
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=642758#/career/R/pitching/2015/ALL
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/8/1/9070083/yankees-prospect-domingo-acevedo-scouting-report
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=642758#/career/R/pitching/2015/ALL
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/8/1/9070083/yankees-prospect-domingo-acevedo-scouting-report
Gary Sanchez pulled a hamstring running to first last night and went on the DL today, terrible timing for him with callups a few days away (but great timing for Austin Romine, who will almost certainly be added to the 40 man roster again and called up now).
The Yankees are going to call up half of Scranton on 9/1, and it'll be interesting to see who gets promoted to play in the AAA playoffs. For instance, Chaz Hebert is a LHP who has spent most of the year in low A and then high A, but got called up because AAA had a doubleheader yesterday and pitched a seven inning shutout. I'm maybe most wondering about the aforementioned Domingo Acevedo, who pitched another strong six innings in rookie ball last night and who only has 43.2 IP so far this season.
I am talking about guys who will be called up to AAA from the lower levels because Scranton has to play in the playoffs, but if you mean the guys called up from Scranton to NY, yes, of course they will have to be on the 40 man. A bunch of them are already, but Andrew Bailey for one will need to be added, maybe Rico Noel, professional pinch-runner also.
LHP Jordan Montgomery with a perfect six innings in high A before coming out, 6 0 0 0 0 8. He is a 2014 4th round pick who is moving nicely, I'd guess he'll start next year in AA.
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=656756#/career/R/pitching/2015/ALL
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=656756#/career/R/pitching/2015/ALL
Most of NY's minor league teams didn't make the postseason, but short season Staten Island did and swept their first round 2 out of 3 playoff series besides the studly pitching duo of James Kaprielian (NY's first round pick this summer and maybe a top 5 prospect for them already) and the aforementioned Domingo Acevedo, the 6'7" 21 year old who can get it over 100 and who was named the short season pitcher of the year with a 1.69 ERA in 48 innings, 53 Ks. These two will both presumably start next year a couple of levels higher at least.
Will Gary Sanchez get called up today? Or anyone else now that the AAA team has been eliminated?
EDIT: He just got called up.
EDIT: He just got called up.
So NY probably has four potential impact players in the minors right now (not counting Greg Bird, who will be going back to AAA if Tex and A-Rod are both healthy). We all know about Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo and the rejuvenated Gary Sanchez, but the fourth is their 2015 first round pick, RH starting pitcher James Kaprielian, the 16th pick in last year's draft. Keith Law called him a top 100 prospect in his post-draft chat last July:
"Law said the Yankees currently have five top 100 caliber prospects in Judge, Severino, 1B Greg Bird, SS Jorge Mateo, and the just signed RHP James Kaprielian. (Not necessarily in that order.) Bird ranked 80th on his preseason list and Law says Kaprielian would be “in the 51-100 range, probably around 75th.”"
Since then, Kaprielian has only helped his stock, pitching great in his limited time in the pros, including a couple of very strong playoff games. He will probably start the season at high-A, but he is poised to jump to the bigs very quickly, late 2016 if there is a need or 2017. RAB did a thorough writeup today:
http://riveraveblues.com/2015/11/prospect-profile-james-kaprielian-130453/
"Law said the Yankees currently have five top 100 caliber prospects in Judge, Severino, 1B Greg Bird, SS Jorge Mateo, and the just signed RHP James Kaprielian. (Not necessarily in that order.) Bird ranked 80th on his preseason list and Law says Kaprielian would be “in the 51-100 range, probably around 75th.”"
Since then, Kaprielian has only helped his stock, pitching great in his limited time in the pros, including a couple of very strong playoff games. He will probably start the season at high-A, but he is poised to jump to the bigs very quickly, late 2016 if there is a need or 2017. RAB did a thorough writeup today:
http://riveraveblues.com/2015/11/prospect-profile-james-kaprielian-130453/
Here is the very strange Baseball America Top 10 prospect rankings:
TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. Jorge Mateo, ss
2. Gary Sanchez, c
3. Aaron Judge, of
4. James Kaprielian, rhp
5. Domingo Acevedo, rhp
6. Rookie Davis, rhp
7. Tyler Wade, ss
8. Rob Refsnyder, 2b
9. Wilkerman Garcia, ss
10. Dustin Fowler, of
Judge at 3? Mateo at 1? I guess they believe in Sanchez again and aren't as high on Judge as most. According to the subscription write up what do they have to say about Mateo that they ranked him so high?
TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. Jorge Mateo, ss
2. Gary Sanchez, c
3. Aaron Judge, of
4. James Kaprielian, rhp
5. Domingo Acevedo, rhp
6. Rookie Davis, rhp
7. Tyler Wade, ss
8. Rob Refsnyder, 2b
9. Wilkerman Garcia, ss
10. Dustin Fowler, of
Judge at 3? Mateo at 1? I guess they believe in Sanchez again and aren't as high on Judge as most. According to the subscription write up what do they have to say about Mateo that they ranked him so high?
A little surprising on initial viewing maybe, but I don't think especially strange. They ranked Mateo 3rd last year, behind Severino and Judge but ahead of Bird and Sanchez. Those top 4 are all really good prospects, not sure it matters what order you rank them in.
Nice to see my man Acevedo getting some love, I hope he can jump a few levels this year. Wade is the one I think is too high, he was awful offensively in AA last year even though he was very young for that level.
Nice to see my man Acevedo getting some love, I hope he can jump a few levels this year. Wade is the one I think is too high, he was awful offensively in AA last year even though he was very young for that level.
Josh Norris, who wrote the list, is starting a chat about it on BA now:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/new-york-yankees-top-10-prospects-chat/
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/new-york-yankees-top-10-prospects-chat/
Mateo at #1 isn't a surprise. He's a potential pure 5 tool guy as a SS. Based on their SALY review he was right there with Mondonca 1-2 in that league, and is ahead of Mondonca in a couple tools.
Sanchez ahead of Judge on the other hand is a big surprise.
Sanchez ahead of Judge on the other hand is a big surprise.
Sanchez was a top 100 prospect for four years in a row at BA, #35 in the pre-2014 rankings. He fell back somewhat because of a mediocre year at AA in 2014 coupled with work ethic quesitons, but he seemed to take a huge step after moving to AAA last year, OPS of .849 in 146 PAs before dominating in Arizona (.982 OPS, 7 HRs in 88 ABs). He only turned 23 two weeks ago.
Judge is 8 months older, plays a much less demanding position (RF as opposed to C), and struggled somewhat after being promoted to AAA (.680 OPS in 260 ABs). Sanchez also has a better defensive reputation, a potential plus defender at C whereas Judge is more likely to be average-ish in RF.
So honestly it's kind of no contest IMO, unless I'm missing something. I think I would have put Sanchez first myself, not that it really matters at all.
Judge is 8 months older, plays a much less demanding position (RF as opposed to C), and struggled somewhat after being promoted to AAA (.680 OPS in 260 ABs). Sanchez also has a better defensive reputation, a potential plus defender at C whereas Judge is more likely to be average-ish in RF.
So honestly it's kind of no contest IMO, unless I'm missing something. I think I would have put Sanchez first myself, not that it really matters at all.
Question: Why is Gary Sanchez (a 50 grade) ahead of Greg Bird on the 25-and-under talent list? Do you see Bird as a 50, a 55 or something else? He looks like he can handle the bat, has a good eye and is going to hit a lot of jacks in Yankee Stadium. Bird seems to be underrated (didn't appear on top prospects list last year) and seldom spoken about in regards to young players or prospects. But he looks good to me (what do I know?) Would love to hear your guys' opinions on Greg Bird and what kind of player you think he'll be.
Bird was on the lists last year (around #4 or #5) after a very hot last few months and then tearing up the Arizona league, much like Sanchez this year. I agree with your general assessment, it was hard to not be impressed by Bird in the bigs last year, but I think 1B prospects are generally held down by the fact that they need to hit so much to really be a success. Sanchez gets an advantage because of his position, and also as I said above, people forget he was a top 100 prospect four straight years until falling off the list last year because of a weak 2014.
Also Sanchez is likely to make the team out of spring training, albeit as a backup, while Bird will start in AAA unless Tex is on the DL (maybe if A-Rod is on the DL too, although the better move there might still be to move Beltran to full-time DH until A-Rod returns and keep an additional OF, Mason Williams or Slade Heathcott), dunno if that factors in.
Anyway, I don't think NY underrates Bird, which is the important thing. They made him untouchable in the last year or two in trades, and will give him the starting 1B job when Tex's contract expires after this season. He needs to keep working to improve his D, he made some strides there last year but still definitely has a ways to go to be an asset defensively as well as offensively.
Also Sanchez is likely to make the team out of spring training, albeit as a backup, while Bird will start in AAA unless Tex is on the DL (maybe if A-Rod is on the DL too, although the better move there might still be to move Beltran to full-time DH until A-Rod returns and keep an additional OF, Mason Williams or Slade Heathcott), dunno if that factors in.
Anyway, I don't think NY underrates Bird, which is the important thing. They made him untouchable in the last year or two in trades, and will give him the starting 1B job when Tex's contract expires after this season. He needs to keep working to improve his D, he made some strides there last year but still definitely has a ways to go to be an asset defensively as well as offensively.
Looks like BP had Bird 7th last year:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=25156
His defense has always been the knock on him, but he seemed to improve there last year, as I said above. If he's going to live up to the John Olerud and Nick Johnson comparisons, he's going to need to keep improving defensively, because those guys were both very solid in the field.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=25156
His defense has always been the knock on him, but he seemed to improve there last year, as I said above. If he's going to live up to the John Olerud and Nick Johnson comparisons, he's going to need to keep improving defensively, because those guys were both very solid in the field.
I think that prospect lists struggle with ranking pure first basemen. It is like if they aren't projected to hit 45 bombs or have Joey Votto on base skills, they don't deserve to be ranked. There wasn't a single pure first basemen on BA's Top 100 list last year for example.
If you went a bit deeper though to position rankings Greg Bird was regularly mentioned in the top 2 or 3 at first base.