NY minor league prospect news (2017 edition)

[jon abbey]

John Sickels is working on his NY top 20 list and he posted his preliminary list of 82 guys, which is just crazy.

https://www.minorleagueball.com/2017/12/4/16736316/new-york-yankees-preliminary-prospect-list

They will lose some arms at least temporarily in the rule 5 soon, but also they are likely to spend that $3.5M of international money soon, they have been connected to Yunior Severino of the Braves' prospects, Cuban OF Julio Pablo Martinez, and also some of the top names still unsigned from last summer, Salinas and Cabello I believe from this list:

https://www.baseballamerica.com/international/2017-top-50-international-prospects-signing/#C0fM5Bw4z0W3I0ZG.97

 

[jon abbey]

Sickels' list is up. What's amazing is that when he did the Braves' system last month he said "obviously a deep system", and they had 54 guys total that he thought were worthy of mention (a few less now with the international penalties), one of the best systems in the game currently. Compare that to NY, who had 80 guys named.

"The Yankees have insane depth and a large number of the “Other C+” guys would rank on Top 20 lists in other systems. There is so much depth here it is rather overwhelming. "

https://www.minorleagueball.com/2017/12/8/16754038/new-york-yankees-top-20-prospects-for-2018

 

[jon abbey]

NY ia going to have so many guys taken in the rule 5 draft this AM, any of these arms not picked is a small victory:

Nester Cortes
Anyelo Gomez
Raynel Espinal
Stephen Tarpley
Jose Mesa Jr.
JP Feyereisen

Others who might go who I care about less are Cale Coshow, Mike Ford, Abiatal Avelino, plus there are always guys taken who are totally off everyone's radar. Honestly I will be surprised if any of these guys can stick somewhere for an entire season unless someone does what SD did with Torrens last year, but it's not easy carrying guys who are two years away all year, even for a tanking team, but they are good arms to have in the system.

 

[jon abbey]

NY loses Gomez, Cortes, Mesa Jr. and Ford, but no one else in the major league part of the rule 5. That could have been a lot worse, especially surprised no one grabbed Tarpley.

 

[jon abbey]

Really good in depth rundown of NY's prospects at RAB, guys here who weren't even on my radar before:

https://riveraveblues.com/2017/12/new-york-yankees-farm-system-prospects-2017-164345/

 

[jon abbey]

Jim Callis asked for mailbag questions on Twitter and so I asked him one I've been curious about recently and he answered it today:

Q: if you were making a combined top 50 list of Yankees and Red Sox prospects now, how many Yankees would be on there? I'm guessing at least 35-40, but would love to hear your take.

A: Interesting. The Red Sox had the best farm system in baseball as recently as mid-2015 but have slipped into the bottom third after a slew of graduations and trades. The Yankees also have promoted several of their best prospects to New York and dealt others during the last two years, yet still have one of the game's deepest systems.

Bearing in mind that our current Boston and New York Top 30s on Prospect Watch were mostly assembled in July and will undergo some major revisions when we update them in February, a combined Top 50 would include about 35 Yankees and 15 Red Sox. The contrast would be even more stark at the top, with left-hander Jay Groome and third baseman Michael Chavis the only Boston farmhands who would crack a combined Top 10.

 

[Wingack]

Interesting question. I imagine the two teams are probably equal in graduated/25 and under talent over the past couple years, depending on preferences, so the Yankees could have the edge moving forward if that is how Callis breaks it down.

Plus the Yankees unlimited financial resources (after this year.)

 

[jon abbey]

NY just used some or all of their $3.5M in international money left over from last year to sign two more of the top prospects from last summer's class:

"Venezuelan outfielder Raimfer Salinas and Venezuelan catcher Antonio Cabello, two of the top 2017 international prospects, have deals to sign with the Yankees.

Salinas, 16, was the No. 10 international prospect for July 2 in the 2017 class, while Cabello, 17, ranked No. 15 on Baseball America’s rankings of the top 50 international prospects for 2017. Both players trained with Francisco Ortiz.

That gives the Yankees five of BA’s top 20 international prospects from the 2017 class, including Venezuelan outfielder Everson Pereira (the No. 5 prospect on BA’s top 50), Dominican shortstop Ronny Rojas (the No. 11 prospect) and Venezuelan shortstop Roberto Chirinos (the No. 20 prospect). It also further bolsters one of the game’s strongest farm systems, one that’s already rich in homegrown Latin American prospects."

https://www.baseballamerica.com/international/yankees-sign-top-international-prospects-raimfer-salinas-antonio-cabello/#V7Rk0LeFvMCBCiRD.97

 

[jon abbey]

One guy I never mention when running down NY's pitching prospects is Taylor Widener, a 12th round pick from 2016 who NY converted from starter to reliever. Well, here are some impressive words about him from a scout on Twitter, also I didn't quite register that he is NY's 14th prospect on mlb.com already:

""He was in Tampa last year (High-A) but I think he could've progressed further in the system. His velocity continues to increase and I love his three pitch mix (fastball, slider, changeup). He does need some fine tuning but he doesn't get nearly the amount of love he deserves."

This quote should raise some eyebrows: "When I look at the NYY SP depth, Widener is up there. I have [Justus] Sheffield, [Albert] Abreu and [Freicer] Perez as my top three. I would put Widener behind that trio and [Domingo] Acevedo but above [Chance] Adams."

I asked him to expand on Adams' placement: "It's not that I don't think he'll succeed. I absolutely love his makeup. He's a bulldog on the mound and competes hard. But the other guys are starters for me. I just see Adams as a reliever.""

 

[jon abbey]

Lots of prospect lists announced today and the rest of the week, the BA top 100 is out and NY has six guys on there, tied for second behind Atlanta's 8:

Gleyber Torres (6)
Estevan Florial (38)
Justus Sheffield (41)
Miguel Andujar (59)
Albert Abreu (77)
Chance Adams (81)

Also Keith Law released his 51-100, noteworthy because I believe it's the first time Freicer Perez has cracked anyone's top 100, at 73. Also MLB.com listed Nick Solak as the 5th best 2B prospect in MLB, so he should be on their top 100 list released next weekend, or maybe promoted during the season if he just misses.

 

[Wingack]

It's a good showing today on the prospect lists for the Yankees. It is especially good know there is an army of guys right behind these that can jump up into consideration for these lists in the coming years.

 

[Wingack]

Some stuff from the BA chat today:

Matt (NJ): Did Gleyber's injury play a roll in his "drop" or was it that the other guys jumped him or a combination of both?

J.J. Cooper: A minor role, but more of the guys jumped ahead of him. Acuna’s age 19 season blows away Torres’ age 19 season, his tools are equal or better and he has as much defensive value as Torres. Ohtani is a potential front-line starter. Guerrero’s age 18 season bests Torres and pretty much anyone recent’s age 18 season. Torres is a really good prospect, but this is a really, really good year for prospects at the top of the list.


Damian (Roanoke, VA): I've seen some really high praise for Miguel Andujar lately (from outside the Yankees organization supposedly). You guys seem a bit more tempered with his tools ratings at 55, 55, 40, 50 and 60. Do you see any chance he ends up as more than a 1st division regular?

Kyle Glaser: Well, we continue to see power spike in the majors, and if that 55 power grade becomes 30-plus HRs playing with the juiced balls in the bandbox that is Yankee Stadium, which is all very plausible, then yes, he can be an All-Star. But in terms of true tools and what his production would look like in a neutral environment, most evaluators see a potential everyday third baseman rather than an All-Star. But again, if Andujar exceeds that, no one’s jaw should hit the floor


Joseph (Clinton Hills, Brooklyn): How close was the Yankees RHP Freicer Perez being on the Top 100?

Josh Norris: He wasn’t particularly close. He’s got big potential, but there’s also a long way to go.


John (New Jersey): I see Gleyber fell down a few spots. Is this mainly due to the injury, or is there something else they are seeing from the data set they had?

Josh Norris: The injury doesn’t help things, but the existence of Shohei Ohtani in the Top 5 obviously pushed him down at least one spot, and the emergences of Acuna, Vladdy and Eloy were bigger factors than anything Gleyber did or didn’t do. He’s still got star potential, but this might be a case where there’s more players with top-five level talent than there are spots in the top five.


Justus (Waiting for a plane to NY): Am I really as good as everyone says? I would love to be Major ready now, but am I?

Josh Norris: You are very, very good, but you probably need some time at Triple-A before you’re ready.


Chris (Work): If you had to bet on one pitcher and one hitter in rookie ball right now to join this list next year, who would you choose?

Josh Norris: Luis Medina -- RHP, Yankees LoLo Sanchez -- OF, Pirates


Alec (New York): Chance Adams' numbers seem way too impressive to not be a top 50 prospect, let alone top 80. What led to his ranking with his rotation potential in 2019?

Kyle Glaser: A big part of it is Adams really is just a two-pitch guy (fastball/slider). There are some successful two-pitch guys in the majors (Bud Norris, Jordan Zimmermann), but it’s tough. Because of that, and his frame, a lot of evaluators aren’t sold on him as being more than a solid reliever or back of the rotation starter at best. All that said, hard to doubt the kid after everything he’s done. I’ll be fascinated to see how both him and Tyler Mahle both fare in the majors, as two guys putting up big numbers but when you see them definitely don’t wow you

 

[jon abbey]

Some more high praise for Andujar, he is 3rd on MLB's top 3B prospect list out today, behind only Guerrero and Senzel. They say he has the best arm of any of them:

Best Arm: Andujar (70)

While he has the ability to hit for average and power, Andujar's best pure tool is clearly his cannon arm. He could stand to improve the accuracy of his throws, but scouts estimate that he'd immediately have a mid-90s fastball if he moved to the mound.

https://www.mlb.com/news/vladimir-guerrero-jr-leads-top-3b-prospects/c-264854192?tid=151437456

 

[Wingack]

I like it. Cashman has to give Andujar a chance here in my book. There are lots of experts out there saying that he projects to be a league average 3B, and a cheap, young guy like that has a ton of value. What is league average now anyway? .275/24/85? I take something something like that in a heart beat for the next 6 years.

There is also the possibility he is more than that, and then the Yankees have something really special in him.

 

[Wingack]

Rotographs review of the Yankees system:

https://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/a-minor-review-of-2017-new-york-yankees/

It feels like the Yankees can do no wrong. They went out and stole Giancarlo Stanton… their club is littered with high-ceiling talent… and the minor league system still has a of gems, including underrated players like Matt Sauer and Miguel Andujar.

The Graduate: Aaron Judge, OF: He’s good. Really good.

First Taste of The Show: Miguel Andujar, 3B: I wrote a glowing report for Andujar in last year’s version of this series, and all those things continue to be true. The young third baseman showed very well in both double-A and triple-A, and even received a brief taste of The Show. He has a chance to be a .300 hitter with 20+ homers given his ability to make consistent, hard contact. Andujar is still too aggressive for his own good so his ability to produce a solid on-base average will rely heavily on the hit tool. I don’t think it’s out of line to expect an all-star caliber season or two from this prospect and I wouldn’t blame the Yankees if they decided to give Andujar a shot at the third base job in 2018 in an effort to save some money.

The Stud: Gleyber Torres, 3B: Throughout this report you’ll see I’ve hyped up Matt Sauer and Miguel Andujar but I’m going to throw some cold water on Torres. He’s a solid prospect but I don’t think he’s worthy of Top 10 in the Majors. That’s the New York Yankees hype train. Torres will be an average to above-average hitter (second, third or shortstop) capable of hitting .280-.300 with 15 home runs (or more if the juiced ball is here to stay). And the defence will be excellent (but not necessarily flashy). Depending on how he looks in the spring — after lost development time in 2017 due to injury — I could easily see the Yankees trotting out Miguel Andujar at third base and Torres at second base by early June (saving the club a lot of money from chasing after the likes of Mike Moustakas and/or Neil Walker).

The Draft Pick: Matt Sauer, RHP: I wasn’t a huge fan of the Yankees’ first pick of the 2017 draft (Clarke Schmidt) but they got a steal with Sauer. He already throws in the low-to-mid 90s and I expect there is more to come given his strong pitcher’s frame. And he could eventually have four average-or-better offerings — and possibly three plus offerings. His athleticism and the Yankees’ strong development staff should help him address any concerns with his delivery. I could see Sauer being the Yankees’ top pitching prospect by the end of 2018 with No. 2 starter potential if he develops as hoped (and avoids injury).

The Riser: Freicer Perez, RHP: I’m starting to think the Yankees are quietly infiltrating pro ball will rocket-armed cyborgs. They seemingly pull pitchers capable of throwing 95-100 mph out of thin air. Perez is the latest interesting arm and he stands 6-8 with more strength possibly to come on his frame. The 21-year-old pitcher has good control and is working to polish his control. If the secondary stuff doesn’t fully develop then he has high-leverage potential in the ‘pen. If he gets one of two plus secondary offerings, he could be a No. 3 starter.

The Sleeper: Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP: Signed way back in 2012 (by the Giants), injuries have decimated Loasiga’s career to date with just 35 innings thrown in the last four years. However, he has outstanding control and a mid-90s fastball with two secondary offerings that project as better than average down the line. I can’t see him being a starter long-term given the injury history and his slight frame but he could make an excellent (and quick-moving) reliever for the Yankees.

 

[jon abbey]

Pinstriped Prospects has been counting down a top 75 NY prospect list all month, doing 2-3 per day, they are now getting to the top guys. The latest is #17 Dermis Garcia, who just turned 20 a few weeks ago and who I didn't realize had a ridiculous 30 HRs in 419 combined ABs over 2016/2017 (combined rookie and low A), he will be fun to keep an eye on this year.

https://pinstripedprospects.com/top-75-prospect-profile-17-dermis-garcia-28548/

 

[Wingack]

Law ranked the Yankees system 2 behind the Braves. Pretty good after graduating Judge and Frazier and trading away a handful of strong prospects.

 

[jon abbey]

Here's what he said:

2. New York Yankees
2017 rank: 2

The brilliance of Brian Cashman has been in how he has deployed the products of his farm system to bolster the big league club while holding on to the core guys. In another era, Aaron Judge or Gary Sanchez or Luis Severino would have been used to trade for established veterans, but Cashman has held on to the right guys -- you might even argue he has been too conservative in trading prospects, but I doubt Yankees fans would complain right now. Even in trades for Giancarlo Stanton and three players from the White Sox at the deadline, the Yankees have kept their top tier of prospects intact. The result is a system with five guys in the top 100, three more with strong cases and continued depth for future acquisitions.

Other AL East rankings:

TB: 7
TOR: 17
BAL: 23
BOS: 24

24. Boston Red Sox
2017 rank: 16

To quote one of my favorite cartoon characters, "The system is down, yo." Years of promotions coupled with several big trades have finally tumbled the Red Sox from perennial top-10 status to the bottom third, and there's a lot less certainty among their top 10 than there has been at any point since I started ranking prospects within orgs. Their 2017 draft class was one of the best, given where they picked, with three potential first-round talents coming in their first five picks.

 

[Wingack]

Yep. Cash has been pushing all the right buttons so far. Rutherford trade is a great example. Down the line the Sonny Gray trade may sting, but honestly the Yankees don't have enough places to play those guys.

 

[Wingack]

Law is on the River Ave Blues podcast today, I haven’t listened to it yet but I will later.

 

[jon abbey]

NY has six guys on the new MLB.com top 100 list, all in the top 75:

Torres: #5
Florial: #44
Sheffield: #48
Andujar: #65
Abreu: #74
Chance: #75

That is tied for the most top 75 guys with SD and ATL.

 

[Wingack]

Along with Law, Baseball America has ranked the Yankees minor league system No. 2 behind the Braves.

 

[Wingack]

Holy crap. Jim Callis was asked "if MLB.com did a top 1000 list, how many Yankees would be on the list?" He said something like 54. That is pretty incredible.

https://www.mlb.com/news/pipeline-in...?tid=151437456

 

[jon abbey]

It isn’t really, it was kind of a dumb question. The average team should have around 33 out of 1000, so 54 sounds like more than it is, I think. NY’s crazy current depth would be much better demonstrated by how many they have in a top 150 or 200, Sickels will have one of those coming soon and I’m very curious.

 

[Wingack]

I agree it was a dumb question. It would have been better if he had been asked "how many players in the Yankee system could join an MLB top 100 list?"

Either way, they have been able to replenish the top talent in the system and it looks like it could continue for some time.

 

[jon abbey]

Yep, totally loaded system even though they graduated/traded maybe 10-15 guys in the last year. We've been talking about the specifics of that here for a while, but very cool to see it confirmed by all the national rankers now.

 

[jon abbey]

BP and Fangraphs both put their new top 100s up today, some very different rankings and non-rankings for NY prospects:

BP:

3. Torres
26. Florial
51. Adams
57. Sheffield
100. Abreu
not listed: Andujar

Fangraphs:

12. Torres
14. Andujar (!!!)
39. Sheffield
59. Abreu
79. Florial
not listed: Adams

 

[Wingack]

BP and Fangraphs both put their new top 100s up today, some very different rankings and non-rankings for NY prospects:

BP:

3. Torres
26. Florial
51. Adams
57. Sheffield
100. Abreu
not listed: Andujar

Fangraphs:

12. Torres
14. Andujar (!!!)
39. Sheffield
59. Abreu
79. Florial
not listed: Adams

Fowler, Guzman and Mateo all ranked in the top 70 by Fangraphs.

 

[jon abbey]

RAB's top 30 preseason prospect list is up, I only skimmed it but somehow it seems to make the system thinner than it actually is.

http://riveraveblues.com/2018/02/2018-preseason-top-30-prospects-165205/

 

[jon abbey]

In other news, thought this was pretty cool, the oft-forgotten Tyler Wade is #26 on the Fangraphs top Katoh prospect list, right in between Forrest Whitley and Austin Meadows and ahead of guys like Mejia and Robles:

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2018-top-100-katoh-prospects/

 

[Wingack]

Nice little feature piece on Justus Sheffield back home in TN.

 

[jon abbey]

NY had 4 guys picked in the rule 5, so there's a good chance they will get one or two of them back by Opening Day, something else to keep an eye on this spring.

BAL took two pitchers, Nestor Cortes and Jose Mesa, so today's Cashner signing takes away one of their potential roster spots. Mike Ford, on the other hand, is trying to stick at 1B with SEA all season and can't be hurt by Ryon Healy's bone spur surgery today, out 4-6 weeks.

The fourth guy (and the guy I'd be happiest about getting back) is hard-throwing Anyelo Gomez, trying to stick with the Braves. This article makes it seem like he is a long shot to do that, pretty buried on the depth chart, so hopefully he has a bad month and is offered back:

http://www.myajc.com/sports/baseball/braves-bullpen-banking-internal-growth/ab4L48OrOKCilF7xTruj1J/