Results tagged ‘ New York Yankees ’
OMG: The AL East
Today, it’s the AL East’s turn for Top 20 Prospect attention. Here are the appropriate links:
For those, who want a little more, here’s OMG (One More Guy), the No. 21 prospect for each AL East team.
Orioles — Clay Schrader, RHP: You have to like the fastball-power breaking stuff combination out of the bullpen, but will he throw enough strikes?
Red Sox — Manuel Margot, OF: The toolsy outfielder has yet to make his United States debut; can really run and has the chance to hit.
Yankees — Rafael De Paula, RHP: He was 21 and pitching in the Dominican Summer League in 2012, so he needs to get moving (identity-related suspension). But he has the chance to have an exciting three-pitch mix.
Rays — Jesse Hahn, RHP: It took a while for the 2010 draftee to make his debut, needing Tommy John surgery then breaking his foot, but Hahn was very sharp in the New York-Penn League in 2012. He could start moving more quickly now that he’s healthy.
Blue Jays — Santiago Nessy, C: A big and strong Venezuelan backstop, he showed he can stay behind the plate and has the chance to hit for a lot of power in the future.
Who’s Next: The second basemen
The list of top 10 guys at second hasn’t been too deep in the past, but I have to say, this year’s version isn’t too bad. Read the story or just check out the list.
There are even some worthwhile prospects to put on the 11-15 list. Check it out.
Stefen Romero, Mariners — He’s hit .318/.368/.534 in his Minor League career so far. An argument can be made that he belonged in the top 10.
Grant Green, A’s — He started as a shortstop, then moved to the outfield and now is back in the infield at second, which is a good home for him. The bat has always had a chance to contribute.
Rougned Odor, Rangers — The Rangers are good at developing shortstop prospects, why not on the right side of second base? Odor can hit, with a little pop, and can run a little, too.
Ronny Rodriguez, Indians — Yes, he’s nore of a shortstop now and has the skills to stay there. But if he’s going to play in Cleveland with Francisco Lindor someday, he’ll have to move and he did play 45 games at second in 2012.
Angelo Gumbs, Yankees — He has plus speed and is a basestealing threat. He only knows one speed and continues to improve defensively.
AFL and Rookie of the Year success
I’m back in Arizona, watching the final night game here at Scottsdale Stadium, and started thinking about alumni from this league and how they fare during awards season. So I did some digging…
While one was unanimous and one was close, it really shouldn’t have surprised anyone that Mike Trout and Bryce Harper were this year’s Rookie of the Year Award winners.
It also shouldn’t shock anyone that both are Arizona Fall League alumni. For six years in a row now, at least one of the Rookies of the Year played in the AFL previously.
The Trout-Harper perfecta isn’t even that unusual. In five of the last seven seasons, starting with Huston Street and Ryan Howard’s ROY Awards in 2005, both winners cut their teeth here. The other dynamic duos:
Dustin Pedroia and Ryan Braun, 2007
Evan Longoria and Geovany Soto, 2008
Andrew Bailey and Chris Coghlan, 2009
Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, 2012
Trout and Harper have something in common with Street and Howard. In both cases, the Rookie of the Year tandems both played in the AFL the year prior to winning the top rookie honor. Not only that, in both instances, the award winners were AFL teammates. In 2004, Street and Howard were Phoenix Desert Dogs. Last year, Trout and Harper played in the same Scottsdale Scorpions outfield.
There have now been 24 Rookies of the Year who once called the Arizona Fall League home.
I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at Cy Young Award winners.
In case you missed them, here are two more AFL team reports:
The Yankees report focuses on Mark Montgomery. Their video report takes a look at Montgomery, Slade Heathcott and Dellin Betances:
Gary Brown is the focus of the Giants report. In the video report, Brown, Joe Panik and Chris Dominguez are featured.
Finally, Stars of the Day for Monday and Tuesday:
Monday: We’ll go with Kevin Siegrist of the Cardinals, for his four-inning, one run performance. The lefty gave up four hits, walked one and struck out eight. He’s now 10th in ERA (2.37) and second in strikeouts (27).
Tuesday: The aforementioned Slade Heathcott gets the nod after going 4-for-5, including his first homer of the fall. He drove in two and scored a run. Heathcott is now fifth in the league in batting average (.371) and second in OPS (1.084).
AFL Report: Astros and a Yankee Star
The Houston Astros are up next, with intrepid reporter Brian McTaggart writing about new manager Bo Porter’s visit to his prospects in the AFL.
As always, here’s the video report, focusing on Jonathan Singleton, George Springer and Jarred Cosart.
Now, a look at Tuesday’s Star of the Day:
The Yankees’ Slade Heathcott hasn’t had the easiest path as a professional. No. 5 on the New York’s Top 20, the former first-rounder has had some issues on and off the field. Injuries have really hampered him (2 shoulder surgeries) and his career high in at-bats is just 351. So he’s really trying to make up for some lost time with Scottsdale this fall. He certainly did that on Tuesday, going 4-for-5 with a double, two triples and five RBIs. He’s hitting .275/.408/.400 over 11 AFL games (40 ABs). He’s really enjoyed hitting from the leadoff spot, with a .471 average in four games. And yes, he was in that slot on Tuesday.
On the back fields with… Cito Culver
Back to my riveting series of conversations with 2010 first-round picks. Today, we go to the Yankees’ system and chat with somewhat surprising first-rounder Cito Culver. Taken No. 32 overall out of the upstate New York high school scene, Culver is a toolsy shortstop who signed quickly and managed to get 203 at-bats in last summer.
When I caught up with Culver, we talked about the work he was getting in during Spring Training, the daily grind he was adjusting to, getting out of the Northeast weather and his opportunity to work out with his idol, Derek Jeter.
As always, you can watch the cleaned up, edited and shorter version of the conversation here.
But if you want more with the Yankee prospect who is currently in Extended Spring Training waiting for an assignment later this season, you can watch the “director’s cut” below.
OMG: New York Yankees
At long last, the Yankees’ Top 10 prospects list. And here’s OMG (One More Guy) from their system.
Adam Warren will be a part of Triple-A Scranton's rotation to start 2011.
Adam Warren, RHP: Warren has largely flown under the radar, not getting the kind of attention a pitcher who makes it to Double-A in his first full season should. And he didn’t just get there, he pitched well when he was in Trenton in 2010. Last year, Warren — a 4th rounder out of the University of North Carolina in 2009 — finished third in the organization with a 2.59 ERA. He struck out 126 against just 33 walks in 135 1/3 innings.
Warren went 4-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 10 starts with Trenton following his promotion. He then pitched in two playoff games, allowing four runs in 11 IP (3.27 ERA) while walking three and striking out 18.
The 23-year-old right-hander doesn’t have the highest ceiling in the world and the Yankees do seem to have a few of these solid, yet unspectacular arms, guys who profile as No. 4 type innings-eaters. Nothing wrong with that, mind you, but not the kind of guy who wows you. Don’t get me wrong — Warren doesn’t had bad stuff, but he just doesn’t have the projection of say, a Manny Banuelos.
Still, Warren could help out the Yankees or another team in a big-league rotation in the near future. He’s making the move up to Triple-A, joining a pretty stacked staff of David Phelps, Hector Noesi, D.J. Mitchell and Andrew Brackman.’
On a side note, my old friend and colleague Lisa Winston is continuing her tradition of tracking Major League debuts over on her blog, Queen of Diamonds. She’s calling it, appropriately enough, Diamonds in the Rough. Good stuff all around
Jonathan Mayo
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