It's time for some mid-season updates on the top 15 Yankee minor league prospects. I've been pretty busy with visiting my future college for the fall semester and a few mix-ups that I had to correct between my High School and College, but I'm back and ready to give some interesting information. I'm guessing more people are likely to read this because of the possibility of acquiring Roy Halladay for some premium prospect talent, even though I believe its extremely unlikely that a trade between the Yankees and Blue Jays will happen.
Each player will have a report card, and will be graded by the following:
- Talent level
- Age and league
- Performance
15 Top Prospects (no specific order)
SS-Eduardo Nunez, 22 years old (AA)
66 Games: 6 HR/33 RBI/.316/.335/.431/BA/OBP/SLG
Report Card: D+
Nunez is probably having his best offensive season of his minor league career. He was in spring training with the Yankees, and got some surprising raves. Some scouts were saying that Nunez will be a plus defender in the Majors, and will be able to hit enough to be an everyday shortstop. Nunez is more of a scrappy hitter than anything else, and even though he is putting together a respectable season in double-A Trenton, he still doesn't walk enough, and his OBP, and SLG are nothing to write home about. I'm also scratching my head trying to figure out why scouts have been raving about his defense, Nunez has committed 18 errors in 73 games this season. I wouldn't care if the Yankees parted ways with Nunez in a trade to attain Halladay, but the Blue Jays would be looking for a lot more than an average prospect. The only reason Nunez makes this list is because he is probably the best shortstop prospect (age and talent) that the Yankees have. Ramiro Pena might be better.
CF-Austin Jackson, 22 years old (AAA)
Updated: 82 games: 4 HR/34 RBI/.324/.389/.452
Report Card: B-
I wonder how many people were expecting more power out of Jackson this season, including myself. I've written a few notes on Jackson already, so I'm sorry if I repeat myself somewhat. Going into this season Jackson was seen as the Yankees top prospect, since then his leverage has dropped a bit, and most scouts do not see the ceiling on Jackson that they once saw. Statistical analytical freaks have stressed over and over again that Jackson's batting average is more so a tribute to extreme luck, than anything else. Jackson is still usually ranked around the 25-50 range when it comes to top prospects just in case you were wondering.
When doing my research on Austin Jackson I realized that most people who watch him on an everyday basis, have a greater appreciation and respect for him than scouts and stat freaks do. I could be wrong, but maybe Jackson just has the intangibles to make him a great player (remind you of anyone?). Teammates always seem to rave about his range and strong arm in the outfield, and scouts even go as far to say that he is a better defender than Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner right now, and may even win a gold glove one day. Coaches also talk about how well Jackson sprays the ball to all fields. The fact that Jackson is 22 in Triple-A, and playing decently well is a very good thing in my opinion. There are so many fans that are worried about his short-comings in the homerun department, its almost as if they're expecting a great homerun hitter in Jackson. Jackson isn't going to be a great power threat in the Majors, but he will become more of a power threat as he continues develop as a player. The power has started to come, if you look carefully into Jackson's season, he has hit all 4 of his homeruns in a little over a month's span. He will likely hit around 10-15 homeruns as a major league centerfielder which isn't bad because of the premium position and all of the assets he brings to the table. Jackson is capable of stealing 30 bases a season, hitting around .300, and winning gold gloves, which sounds like he will be the lead-off man of the future. In a way I think its good that the hype around Austin Jackson has gone down because it will take a lot of pressure off of how he performs once he reaches the big-leagues. Jackson has had a controversial season, due to his supposed "extreme luck", but I think he will be a very good player regardless of what has been said about his performance. Jeter should have won the MVP award in 2006, but voters wouldn't have realized that unless they watched him play everyday. Intangibles aren't something you can teach, and Jackson just might have that. Jackson would almost be a lock to be traded to the Blue Jays, if the Yankees attained Halladay.
RP-Mark Melancon, 24 years old (AAA)
25 Games: 2.50 ERA/39.2 IP/42 SO/9 BB
Yankees, 5 Games: 6.35 ERA/5.2 IP/2 SO/5 BB
Report Card: C+
Melancon hasn't been as impressive as I expected him to be. He has pitched well in the minor leagues, but it just hasn't translated into major league success. Here is a short scouting report on Mark Melancon: He features a 92-95 mph fast ball with decent command, and a very good power curve. He also has deception in his delivery, so why hasn't Melancon been able to get Major league hitters out? I think he will have success with the Yankees sometime this season, 5.2 innings pitched on the major league roster isn't enough to say that he is flat out incapable of throwing a baseball.
SP-Ivan Nova, 22 years old (AAA)
12 Starts: 2.36 ERA/ 72.1 IP/ 47 SO/ 31 BB (in Double-A)
3 Start: 1.42 ERA/ 19.0 IP/ 11 SO/ 6 BB (in Triple-A)
Report Card: B+
Nova is the best minor league starter the Yankees have. Some will say it's McAllister, but Nova is better. He has better stuff, and is closer to major league ready. Nova has always had a lot of up-side, but it just hasn't clicked until this season. Nova might sneak up and pitch well as the 5th starter for the Yankees sometime this season if Wang is out for a long period of time. Here is a scouting report I created on Nova: "Nova's fastball sits at 93 mph very consistently, while occasionally hitting 94 mph on the radar guns. Nova's fastball, curveball, and change-up are all plus pitches when he's on his game. He has a very nice and easy delivery, which makes me wonder how hard would he throw at max effort. Consistency has always been the key with Nova, just like any other very good prospect. Nova gets a lot of groundball outs using a four seamer fastball with good sink to it, which would explain his mediocre strike-out rates". I hope that scouting report was helpful, if Mitre doesn't pitch well as a starter, Nova might be next in line.
C-Jesus Montero, 19 years old (AA)
23 Games: 5 HR/15 RBI/.329/.400/.553/BA/OBP/SLG
Report Card: A
By now, everyone should know who Montero is to some degree, and for good reason. Jesus Montero has hit tremendously well without hitting a wall at any minor league level so far. That's not the only impressive thing, Montero has hit for a lot of power in very pitcher friendly parks (Tampa and Trenton) at only 19 years old. I've said it time and time again, Montero is going to be the best prospect to come through the Yankees minor league farm system since Derek Jeter. I like Cano, but the comparison wouldn't have been as great. Scouts and everyone agree that Montero is among the best hitting prospects in the minor leagues. Baseball America has also ranked Montero as the third best prospect in all of baseball. Even when the Yankees signed Montero, most scouts were already saying that on a 20-80 scale his power was an 80, and some even went as far as to saying that he was the best prospect to come out of Venezuela since Miguel Cabrera. This guy can hit in his sleep, he's that good a hitter. Did I hype him up enough?
Now here is the bad news. As you can see, the only aspect of Montero's game that I spoke about was his hitting ability. Although Montero is an excellent hitter, he isn't a good fielder at all. Almost every scout believes he will have to move off of the catcher position to reach the big-leagues. He has made strides defensively each season, but his big frame (6'4, 225Ibs) keeps him from being anywhere near dependable as a catcher. It's unlikely that the Yankees will rush Montero through the farm system, and if he can't be a catcher for the Yankees, then maybe he can try right or left field. First base is vacated by Texiera, and Montero's value would go down significantly if he couldn't even play a position reasonably well. Montero becoming a major league catcher would be the best case scenario, but I just don't know if its a realistic one. Granted he seems to be a very determined catcher, so I wouldn't be completely shocked if he is the Yankees future catcher. No matter where his bat plays, Montero has all-star written all over him. Besides the Yankees still have the very promising catching prospect Austin Romine.
Here is a question I have often heard in regards to Montero, so I am going to answer it now. "Would Montero even be capable of making a transition to the outfield?". The answer is (drum role please) yes he would! I'm not saying that he would be a great defender, but he could be serviceable. A person familiar with Montero as a player has said that "he is flexible enough to play right or left field, especially right field. Montero doesn't have terrible speed, and I've seen him run down some balls in the outfield pretty well".
In the paragraph above it seems like Montero would be able to play right field, however Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus had this to say when comfronted about Montero's future position:
"Bill (NYC): Follow up re Montero – when do the Yanks consider changing positions? When they have to, I guess? Or would it be wise to let him start learning LF?
Kevin Goldstein: So, so many Montero questions. Look, if it’s not C, it’s 1B/DH. I can’t see any way that works in the outfield."
I have no idea what to think about this, but I'm pretty sure Goldstein knows what he is talking about. The world of popular baseball prospects is madness!
RP-Michael Dunn, 24 years old (AA)
24 Games: 3.71 ERA/ 53.1 IP/ 76 SO/ 32 BB
Report Card: C+
The lefty-reliever known as Michael Dunn has some electric stuff, hitting as high as 96 mph on the radar gun. He has had some control issues, but his strike out totals are hard to ignore. There aren't many Yankee reliever prospects that have more upside than this guy. A person familiar with Dunn has said that "if he had solid command, he would be pitching for the Yankees right now". Hopefully that gives you a better grasp of what type of talent Dunn has.
SP-Zach McAllister, 21 years old (AA)
16 Starts: 2.25 ERA/ 92.0 IP/ 75 SO/ 27 BB
Report Card: B+
McAllister has beaten expectations this season putting up some very good numbers in Trenton (Double-A), making him a valuable prospect or trading piece as some have said (maybe a part of a Halladay trade). I think McAllister should geta chance to pitch in Scranton soon. He has dominated enough in Double-A. Here is a short scouting report that I wrote after finding some information: "McAllister has pin-point control, and can hit as high as 94 mph. McAllister is also very good at changing speeds, and is not scared to pitch to contact, like some pitchers". I think McAllister is probably at best a number 3 starter in the majors. He is more likely to become an innings eater, as a number 4 starter though. I wouldn't feel hurt if the Yankees traded away McAllister.
SP-Mannuel Banuelos, 18 years old (low A)
14 Starts: 2.40 ERA/ 82.2 IP/ 73 SO/ 18 BB
Report Card: A
The left-handed starter Mannuel Bannuelos already possesses a low 90's fast ball and two quality secondary pitches, a curveball and a change-up with some fade attached to it. He is said to pitch with the composure of a college grad, only with much better command. That's saying something for a guy who only turned 18 years old this year. His velocity will obviously improve as his body continues to mature and his other pitches will likely follow. He has even been compared to a young Tom Glavine, when it comes to his future ability, and has also been compared to Whitey Ford because of his easy delivery.
Bannuelos has exceeded expectations, pitching very well for the Charleston River Dogs in A-ball. The reason this is very surprising is because he is only 18 years old dominating competition that on average are around 2 years older than him. He will likely crack the top 10 Yankee Prospects list at the end of this season, and might be the next pitching phenom for the Yankees. People that watch Bannuelos mention the fact that he doesn't seem to get rattled on the mound, and if he continues to pitch this way, he might be starting for Trenton next season.
C-Austin Romine, 20 years old (High A)
78 Games: 11 HR/ 52 RBI/.286/.317/.476/BA/OBP/SLG
Report Card: B+
Romine always seems to be playing in the shadows of Jesus Montero, but that doesn't mean he isn't a very good prospect. Romine is probably the best all-around catcher the Yankees have in there farm system. He hits for good power, contact, with good skills behind the plate as a catcher, and he even has decent speed at the moment stealing 8 bases in 10 attempts. Scouts have said if everything goes right for Romine, he can potentially be a 20-25 homerun type of hitter. I think that's enough to replace Posada when his contract expires in 2011. Romine is probably 2-3 years away from major league ready.
SP-Dellin Betances, 21 years old (High A)
11 Starts: 5.48 ERA/ 44.1 IP/ 44 SO/ 27 BB
Report Card: F
Betances has a big frame standing at 6'8, which has hurt his mechanics. For the past few seasons it's been difficult for him to repeat his delivery consistently, resulting in a lot of walks and an awful ERA. Betances has a lot of talent, but I'm beginning to doubt he will ever meet his potential. If he ever max's out his potential, your talking about a very, very dangerous pitcher. Betances is on the DL right now, maybe we can just call this a bad year.
SP-Andrew Brackman, 23 years old (Low A)
15 Starts: 5.97 ERA/ 78.1 IP/76 SO/56 BB
Report Card: F
Brackman like Betances is very tall, and has the same kind of potential and mechanical problems. Brackman is coming off of TJ surgery, and it usually takes players another year to make a full return. Brackman has a filthy arsenal, that contains a high 90's fast ball, and a very good curve ball. His control issues are everywhere. The guy doesn't know where the ball is going! I think he will likely pitch much better next season, I'll give him a pass this year. I do think there might be an injury issue with Brackman, but maybe not. Here is an easy way to describe Brackman, "Immensely talented, sky-high ceiling, incredibly raw".
SP-Brett Marshall, 19 years old (Low A)
16 Starts: 5.47 ERA/ 82.1 IP/55 SO/ 36 BB
Report Card: D
The only reason he isn't getting an F report card is because I don't believe he was ready for this league. He probably should've started his professional career in the GCL. Marshall is the youngest Yankee pitching prospect to go from the First Year Player Draft to Single-A Charleston since Phil Hughes did it a few years ago. Sadly he hasn't pitched anything like Phil Hughes. The statistics tell the story, a 5.47 ERA is not getting the job done. If your interested in why Marshall was getting to play for Charleston so quickly, here is a scouting report:
"As is common these days, he throws both a four and two-seam fastball. His velocity stands at around the 90-92 mph range, while occasionally touching 94. Marshall’s two seamer has filthy armside run when he maintains his arm slot, but it typically lags 2-3 mph behind his four-seamer.
Armed with two breaking balls, Marshall’s slider is a legit put-away pitch. Coming in hard in the mid-to-high 80’s, the pitch can be confused for a splitter because of its sharp break. His curve is promising but still rudimentary. Typical of prep pitchers, Marshall rarely used his change-up in high school, leaving quite a bit of development in it’s future."
This was Marshall's scouting report before the season started.
SP-Arodys Vizcaino, 18 years old (Staten Island)
5 Starts: 2.82 ERA/ 22.1 IP/ 27 SO/ 7 BB
Report Card: B+
It's is finally time that I can say Vizcaino is a legitimate prospect. Vizcaino has a very high ceiling, and is probably the most exciting pitching prospect the Yankees have in their farm system. He is far from major league ready though, I'd say give him 3-4 years. At 18 years old Vizcaino is dominating the competition in staten island, striking out 27 batters in 22.1 innings. His arsenal contains a 4-seam fastball that is capable of touching 95 mph, with a plus curveball and change-up. The velocity on his fastball will likely increase as he gets older as well. He's electric!
OF-Neil Medchill, 22 years old (Staten Island)
23 Games: 6 HR/ 16 RBI/.337/.364/.651/BA/OBP/SLG
Report Card: B+
Medchill has some big time power from the left side of the plate, and he has shown us that this season blasting 6 homeruns in his first 23 games. Medchill was the Yankees 11th round pick in this year's draft. It should be interesting to see how he progresses through the minors. Medchill is an obvious sleeper prospect in my eyes, he might fly through the farm system in about 2 years if he continues to hit like this. He seems to be too advanced for this league.
OF-Kelvin De Leon, 18 years old (GCL)
19 Games: 4 HR/ 14 RBI/.348/.400/.565/BA/OBP/SLG
Report Card: A
Kelvin De Leon is another prospect who I would now consider legit. After having a very good season in the DSL (Dominican Summer League) he seems to be providing the Yankees with something they need in their farm system, a "power bat corner-outfielder". De Leon has been red hot since the GCL league started in June, hitting .348, while displaying his plus-plus power by hiting 4 homeruns thus far this season. His bat has been compared to that of Vladimir Guererro. That's some high praise for an 18 year old. I'm very excited to see how De Leon progresses through the minor leagues, I mean what's not to be excited about? This season says it all. Hopefully he can continue to develop and become one of the better prospects in baseball. If you have no clue who De Leon is, and do not completely trust what I say, here is some information regarding De Leon from ESPN.com:
“DeLeon got a $1.1 million bonus before the time when seven-figure checks were handed out like candy in the Dominican. Now in his stateside debut, scouts who have seen him play are relaying stellar reports: plus-plus raw power and excellent overall athleticism to go with his .359/.406/.594 batting line — but also a tendency to swing at anything, a trend that needs to be overcome (23 K’s in 64 at-bats). For now, the positives far outweigh the negatives.”
CF-Eduardo Sosa, 18 years old (GCL)
18 Games: 2 HR/11 RBI/.203/.279/.390 /BA/OBP/SLG
Report Card: C+
Sosa, like De Leon is coming off of a very good year in the DSL, and is picking up where he left off. Sosa probably doesn't have the same potential as De Leon from a power hitting stand point, but he does project to have decent power. Sosa is an above average defender with plus-plus speed in centerfield. If him and De Leon continue they're production, we should see two very good players in the future. I'm sure more information will be known on Sosa and De Leon as they continue to rise through the prospect charts.
I hope you enjoy the post, I put a lot of work into it. There are seven players here that I hope will not be traded by the deadline. Those players are: Jesus Montero, Austin Jackson, Ivan Nova, Arodys Vizcaino, Kelvin De Leon, and Mannuel Banuelos. I think all of these players have a chance to be very good once they are major league ready. That is of course assuming they make it that far.
There are a few more interesting names that I know I did not mention, but for the most part I've found these prospects to be more interesting (with the exception of Nunez). Also if you were looking for Jairo Heredia or George Kontos on this list, you won't find them because they are on the disabled list
If you have any questions about any of these prospects feel free to leave it in the comments. I will give you an answer.
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