Yankees 2022 prospect thread.

[drt1010]

Yankees prospects hold the lead in the Arizona Fall League
The Yankees’ prospects have the Surprise Saguaros on the verge of a division title with one week to play.
By Dan Kelly Nov 15, 2021, 8:00am EST

The Arizona Fall League enters its final week and the Yankees’ prospects hold a slight lead in their division race. With the AFL “Fall Stars” game in the rearview mirror, the Yankees’ prospects are heading down the home stretch with strong performances and the chance to help their team win the AFL Championship

https://www.pinstripealley.com/2021/...wells-catching

[drt1010]

Yankees must maneuver roster quickly to protect top prospects
By Dan Martin
November 14, 2021 7:22pm Updated

But before that happens, the Yankees have some significant moves to make — and that starts before Friday, MLB’s deadline to add minor leaguers to the 40-man roster or risk losing them to the Rule 5 draft, currently scheduled for Dec. 10 after the winter meetings.

Since the Yankees’ 40-man roster is full thanks to the re-signing left-hander Joely Rodriguez and bringing up catcher Donny Sands, they’ll have to do some maneuvering in order to protect some of their prospects — a list that could include catcher Josh Breaux, outfielder Everson Pereira, infielder Oswaldo Cabrera and pitcher Randy Vasquez — among others.

https://nypost.com/2021/11/14/yankee...-rule-5-draft/

[dayners81]

Elijah Dunham, who was undrafted in the shortened 2020 draft, is starting to really turn into a quality spec. I'm not sure i see a long term fit with us but he could become a heck of a trade piece

He had an excellent AFL and even made the AS team as a starter. He's a very good defender, very good arm and has some very good speed

[Kinkotheclown]

Yankees must maneuver roster quickly to protect top prospects
By Dan Martin
November 14, 2021 7:22pm Updated

But before that happens, the Yankees have some significant moves to make — and that starts before Friday, MLB’s deadline to add minor leaguers to the 40-man roster or risk losing them to the Rule 5 draft, currently scheduled for Dec. 10 after the winter meetings.

Since the Yankees’ 40-man roster is full thanks to the re-signing left-hander Joely Rodriguez and bringing up catcher Donny Sands, they’ll have to do some maneuvering in order to protect some of their prospects — a list that could include catcher Josh Breaux, outfielder Everson Pereira, infielder Oswaldo Cabrera and pitcher Randy Vasquez — among others.

https://nypost.com/2021/11/14/yankee...-rule-5-draft/

I was just going to ask about the dates.
Thanks for posting

They need to do something to clear space or trade some of those guys

[knicksballers]

I was told to watch a Gio trade to Seattle. Yankees have interest in 2 of their pitchers Brandon Williamson and Matt Brash. Both not on the 40 man until next year but Yankees feel they’re both high end starters like waldichuk and Wesneski.

[dayners81]

I was told to watch a Gio trade to Seattle. Yankees have interest in 2 of their pitchers Brandon Williamson and Matt Brash. Both not on the 40 man until next year but Yankees feel they’re both high end starters like waldichuk and Wesneski.

That makes sense. If they sign a SS, at least one of Gio or Torres doesn't have a spot. Thanks KB

[dayners81]

I was told to watch a Gio trade to Seattle. Yankees have interest in 2 of their pitchers Brandon Williamson and Matt Brash. Both not on the 40 man until next year but Yankees feel they’re both high end starters like waldichuk and Wesneski.

Hey, what do you think about Wesneski ? does he have high end stuff that could make him a TORP or is he more a 3/4? I know he throws in the mid 90's and has a nasty SL but i haven't heard if he has a reliable 3rd/4th pitch ?

[EAGLES3658]

I was told to watch a Gio trade to Seattle. Yankees have interest in 2 of their pitchers Brandon Williamson and Matt Brash. Both not on the 40 man until next year but Yankees feel they’re both high end starters like waldichuk and Wesneski.

If this happens then have to think they are guaranteed a top SS. Although, I think from all the reports they are definitely getting a top SS, just more likely it is Semien or Story than Seager or Correa. Still wouldn't trade either Gio or Torres unless they are getting really good value in return. I think DJ is best suited for a utility role going forward even though he will likely end up playing every day regardless due to injuries.

[Kinkotheclown]

I hope Peraza is the guy they keep. I was thinking about this and as good as Volpe was, Peraza is so close and he is a better defender. I know Volpe is rated higher but I really hope they hold on to Peraza.
I want to see him plating SS for the Yankees.

[johnnyi]

I hope Peraza is the guy they keep. I was thinking about this and as good as Volpe was, Peraza is so close and he is a better defender. I know Volpe is rated higher but I really hope they hold on to Peraza.
I want to see him plating SS for the Yankees.

If Volpe gets us Brian Reynolds, that works.

[johnnyi]

That makes sense. If they sign a SS, at least one of Gio or Torres doesn't have a spot. Thanks KB

There are a lot of potential moving parts by Friday, when the teams need their 40 man rosters set for the Rule 5 draft. IMO, Yankees need to shed players in a trade or trades prior to then. Also, QO recipients have to decide on their QO prior to then, because they have 4 or more players that they still need to save. Plus, Verlander is an interesting case. He might want to lock in a 2 year deal above the QO (hence 2 yrs X $20 Million) with a willing contender, especially Yankees, before that date. Trading Gio to Seattle would open a roster spot on the 40 man without having to lose another prospect (we were just barely able to add Sands to the roster this week and it would be awful to lose him or someone else). Though, it hasn't been discussed yet, the same would be true for any free agent deciding on the QO (for instance, what if Brandon Belt wants to know about a multi-year deal before Friday).

[Webslinger]

i had no idea they have to make roster changes so soon. I wonder how they are going to randomly pull off trades in the period of 3 days. I think they're just going to cut some players loose like Peralta, Gittens, Ridings and Wade

[dayners81]

i had no idea they have to make roster changes so soon. I wonder how they are going to randomly pull off trades in the period of 3 days. I think they're just going to cut some players loose like Peralta, Gittens, Ridings and Wade

Why in the world would they let Wandy, Ridings and Wade go. Wandy was very good in the BP, Ridings looked great and they need Wade for his speed, defense and versatility

Far more likely to let Nelson, Luetage, Andujar, Frazier, Odor and Gittens go. With Sands now on the roster and Breaux in AAA i could easily see them moving on from Higgy

[EAGLES3658]

Why in the world would they let Wandy, Ridings and Wade go. Wandy was very good in the BP, Ridings looked great and they need Wade for his speed, defense and versatility

Far more likely to let Nelson, Luetage, Andujar, Frazier, Odor and Gittens go. With Sands now on the roster and Breaux in AAA i could easily see them moving on from Higgy

I agree other than Frazier. If they expect him to be fine by next season then I don't think they let him go.

[dayners81]

a list of our MILB FA
OF Trey Amburgey – The only player on this list to make his MLB debut in 2021 (others have played in MLB before 2021), Amburgey had an insane on-base streak earlier this season that went back to his 2019 campaign. An injury cut his MLB stint short, and he didn’t compile his first big league hit (0-for-4). Amburgey may receive more opportunities in another organization.

OF Socrates Brito – Signed to a minor league contract last winter, Brito did his job as veteran depth, hitting .251/.315/.376 in 419 plate appearances with Scranton, stealing 23 bases in 26 attempts. Brito has previous MLB experience with Arizona and Toronto.

RHP Kaleb Cowart – Cowart never did debut for the Yankees organization. He was signed back in 2019. He is listed as a pitcher because he was supposed to convert to the position, but he has never actually pitched professionally. In 406 MLB plate appearances with the Angels, he hit .176/.238/.292. Now you see why they wanted to convert him into a pitcher.

OF Frederick Cuevas – Boy, do they grow up fast or what? Cuevas joined the organization back in 2015, but he only compiled 1,306 career plate appearances. He has mainly toiled around in A-Ball, though he did get to Double-A and Triple-A in 2021. He hit a home run at each level.

OF Jonathan Davis – The athletically gifted Davis showed off his glove in his brief Yankees’ tenure, but his inability to hit MLB pitching is why he is where he is. Since he can easily cover center field, it makes him desirable as an organizational depth piece.

OF Juan De Leon – I hope he invested the $2 million signing bonus wisely. De Leon never gained traction in the system, hitting .218/.332/.373 in 1,013 career plate appearances. This past season was more of the same. He displayed a little pop (9 HR, .411 SLG in 56 games) but had trouble making contact (73 strikeouts in 203 PA).

RHP Kevin Gadea – In 2016, Gadea pitched to a 2.15 ERA in 50.1 innings in High-A ball for the Mariners organization. Why is that noteworthy? He didn’t pitch in organized baseball again until 2021 with the Yankees. Gadea pitched for both Somerset and Scranton in 2021. He compiled a 2.61 ERA in 41.1 IP with 23 walks and 58 strikeouts.

1B/DH Dermis Garcia – I hope that $3 million signing bonus was placed in a secret vault. If you follow me on Twitter and read my reports, Garcia’s name should be familiar. His claim to fame will always be his tremendous raw power. He will go on hitting binges where it appears as if he is hitting a home run every night for a week or two. He is on this list because the rest of his offensive game hasn’t materialized. In 2021, he clubbed 31 home runs for Somerset, giving him 93 in 415 career games. He will be 24 on Opening Day, 2022, and one has to imagine that he will be in a minor league lineup somewhere.

SS Wilkerman Garcia – I hope he spent that $1.35 million wisely. Yeah, De Leon and the two Garcia’s are reminders of how much the teenage international market can be a crapshoot. Garcia did not play in 2021 and stalled as a prospect. In 2019, he did hit .275 in 67 games, but it came with no power or plate discipline.

OF Isiah Gilliam – I have always liked the switch-hitting Gilliam, but his game has not been able to get over the hump. This past season, he showed off some of his power/speed combination, hitting 11 home runs (.409 SLG) while stealing 26 bases. Simply put, Double-A proved to be a big hurdle.

RHP Nick Goody – The Yankees brought Goody back to the organization in 2021. He left midway through the campaign, only to come back to close it out with the franchise. Goody is your run-of-the-mill veteran reliever. He proved that he could get MLB hitters out at one point in his career, so chances will likely keep coming to him.

RHP Nick Green – The last remaining prospect from the 2016 Carlos Beltran deal (Dillon Tate and Erik Swanson have moved on), Green received a shot as a Rule 5 pick by the Mariners in 2018. He pitched well for the Yankees system in 2021, compiling a 3.80 ERA in 71 innings as a starter/reliever. While he can generate some ground balls, his walk rate is less than ideal.

SS Kyle Holder – Have a glove, will travel. In 2021, Holder was one of the Phillies’ final cuts before being sent back to the Yankees. Holder did not hit at all, compiling a .216/.295/.276 line in 287 plate appearances for Scranton. I will note that his 2019 season (.265/.336/.405 for Double-A Trenton) made it appear as if maybe his bat was starting to pick it up. Anyway, his glove should keep him around the professional ranks, but his chances of earning a sustained MLB career have diminished.

C Jason Lopez – I hope the Yankees can keep Lopez. The 23-year old didn’t hit much in 2021 (.202/.310/.329). However, he provides solid organization depth at a position that is increasingly hard to fill. There may be competition for his services, even with the less-than-ideal bat. That is how desperate I think teams are for living, breathing catchers.

OF Thomas Milone – There was a time in 2021 when I wondered if the Yankees would give Milone a shot. That is how rough the Yankees were in the outfield with injuries and COVID. Milone played well in Somerset (.276/.393/.454 in 211 PA) and Scranton (.285/.347/.445 in 150 PA). He stole 15 bases in 24 attempts.

RHP Justin O’Conner – Signed to a MILB deal in December 2019, O’Conner never made an appearance in the Yankees organization due to injuries. Originally a catcher (he compiled 2,364 minor league plate appearances), O’Conner has appeared in only 14 games as a pitcher.

RHP Jio Orozco – Acquired for Ben Gamel back in 2016 in one of those “My 40-man roster crunch player for your lottery ticket” deals, Orozco had some prospect buzz for a while. Injuries limited him to only one game and two innings in 2021. In 2019, he pitched to a 3.10 ERA in 95.2 innings for Low-A/High-A.

RHP Freicer Perez – Signed back in 2015, Perez’s health is what held him back. When he finally was able to take the mound in 2021, it was the first time since 2018. The big (6’8″, listed at 240) righty may still intrigue clubs. However, you have to be able to stay on the field to tap into that talent.

RHP David Sosebee – Drafted in the 28th round out of Georgia back in 2015, Sosebee has pitched to a 2.56 ERA in 262.2 career innings. An injury kept him out for all of 2021. Many have since passed him by on the depth chart.

RHP Jefry Valdez – Acquired from the Rockies for Jordan Foley in 2018, Valdez pitched decently for Hudson Valley/Somerset in 2021. As for Foley, he was released in 2020 and has not reappeared in affiliated ball.

UTIL Brandon Wagner – I had a soft spot for Wagner. I once dreamed of him being a left-handed utility player with pop. It just never materialized once he hit the dreaded Double-A level. In 2018, while playing in High-A, he hit .270/.376/.510 in 87 games before being promoted to Trenton. For Trenton, he played well enough to give you hope (.262/.390/.346 in 37 games). He just wasn’t able to sustain that long-term.

RHP Adam Warren – The Yankees may as well give Warren a coaching/scouting/whatever he wants to do job. They love the guy, given how often they bring him back. Warren did a fine job as a minor league veteran down in Scranton in 2021. For the Yankees: 3.18 ERA in 407 innings with 37 HR allowed. Everywhere else: 5.17 ERA in 85.1 innings with 19 HR allowed.