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State of the Farm: “One, two, three, four. Can I have a little more?”
Prospect rankings primer
The Top Ten
- C Gary Sanchez
- CF Mason Williams
- RHP Jose A. Ramirez
- OF Slade Heathcott
- OF Tyler Austin
- RHP Ty Hensley
- 2B Angelo Gumbs
- RHP Jose Campos
- RHP Mark Montgomery
- RHP Rafael De Paula
1. Gary Sanchez
Position: C
DOB: 12/02/1992
Height/Weight: 6’2’’ 220 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted/Acquired: International free agent, 2009, Dominican Republic
2012 Stats: .297/.353/.517 at Low-A Charleston (68 games); .279/.330/.436 at High-A Tampa (48 games)
The Tools: 6 potential hit; 6+ potential power; 7 arm
What Happened in 2012: After a return trip to Charleston to start the season, Sanchez eventually hit his way to High-A, where the bat continued to turn heads while the glove continued to remind people that the bat turned heads.
Strengths: Big raw; 7 power potential; crushes fastballs; already tapping into right-center power; hit tool has above-average potential; arm strength is plus-plus; receiving skills have improved; impact bat at any position.
Weaknesses: Will expand hitting zone; can struggle with spin; swing has some miss; glove is below average; well below average run; catch/throw plays down because of footwork and release; low-effort player at times.
Overall Future Potential: High 6; first-division/all-star at major-league level
Explanation of Risk: High risk; raw power to play, but below-average defensive profile and some makeup concerns.
Fantasy Future: Potential to be middle-of-the-order power bat from a premium defensive spot; could hit .270-plus with 25-plus bombs.
The Year Ahead: Assuming the Yankees push Sanchez to Double-A, his bat is still going to be the carrying force in his skill set, as the power is very real even if the hit tool plays below expectations. He isn’t a lost cause behind the plate and has shown some improvement in recent years, but the overall profile is always going to be fringy. Regardless, a 4 catcher with a 6 overall bat is a monster player, and if Sanchez can juggle the demands of development, he has high-impact potential.
Major league ETA: 2014
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