General
Manager:
Brian Cashman
Minor
League Director:
Mark Newman
Scouting
Director:
Damon Oppenheimer
AAA:
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (International League) 73-69
AA:
Trenton Thunder (Eastern League League) 68-73
Hi
A:
Tampa Yankees (Florida State League) 74-64
Low
A:
Charleston RiverDogs (South Atlantic League) 55-85
Rookie
Adv.:
Staten Island Yankees (New York-Penn League) 45-28
Rookie:
GCL Yankees (Gulf Coast League) 37-23
Dominican:
DSL Yankees1 (Dominican Summer League) 32-38
Dominican:
DSL Yankees2 (Dominican Summer League) 28-42
System
Overview
No
General Manager and team are scrutinized as much as Brian Cashman and
the New York Yankees, although that comes with playing in the largest
market in the United States. For as much criticism as they receive
for having the largest payroll in all of baseball, Cashman
consistently makes sound decisions, even if the Yankees have more
margin for error given the financial resources they have at their
disposal, and have made the playoffs every year but one (2008) since
the strike-shortened season in 1994, claiming six World Series
Championships during that time.
The
team doesn't have the same homegrown feel it did in the late 90s when
their starting lineup was led by Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Bernie
Williams, with Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera serving as long-time
mainstays for the pitching staff.
Jorge
Posada has retired from the game this offseason, leaving Jeter and
Rivera as the only remaining players from the Yankees' dynasty that
closed out the millennium, and both are nearing the end of their
careers as well. Rivera, arguably the greatest closer ever to play
the game, has indicated that the 2012 season may be his last, while
Jeter, amidst ever growing concern about his ability to play
shortstop defensively, keeps producing at the plate serving as the
Yankees' Captain.
When
the Yankees are intent to be active on the free agent market, it's
hard for any other team to compete with them. That was evident
during the 2009-10 offseason, when they signed the top three free
agents available in Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.
Burnett
was recently traded to the Pirates, but Teixeira and Sabathia remain.
As does Alex Rodriguez, and the team is starting to graduate more
talent to the big leagues from within.
Most
notably is Robinson Cano, who has established himself as arguably the
best second baseman in the game. Fellow Dominican Ivan Nova
seemingly came out of nowhere last year to enjoy a breakthrough
campaign during his first, full season in the big leagues.
While
their division rivals Boston Red Sox are one of the most aggressive
teams when it comes to improving their talent base through the draft,
the Yankees take a relatively conservative approach. They are one of
the bigger players on the international free agent market, and in
particular have made the Dominican Republic a priority as evidenced
by Cano, Nova and their two Dominican Summer League teams.
Three
of the players listed among the top 10 prospects as shown below,
Manny Banuelos (Mexico), Gary Sanchez (Dominican Republic) and Ravel
Santana (Dominican Republic) are products of their international
efforts. Venezuelan Jesus Montero, who was signed in 2006 for $2
million, was used to pry Dominican right-hander Michael Pineda and
Venezuelan right-hander Jose Vicente Campos away from the Seattle
Mariners to improve the biggest weakness on their big-league team,
the starting staff.
Both
the Yankees and the Mariners deserve credit for pulling the trigger
on the Montero-for-Pineda deal, as rarely do you see teams move their
top prospects, even in exchange for another. The Yankees of course
had a glaring need in their starting staff, and the Mariners have had
difficulty scoring runs in recent years with a severe lack of impact
bats in their own system.
Although
he's still several years away from contributing at the MLB level,
Gary Sanchez has exciting offensive potential behind the plate with a
slightly better chance of staying there defensively than Montero had.
Overall the system has a handful of promising catchers they could
turn to in the years to come, and they gave themselves time to be
patient with those developments when they signed Russell Martin
during the 2010-11 offseason.
More
pitching is on the way, and while the perennial expectation to win at
the highest level means the Yankees can't afford to be as patient at
the big-league level, they have several in-house options to turn to
in 2012 including Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and David Phelps.
Phil Hughes, the team's first round pick from 2004, has already
assumed one of those starting roles, although didn't enjoy the
success that Nova did last year.
They
also signed free agent Hiroki
Kuroda
away from the Dodgers this offseason, giving them a projected
rotation of Sabathia, Pineda, Nova, Kuroda and Hughes. That means
they can continue to be patient with the development of Banuelos and
Betances while having enviable depth at the position.
2011
Draft
The
Yankees were willing to part with their first round pick when they
signed set-up man Rafael Soriano last offseason, who prior to signing
with the Yankees was drawing minimal interest on the free agent
market.
They
gained a first round (supplemental) pick back due to the free agent
departure of Javier Vazquez, and used that pick to take the son of
former big league slugger Dante Bichette, Dante Jr.
Bichette
is basically a clone of his father, both in appearance and
prospective status. He has exciting bat speed and power potential
that profiles to hit in the middle of an order, and will begin his
career being groomed as a third baseman, a position his father also
played at in the minor leagues.
Their
second round pick, left-handed pitcher Sam Stafford out of Texas,
opted not to sign, which may turn out to be a good thing for the
Yankees since Stafford was shut down this season with a shoulder
injury. The team will receive the 89th overall pick in the 2012 draft due to them not signing him prior to
last August's deadline.
The
team's focus remained on high school bats among their early
selections, taking third baseman Matt Duran (fourth), catcher Greg
Bird (fifth), outfielder Jake Cave (sixth) and first baseman Austin
Jones (seventh). The Yankees had to use bonuses well above slot
value for Bird ($1.1 million) and Cave ($800,000) to lure them away
from Arkansas and LSU respectively, and all four hitters could be
groomed as a unit in the lower levels of the system.
Their
focus also remained on the high school class for the pitchers they
targeted, the first of which being projectable right-handed pitcher
Jordan Cote who was taken in the third round. Cote currently throws
in the upper-80s to low-90s, but his 6-foot-5 frame suggests there is
more to come.
Bonuses
well above slot value were also used to ink a handful of prep arms
taken well after the top 10 rounds. Right-handed pitchers Rookie
Davis ($550,000, 14th round), Hayden Sharp ($200,000, 18th),
and Joey Mahar ($300,000 38th),
as well as left-handers Daniel Camarena ($335,000, 20th)
and Chaz Hebert ($148,000, 27th)
point to the Yankees being creative and doing their homework to add
impact pitching into the system. These five pitchers collectively
signed for just over $1.5 million.
Of
course the new draft rules of the collective bargaining agreement
means the Yankees can no longer sign players past the 10th round for more than $100,000, at least without exceeding the assigned
draft cap of the top 10 rounds to avoid penalty.
On
paper the Yankees 2011 draft doesn't stand out among the best in
Major League Baseball, but they did a good job adding a promising
collection of high ceiling hitters and pitchers to their system.
Top
10 Prospects
1.
RHP Manny Banuelos
– Baseball-reference player profile
Banuelos
has advanced quickly since he signed with the Yankees in 2008 out of
Mexico, making his professional debut later that year. Three years
later, he finished his third full season at the AAA level poised to
make his impact in the big leagues. He turns 21-years old next week,
and likely will return to the AAA level to begin the 2012 season, but
as noted above, both he and Dellin Betances give the Yankees two
intriguing options to turn to.
While
some concerns arose after last season when he walked 71 batters over
a career high 130 innings, but previously has showed good control and
had a reputation for commanding his three pitch repertoire very well.
That
arsenal includes a sinking upper-80s to low-90s fastball that has the
ability to creep into the mid-90s. Both his hard breaking curveball
and nice fading changeup are also above average pitches, with the
advanced knowledge of how to change speeds to complement one another
very well. Overall he does a good job keeping the ball down, and in
the park, allowing only nine home runs last season.
As
noted, Banuelos turns 21 next week, and many believe young pitchers
should only increase their innings pitched total from one year to the
next by only 25-40, meaning the Yankees can afford to, and probably
should remain patient with his development. Listed at 5-foot-11,
155-pounds, he doesn't have the ideal size of a starter expected to
consistently throw 200 innings over the course of the season, adding
more reason to be careful with his development.
2.
C Gary Sanchez –
Baseball-reference player profile
Sanchez'
profile is very similar to that of the team's previous No. 1
prospect, Jesus Montero, as a catcher with incredible upside
offensively but with plenty of questions about his ability to stick
behind the plate. Sanchez also signed for big money out of Latin
America, as the Yankees inked him for $3 million out of the Dominican
Republic in 2009.
It
didn't take long for Sanchez to show what he's capable of at the
plate, hitting eight home runs across two levels during his debut
season in 2010, and adding 17 more during his first full professional
season last year in the South Atlantic League. He has very good bat
speed and extension in his swing, and a disciplined eye.
While
the Yankees have no reason to move him from behind the plate anytime
soon, a move to a corner outfield spot or even first base may be
inevitable. For as much seasoning as he requires defensively, his
bat may dictate the pace in which he progresses. He'll move up to
the Florida State League in 2012 at the age of 19.
3.
RHP Dellin Betances
– Baseball-reference player profile
Betances'
stuff has never been in question dating back to his time spent as a
PG/Aflac All-American in 2005. With a skyscraper 6-foot-8 stature,
he has added strength to his long, strong limbs since signing for $1
million as the Yankees' eighth round pick in 2008.
The
soon-to-be 24-year old has been brought along slowly but surely, and
during his six-year minor league career he has eclipsed the
100-inning mark three times. He has 491 strikeouts in his 426 career
innings, and finished last year at the AAA level while also making a
pair of brief appearances for the big league club.
Betances
has also walked 205 batters during his minor league career, pointing
to a need for improved command. He can be effectively wild with his
low-90s heater that can push 94-96 with regularity. He uses his
stature well making it look as though he throws that much harder
throwing downhill, and also has a sharp curveball and a good, yet
inconsistent, changeup.
4.
OF Ravel Santana
– Baseball-reference player profile
The
2012 season was Santana's first state-side, spending his first two
professional seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He responded
incredibly well, hitting .291/.361/.568 with 23 extra-base hits,
including nine home runs, in 42 games.
He
has five-tool potential, with a very strong arm, good, not great foot
speed and exciting overall potential at the plate with the ability to
hit for average and power. He generates very good bat speed thanks
to his strong hands and wrists, and consistently squares the ball up
hitting it consistently hard. A good overall athlete, he profiles
well in the outfield, although may be a better eventual fit in right
field than center.
Santana's
progress to open the 2012 season could be slowed after breaking his
ankle in mid-August last year. Yet another product of the Yankees
aggressive Latin American scouting and spending, it remains to be
seen where Santana will open this season, but extended spring
training seems likely as his name may not start appearing in box
scores until mid-June. When it does, and if big numbers follow, he
could be moved aggressively.
5.
OF Mason Williams
– Baseball-reference player profile
Williams
is another exciting overall athlete, as he and Santana could create
an exciting outfield of the future should all of the pieces come
together for both of them. However, Williams' profile isn't quite
the same as Santana's, as his game is built more around his
game-changing speed as a potential dynamic leadoff threat.
Listed
at 6-foot, 150-pounds, the biggest key to Williams' progression is
strength, with many wondering how much power he'll hit for down the
road. However, that part of his game doesn't necessarily have to
drastically improve given his profile. He hit .349/.395/.468 last
year as a 19-year old in the New York-Penn League, stealing 28 bases
in 40 attempts, but at this point in his career he relies more on his
natural athleticism than he does polish. His plate discipline and
defense both need to improve, but he has shown the ability to make
adjustments and learn quickly, as both areas can be improved with
experience.
After
signing out of the fourth round in 2010 for $1.45 million, Williams
will make his full-season debut this season in the South Atlantic
League. He likely will be brought along one step at a time.
6.
RHP Jose Vicente Campos
– Baseball-reference player profile
If
you felt that swapping Jesus Montero for Michael Pineda was a pretty
fair trade straight-up, as a Yankees fan you probably really like the
addition of Jose Campos. He's about as perfectly projectable of a
pitcher that you can find, with a tall, rangy and strong 6-foot-4,
195-pound frame that continues to add strength. He also continues to
improve with experience, posting a 2.32 ERA last summer in the
Northwest League during his state-side debut, posting ERAs of 3.16 in
2010 and 5.73 in 2009 in the Venezuelan Summer League.
Campos
uses his size very well to throw on a downhill plane, getting full
extension with his long limbs making it look like he's releasing the
pitch right on top of home plate. He has swing-and-miss stuff,
including a fastball that sits in the low-90s with the ability to
touch 95-97 and plenty of reason to believe he'll be sitting, and
touching, a few ticks higher in the years to come. Both his
curveball and changeup show promise, but he needs to throw them more
comfortably more consistently. He has also showed very good command
of his fastball for such a young pitcher.
The
Yankees can be as patient as they want to be with the 19-year old
hurler, as he could begin the year in extended spring training before
moving onto the New York-Penn League. However, it wouldn't be
surprising to see him open the year in the South Atlantic League
since he's shown enough polish to go along with his considerable
promise.
7.
3B Dante Bichette
– Baseball-reference player profile
The
first time I saw Bichette I had to do a double-take, as I was not
only amazed by how much he looked like his father, but also by his
remarkably similar stance in the batter's box and overall mannerisms.
His profile as a player, and more specifically as a hitter, are also
very similar, as his bat is what caused him to be drafted by the
Yankees with their first pick last June in the sandwich round.
He
uses his size and natural strength well to muscle the ball out of the
park. He does have good bat speed with very good extension.
Bichette enjoyed a very successful pro debut in the Gulf Coast
League, hitting .342/.446/.505 with 30 doubles and a 30-to-41 walk to
strikeout ratio in 196 at-bats, and could begin his first full pro
season this year in the South Atlantic League.
While
he was drafted as a third baseman, and shows the necessary tools to
stick there, an outfield corner may be in his future as it was with
his father, although like so many young players, that isn't a switch
the Yankees have to worry about anytime soon.
8.
3B Tyler Austin
– Baseball-reference player profile
Tyler
Austin fell to the 13th round of the 2010 draft after
playing in the 2010 PG/Aflac All-American Classic. He was selected
to that team as a catcher, and despite his rocket arm, the Yankees
have already moved him from behind the plate to third base. He has
also played a handful of games at first base, and there still remains
question whether he'll stick at the hot corner, or anywhere on the
infield for that matter. His athleticism and speed would go to waste
at first base, and given his wheels as well as his arm strength, the
next likely destination could be right field.
Wherever
he ends up his bat is his strength. He has very good power potential
with a clean, compact stroke and an advanced approach at the plate.
The ball jumps off his bat with a knack for squaring the ball up
consistently well. He continued to enjoy success in the New
York-Penn League last summer after starting the year with the Yankees
Gulf Coast League affiliate. Between those two stop he collectively
hit .354/.418/.579 with 18 doubles and six home runs. His speed also
has served him well on the basepaths, stealing 18 bases in as many
attempts last summer.
That
early success during his pro career leads many to believe that he
should have no problems adjusting to full season ball next year, and
could advance quickly should he continue to produce at a high level
offensively.
9.
C Austin Romine
– Baseball-reference player profile
The
Yankees have focused on quite a few catchers in the early rounds of
the draft in recent years, as well as part of their Latin American
focus. Romine was the team's second round pick in 2007, and has
progressed steadily one level at a time since beginning his
professional career.
Last
year he repeated the AA level prior to getting a taste for both the
AAA and big-league levels. Unlike most of the other top catching
prospects in the Yankees system, and almost the exact opposite of No.
2 prospect Gary Sanchez, Romine's defense is what allows him to stand
out. He has good quickness, game-calling skills and a strong,
accurate arm behind the plate.
He
does have some promise offensively with a quick stroke, a patient
approach and gap-to-gap power. Romine likely will return to AAA to
open 2012, and could reach the big leagues for good by midseason
serving as Russell Martin's backup.
10.
RHP David Phelps
– Baseball-reference player profile
Phelps'
upside isn't particularly high, but he got the nod for the final spot
on the Yankees' top 10 prospect list for the success he has enjoyed
in the minor leagues and his proximity to doing the same at the Major
League level.
A
14th round pick in the 2008 draft, Phelps reached the AAA
level by mid-summer of his second full professional season. He is
10-8 with a 3.14 ERA in 30 appearances (29 starts) at the AAA level,
where he has thrown 178 innings. Should there be any need for a spot
start at the big league level, the Yankees may opt to go with Phelps
over Banuelos and Betances to allow those two pitchers to gain more
experience.
Phelps
doesn't throw as hard as those other two do, regularly working in the
upper-80s and reaching the 90-91 range frequently. He exhibits very
good command of his fastball/curveball/changeup repertoire, moving
the ball well around the zone and pitching to contact to maximize his
workload. While he has struck out 147 batters during his 178 AAA
innings, he also has given up 191 hits, evidence that he does pitch
in the zone, lacking the raw stuff to blow batters away. He still
has value as an eventual No. 4- or 5 starter, although he may get a
better long-term opportunity with another organization.
Others
in the Conversation: LHP
Daniel Camarena, OF Jake Cave, SS Cito Culver, OF Slade Heathcott,
C/3B J.R. Murphy, RHP Adam Warren