Yankee Minor League notes

[jacksonianmarch]

I'd hold off on calling him that. He was dominant through 2 months, but wore down as the season wore on. He caught the most games in his MiLB career this yr and will slowly ramp up his workload. I think he has shown the ability to be a solid backstop, but this yr proved that he can get worn down with the workload and may not be ready for the big time for another couple of seasons.

[Meh]

With every season' date=' Romine looks more like a backup C. I wouldn't rank him so high.[/quote']

 

This season he just tired out quickly. Remember the Yankees had him paired up with Montero for so long. He was a beast in the first half then had no gas left. He's making improvement to his defense game too which is great

[ORS]

Dude's 21 y/o. What's this tiring out nonsense? You don't get tired when you are 21. It's like a mantra of excuse. It's just as likely that the kid got figured out and couldn't/hasn't adjusted yet.

[jacksonianmarch]

The kid had never caught more than 100 games in a season, this yr he did. Catching takes its toll and most of the SRs I saw after the ASB were that he looked tired. Remember, he was a platoon man with Montero until mid yr last yr. This was his first season playing catcher full time

[Keeper]

Bill James' projections for Jesus Montero with the Yanks: .285/.348/.519 for an OPS of .867 in 442 PAs, 126 games, 21 HRs, 29 doubles, 67 RBIs, 54 runs scored

[jacksonianmarch]

He pretty much copied his exact 2010 line from AAA.

[jacksonianmarch]

So as it turns out, the Yankees dropped the right hand delivery of Pat Venditte too and added a slider from the right. He is going to be a switch pitching sidearmer. His lefty delivery still brings it at most mid 80s, but the slider comes in a la Mike Myers and he actually looks more like a future lefty reliever than righty. But if he takes to sidearming from the right side, then he has a surefire route to the bigs.

[Meh]

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/12/15/1878701/new-york-yankees-top-20-prospects-for-2011#storyjump

 

sickels list

[jacksonianmarch]

Not a bad list. I would have Banuelos at least a B+, probably an A-. He's 19, left handed, runs it up there 95-96 mph and has two plus offspeed offerings.

[Meh]

Not a bad list. I would have Banuelos at least a B+' date=' probably an A-. He's 19, left handed, runs it up there 95-96 mph and has two plus offspeed offerings.[/quote']

 

Agreed with Banuelos. Sickels said he's probably going to move Manny to a B+ and Brackman to a B. Would of loved to see Suttle get a mention among the other guys as well.

[Meh]

1. Royals (50)

2. Rays (47)

3. Braves (44)

4. Blue Jays (38)

5. Yankees (34)

6. Reds (33)

7. Rangers (31)

7. Guardians (31)

9. Angels (30)

9. Phillies (30)

9. Twins (30)

12. Dodgers (29)

13. Mariners (28)

13. Padres (28)

15. Athletics (25)

15. Cubs (25)

15. Pirates (25)

18. Nationals (24)

19. Red Sox (23)

20. Mets (22)

21. Orioles (21)

21. Rockies (21)

23. Giants (19)

24. Tigers (18)

24. Cardinals (18)

26. Astros (17)

26. Diamondbacks (17)

28. White Sox (15)

29. Brewers (13)

30. Marlins (11)

Source: http://www.deepleagues.com/?p=2336

 

5th aint too shabby.

[Dipre]

That's a fantasy baseball site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lol.

[italstallianion]

Does that say that the Yankees have the 5th best farm system? I bet that the Yankees would have the 5th highest payroll before they have the 5th best farm system.

[Meh]

It may be a fantasy baseball site, but it's pretty accurate. Yankees are def a top 7 farm system, might not be 5th but 6th or 7th at least.

 

----

 

 

 

 

In 2010 we had our fair share of breakout seasons from prospects. I know we'll probably never have that type of year again, but it's always fun to see who you think will breakout and who actually does when the season is over.

 

It'd be too easy to say someone from the 2010 draft so I'll try to look elsewhere other than guys like Gumbs, Culver, Williams, etc.

 

My first guess would be Bliech, it's easy to say him after the success of Betances and Marshall but he was having a good season and think he can pick up where he left off.

 

Second guy is Bryan Mitchell, a big bonus baby in 2009 he comes armed with a 92-94 mph fastball and a very nice curveball. Really feel like he could be something special.

 

Ramon Flores kind of breakout last year, but I think he continues to take a step up and climb up the prospects ladder.

 

Finally I'll take Melky Mesa who has an awesome tool set but hasn't been able to make consistant contact. The good thing is he's been getting better the past two seasons and if he garners half of what he's been able to accomplish with that each of the past two years then I think he'll be golden.

 

Jose Ramirez was a guy I thought was going to have a great 2010, he had a nice one but I'm still expecting good things.

[diony]

Jacko, which AAA pitcher do you think will get the call first. Phelps? Noesi? Brackman?

 

If Andy retires I don't think Mitre can hold that 5th spot for long. So maybe they're counting on those three, and that's why they haven't signed any Ponsonian pitcher so far.

[EXman369]

Prior

[jacksonianmarch]

Jacko, which AAA pitcher do you think will get the call first. Phelps? Noesi? Brackman?

 

If Andy retires I don't think Mitre can hold that 5th spot for long. So maybe they're counting on those three, and that's why they haven't signed any Ponsonian pitcher so far.

 

First call is Nova. My guess is that Andy returns and Nova locks down the #5 spot out of the gate. After that, my money is on Phelps. The guy can flat out pitch. From there, it depends on time of the year. If the Yankees need a pitcher early in the year, Mitchell and Noesi have the upper hand. If it is later in the year, Brackman or Warren will be the callups with an outside chance of Betances or Banuelos. The pitching is deep, but it needs one more year to mature

[Meh]

Yankees with the 5th best farm system...

 

jimcallisBA Second-best. Went from 19 to 4 in our farm rankings. #Yankees went from 22 to 5. @shawnlp: did #jays have the biggest one year improvement?

[jacksonianmarch]

They never should have been 22nd last yr. See BA never gives talent it's due, it's all about performance. And when it comes to prospects, I'll take the 5 tool athlete who hasn't put it together yet over the one tool athlete who is playing over his head any day of the week.

[Rdsxmbnt]

It was pretty justified last year. Where was Betances, Brackman, Sanchez, Nova last year? No way you bet on any of those guys having the years they did in 2010 and justify that potential to be above already established farm systems.

 

The Red Sox have a good amount of players with similar potential as those guys but I'm not about to put the Red Sox in the top 10 farm systems before they've broken out.

[Meh]

It was pretty justified last year. Where was Betances, Brackman, Sanchez, Nova last year? No way you bet on any of those guys having the years they did in 2010 and justify that potential to be above already established farm systems.

 

The Red Sox have a good amount of players with similar potential as those guys but I'm not about to put the Red Sox in the top 10 farm systems before they've broken out.

 

22 was a bit of a slap though. I thought they'd place 17 to 18th myself. Banuelos just got grossly overlooked last year.

[jacksonianmarch]

It was pretty justified last year. Where was Betances, Brackman, Sanchez, Nova last year? No way you bet on any of those guys having the years they did in 2010 and justify that potential to be above already established farm systems.

 

The Red Sox have a good amount of players with similar potential as those guys but I'm not about to put the Red Sox in the top 10 farm systems before they've broken out.

 

The Yankees should have been in the 15 range last yr, and I said as much. When you have arguably the best offensive players in the entire minors, depth at a priority position and one of the deeper pitching farms, you shouldnt be in the back third. This yr, 5th is warranted.

[jacksonianmarch]

Yanks have 3 of the top 8 catching prospects in baseball per MLB. Montero #1, Sanchez #3, and Romine #8

[yankees228]

Jacko, I've been mulling this over a lot - where do you think Montero fits on this team going forward?

[jacksonianmarch]

I am unsure actually. At the start of the offseason, I would have said starting catcher this yr. But after signing Martin to be catching for at least 2 yrs, I don't know. My guess is that he is moved for a prime time pitcher. But if he isn't dealt by opening day 2012, he'll be the everyday DH

[yankees228]

I am unsure actually. At the start of the offseason' date=' I would have said starting catcher this yr. But after signing Martin to be catching for at least 2 yrs, I don't know. My guess is that he is moved for a prime time pitcher. But if he isn't dealt by opening day 2012, he'll be the everyday DH[/quote']

 

This is a guy they tried to move for Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay. What available pitcher (or pitcher that might become available this year) would be worth it?

[jacksonianmarch]

They have enough to get a mid level guy without giving up Montero or the B's. But if a guy like Josh Johnson comes available, then he might

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Didn't he sign like a 4 year contract?

[jacksonianmarch]

He did, but that doesn't mean they won't sell prior to his expensive yrs

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Yeah, I know that you just made it seem like he was going to be like some sort of free agent lol.