Pitchers at forefront of Yanks' next wave of talent
The Yankees have attained 100 victories in consecutive years for the first time since 2002-04, with homegrown talent playing a major role in that success. In the last four seasons, they've graduated three position players who have earned multiple All-Star Game selections (Aaron Judge, Gary S¨˘nchez and Gleyber Torres) and another who placed second in the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year voting (Miguel Andujar).
Pitchers are at the forefront of the next wave of talent due to arrive in New York, adding some much-needed youth to what was baseball's fourth-oldest staff in 2019. Right-handers Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt and Michael King are candidates to bolster a rotation that was running on fumes by the time the playoffs arrived.
Promotions and trades have depleted the system since MLB Pipeline ranked it baseball's second-best in the spring of 2017. The Yankees still have plenty of high-ceiling bats and arms in the system, but many of them (such as outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Estevan Florial and right-handers Luis Gil, Yoendrys Gomes and Roansy Contreras) won't make an impact in the big leagues until 2022 at the earliest.
New York mines the international market better than most clubs. And¨˛jar, S¨˘nchez and Luis Severino already have made a difference for the Yankees, whose three Top 100 Prospects (Garcia, Dominguez, Florial) all came from that source.
TOP FIVE PROSPECTS
- Deivi Garcia, RHP (No. 62 on Top 100)
- Jasson Dominguez, OF (No. 66)
- Estevan Florial, OF (No. 82)
- Luis Gil, RHP
- Clarke Schmidt, RHP
Complete Top 30 list ?
HITTING & PITCHING PROSPECTS OF THE YEAR
Canaan Smith, OF (No. 25): The 2017 fourth-rounder hit .307/.405/.465 with 11 homers and 16 steals in his full-season debut, topping the low Class A South Atlantic League in walks (74) while ranking second in hitting and third in on-base percentage, OPS and total bases (209).
Miguel Yajure, RHP (No. 26): Mixing a 92-95 mph fastball, developing cutter and deceptive changeup that all can be plus pitches at times, he ranked second in the Class A Advanced Florida State League in ERA (2.26), strikeouts (122 in 127 2/3 innings) and WHIP (1.08). More ?
STOCK UP/DOWN
Luis Gil, RHP (No. 4): Acquired from the Twins in March 2018 for Jake Cave, Gil can devastate hitters with a fastball that reaches 101 mph and a power curveball with high spin rates, and he made progress harnessing his stuff this season.
Domingo Acevedo, RHP: He has gone from the second-best pitching prospect in the organization three years ago to an afterthought because of repeated injuries, a drop in velocity and an inability to develop a reliable breaking ball.
NOTABLE ADDITIONS
Draft: Anthony Volpe, SS, 1st round (No. 10); T.J. Sikkema, RHP, supplemental 1st round (No. 16); Josh Smith, SS, 2nd round (No. 18); Jake Sanford, OF, 3rd round; Jake Agnos, LHP, 4th round; Hayden Wesneski, RHP, 6th round; Nick Paciorek, RHP, 7th round. Complete Draft list ?
International: Jasson Dominguez, OF (No. 2)
One of the best international prospects in years, Dominguez signed for $5.1 million, features five-tool potential and has been likened to Bo Jackson, Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout. The Yankees envision Volpe becoming a solid all-around shortstop and love his high baseball IQ.
2020 IMPACT PROSPECT
Deivi Garcia, RHP (No. 1): He could use some more polish, but his pure stuff (wipeout curveball, fastball to 96 mph) is big league-ready and he averaged 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings in the upper Minors last year at age 20.
BEST TOOLS
Hit: Canaan Smith
Power: Jasson Dominguez
Run: Isaiah Pasteur
Field: Oswald Peraza
Arm: Estevan Florial
Best athlete: Estevan Florial
Fastball: Luis Gil
Curveball: Deivi Garcia
Slider: Clarke Schmidt
Changeup: Alexander Vizcaino
Control: Michael King
HOW THE TOP 30 WAS BUILT
Draft: 13
International: 14
Trade: 3
The Yankees lead all organizations with 14 international signees on their Top 30. Ten of their 13 best prospects came from the global market, though right-handers Gil and Albert Abreu were acquired in trades.
TOP 30 BY POSITION
C: 2
SS: 3
OF: 9
LHP: 1
RHP: 15
Most of New York's top 30 talent is concentrated in right-handed pitchers (15 is the most in baseball) and outfielders (nine is tied for third). Its total of three infielders, all shortstop, ties the Brewers for the fewest in the game.