NEW YORK YANKEES Farm System Review for 2007 Season:
Now that the Minor League Affiliates have completed their respective seasons...
Let's review their campaigns:
AAA- Scranton/Wilkes Barre (International League- North Division)
84-59-58 (First Place by 7.5 games)
RECAP: The roster is filled with a plethora of AAAA type players. Too good for the minors but not good enough for the majors. The Yanks have sprinkled in some prospects who are gearing up for their major league careers and this combination has served SWB well. They've had a great season. Shelley Duncan and Jim Brower were selected to the All-Star team. Andy Phillips, Kevin Thompson, Kei Igawa, Matt Desalvo, Tyler Clippard, Chris Britton are just a few of the familiar names. The few bright spots were a couple of AA players who were promoted to SWB... Most notably was Brett Gardner. He's a speedy CF with 31 stolen bases and On-Base Percentage of .372. A Juan Pierre type lead-off prospect. Another OF prospect, Justin Christian, also faired well (batting .325) Two prospects: Bronson Sardinha (OF) and Alberto Gonzalez (S.S) played poorly in AAA but got it together after they were demoted to AA.
On the pitching side. Well, Colter Bean played himself out of the Yankee organization. One name on the cusp is Steven White. Of course, Ian Kennedy was promoted here and is pitching well. Chase Wright, Matt Desalvo, Jim Brower, Kei Igawa & Ross Ohlendorf. Relievers like TJ Beam, Ben Kozlowski, Steven Jackson, Chris Britton & Jose Veras might help this year.
PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: Eric Duncan (1B-3B).
His fall from elite prospect status has unfairly tagged him as a "bust." This couldn't be further from the truth. Duncan is still only 22 years-old. MOst college players drafted in this year's draft are 21-22 years-old. Obviously Duncan is not the next Andruw Jones with the bat but to say he's a bust is nonsense! He's got experience under his belt, he's still on pace (22 years-old in AAA) and still has potential to have a bright future. He's a lefty-swinging stick and that is a good thing for Yankee stadium.
His 2007 numbers are decent: 23 doubles, 10 HR, 1 triple, 44 walks. HIs .234 batting average, .314 OBP and .377 slugging (.691 OPS) are poor but he still shows flashes of his power... He's gotten some late-game BIG hits. 41 runs, 55 RBI... 73 K... 12 errors. He's definitely not ready for MLB next year but he could be by 2009 (at which point he'll still only be 24 years-old).
He's finally healthy and comfortable. He's handled position changes, being shuffled through the system and being labeled the TOP DAWG. This season showed that he's settling down and finding his groove. I expect a breakout season from him in 2008.
AA- Trenton Thunder (Eastern League- Northern Division)
83-59 (First place by 12.5 games)
* Won the Eastern League Championship defeating Akron (Indians) 3 games to 1.
RECAP: Pitching, Pitching and more pitching. This squad is loaded and it has shown on the diamond. With a staff of Alan Horne, Jason Jones, Jeffrey Marquez, Brett Smith, Justin Pope and many more, Trenton has been virtually untouchable. Relievers like Scott Patterson, Michael Gardner. Kevin Whelan, Jeff Kennard (traded to LAA) & Gerardo Casadiego have done an outstanding job as well. There hasn't been a clear-cut closer here (Jim Brower closes in AAA) so this has been accomplished by a committee. One recent promotion from A ball is Daniel McCutchen and he's been pitching well too!
In terms of position players, just as is the case in AAA, there aint much MLB ready. There are three prospects that havepotential. One is Cuban defector Juan Miranda (1B), Aarom Baldiris (3B) and Matt Carson (OF). Carson is 26, Baldiris is 24 and Miranda is 24. Also, Reegie Corona (S.S) was just promoted from A ball and has played great baseball this year.
Carson, Horne and Marquez were selected to the All-Star team.
PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: Who else but Right-hander Alan Horne, recently named the Eastern League's Pitcher of the Year.
Horne is 12-4 with a 2.97 ERA at Trenton. In 26 starts: He allows less than a hit per inning and has a 3:1 K:BB ratio.
148.1 IP
140 Hits
161Strikeouts
53 Walks
48 earned runs
8 HR
Selected by the Yankees in the 11th round in the 2005 draft...William Alan Horne...led the 2005 University of Florida team with 10 wins and 108 strikeouts...helped lead his team to the Finals of the 2005 College World Series...
He previously played at Chipola Junior College in 2004 and was selected in the 30th round of the 2004 draft by the Anaheim Angels (did not sign)...
Horne underwent "Tommy John" surgery on his right elbow in 2003...was ranked No. six on Baseball America's list of the nation's top 50 sophomores prior to the 2003 season and also rated as the SEC's No. 2 prospect for the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft...also listed as one of the top players to watch in the SEC by Collegiate Baseball...
He earned honorable mention Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball newspaper in 2002...helped lead Marianna (FL) High School to four consecutive appearances in the state 3A Final Four, including a state title his junior year...
ALAN HORNE was originally drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Indians with the 27th overall pick in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft...was a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year finalist and a three-time all-state honoree.A-Advanced (Florida State League- West)
42-28 (Second place, out by 2 games)
RECAP: Talent-rich team indeed. In first most of the season until promotions and injuries stripped the club. Let's start with those who were selected to All-Star team: Daniel McCutchen (P), Eric Wordekemper (Closer), Francisco Cervelli (catcher) & Jose Tabata (OF). Austin Jackson (OF), Kevin Russo (2B) and recently promoted Eduardo Nunez (S.S) are three more players to watch. Pitchers like George Kontos, Anthony Claggett, Joshua Schmidt, Zachary Kroenke & David Robertson are producing. Eric Wordekemper was named Most Valuable Pitcher in the Florida State League.
PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: NO, this isn't going to be Phenom Jose Tabata... That would be too obvious. Tabata broke his wrist and suffered set back playing winter ball in Venezuela and that impacted this season, so much so he's on DL and having surgery to remove hamata bone in his wrist. BUT... The prospect I want to discuss... Austin Jackson! This kid from Texas has power, speed... He's the full package. 5-tool type. He needs to cut down on his strikeouts. He doesn't have the eye or plate discipline that Tabata has but boy can he hit it and run thereafter! Jackson-Tabata served as a wonderful 1-2 punch for Tampa!
Jackson is 20 years-old. 29 stolen bases, 214 total bases, 28 doubles, 81 runs, 12 HR, 55 RBI. WOW. Nice year! Yankees drafted him and signed him and he was a top talent. He was slated to play hoops at GT and yanks paid top dollar to sway him their way. Think Curtis Granderson folks! Jackson played a game for SWB (AAA) and was playing for Trenton (AA) in their post season championship run.A Low- Charleston River Dogs (South Atlantic League- Southern)
41-29 (Second place, out by 2.5 games)
RECAP: Yanks had 4 players selected to All-Star team: pitchers David Robertson and Jonathan Hovis along with Eduardo Nunez (S.S) and Mitch Hilligoss (3B). Yanks have a bunch of solid position prospects here. Christopher Malec (1B), Timothy O'Brien (3B), Kevin Smith (1B), Seth Fortenberry (OF)... There's also a bunch of pitchers... Robertson and Hovis are RPs and so is Ferdin Tejeda... Starters like Michael Dunn, Grant Duff, Ivan Nova & Eric Hacker had their moments (Dunn looks the best). Too early to tell but the future looks bright!
PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: Mitch Hilligoss (S.S-3B). 22 years-old. Batting .313, 81 runs, 50 RBI, 33 stolen bases, 33 doubles, 4 HRs.
The only tool that Hilligoss lacks is power. He has an incredibly efficient swing, which will result in high batting averages throughout his career. It is quick, mechanically sound, and he compliments it with superior strike zone judgement. A college scout once called him "The best pure hitter I have ever seen". That said, for all the praise he profiles to hit less than 10 home runs in a season, slugging near .400. His defense is excellent at shortstop, even though he was moved to 3rd base temporarily for the short season. His arm is especially strong, and he is quite the athlete. (h ttp://firetorre.blogspot.com/2006/10/prospect-profile-mitch-hilligoss-25.html).A Short Season- Staten Island Yankees (NY-Penn League- McNamara)
47-28 (Second place, out by 2.5 games)
RECAP: Nicholas, Chigges (SP) has been a nice surprise. Ryan Zink has done well. Zachary McAllister and Dellin Betances are the two superstars but had rocky starts. RPs Jonathan Ortiz (great), Jason Stephens (very good) and Angel Reyes (so-so). MY TWO FAVORITES... BY FAR... Ryan Pope (SP) and Damon Sublett (2B). Both of these two are 2007 draft pick... And Yanks may have found something in both of these kids.
Sublett is batting .307 (.411 OBP), 7 HR, 16 doubles, 2 triples, 48 RBI, 35 runs, 39 walks and 45 strikeouts (in barely half a season)... WOW...
PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: Ryan Pope... the man from a fashion design school! What did he do last night? 6 IP, 8 whiffs, no runs, no walks, 3 hits!
On the season so far: 36.2 IP, 38 strikeouts, 9 BB, 32 hits, 8 runs, 1 HR. He is 2-0.
Ryan Pope is 21 years-old and Yanks s\drafted him this year in the third round from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Pope, who was the second player selected from an NAIA institution in the 2007 draft, became SCAD’s first-ever NAIA All-American in baseball during the 2007 season. The 6-foot-3 junior right-handed pitcher from Bradenton, Fla., was named the Player of the Year in both the Florida Sun Conference and NAIA Region XIV in 2007. He helped the pitching corps for the Bees to a 3.27 ERA, which was ranked 10th in the NAIA. Pope’s college-record 1.15 ERA was third-best in the NAIA, while he ranked third in opponent’s batting average (.162), fifth in hits allowed per nine innings (5.03), 11th in batters struck out per nine innings (10.76) and 36th in victories (9).
Pope, who was named Pitcher of the Week in the conference four times this season, had 14 complete games and registered five shutouts in 15 appearances (14 starts). Pope, who earned the Paul E. Poetter Male Athlete of the Year award for the second consecutive season, struck out 122 while walking just 13 in 102 innings pitched in 2007. Pope, who was named to the All-FSC and all-region teams a year ago, threw a no-hitter—the second in college history—to open the season against Tennessee Temple University and tossed two two-hitters and one three-hitter. Pope, who is the highest-ever drafted player among the current members in the Florida Sun Conference, holds college career records in games started (42), complete games (32), innings pitched (289.1), victories (24), strikeouts (284) and earned run average (2.36).Rookie- GCL Yankees (Gulf Coast League- North)
42-17 (First place by 6.5 games)
* Won Gulf Coast League Championship defeating GCL Dodgers two games to one.
RECAP: Brandon Laird (3B), Wady Rufino (OF), Abraham Almonte (2B) and Prilys Cuello (2B) are just a few names. Super-Uber Phenoms-Draft picks such as Austin, Romine (C-1B), Bradley, Suttle (3B) and Carmen Angellini (S.S) have just started playing. Then there's the other top International signing from last year, pitcher Jairo Heredia... 52 Ks, 39 hits in 42 IP! Dickson Marquez, Manuel Barreda, Josue Selenes, Wilkins De La Rosa and Noel Castillo are also off to nice starts!
PROSPECT PROFILE: Jesus Montero. The catcher of the future? Compared to Miguel Cabrera... This kid is a BIG, pure power-hitting catcher. Can he pull off feat Jorge Posada did? Who knows. He's only 17 years-old... He dominated the GCL Championship hitting 2 HR.On a side note: Ben Blumenthal is also a nice catching prospect on the same team!
NOW... IF I HAD TO CHOOSE... If I were to select or nominate an ALL-STAR team from our farm... take a squad from our combined minor league affiliates... based on performance this year + potential that these prospects might be able to attain... Hmmm... Let's give it a try shall we:
AGAIN... Im taking a team based on this season's production and I'll label those my starters... in parenthesis I will also include those who I think have the highest ceilings in their respective positions... HERE WE GO:
Catcher: Francisco Cervelli (Jesus Montero or Austine Romine)
First Base: Juan Miranda (Eric Duncan)
Second Base: Damon Sublett (Abraham Almonte if he doesn't play OF)
Shortstop: Eduardo Nunez or Reegie Corona (Carmine Angelini)
Third Base: Mitch Hilligoss or Aarom Baldiris (Bradley Suttle? NAH, I'll stick with Mitch Hilligoss)
RF: Matt Carson or Bronson Sardinha (Jose Tabata)
CF: Brett Gardner or Austin Jackson (Austin Jackson)
LF: Chase Odenreider (Taylor Holiday)
*Not sure who to put in LF... Kevin Reese? Most of our better OF prospects play RF or CF. BUT... Odenreider and Holiday are playing well!
SP- Ian Kennedy
SP- Alan Horne
SP- Jeffrey Marquez (Jairo Heredia)
SP- Jason Jones (Daniel McCutchen)
SP- Ryan Pope
CLOSER- Eric Wordekemper (Humberto Sanchez)
RP- Kevin Whelan
RP- Scott Patterson (JB Cox)
RP- Jonathan Hovis (MArk Melancon)
RP- David Robertson (Andrew Brackman)
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