Tyler Austin: Hot New York Yankees Outfield Prospect Deserves Promotion
Mason Williams is one of the New York Yankees' most exciting outfield prospects.
Emerging from out of nowhere, this fourth-round pick of the 2010 first-year player draft has burst onto the scene in the Yankees system.
A sweet-swinging left-handed hitter, Williams has blazing speed that joins a terrific glove and solid right arm.
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But lurking in the shadows of this 20-year-old phenom is another outfield prospect that has proven a pleasant surprise for the Yankees.
His name is Tyler Austin.
A 13th-round selection of the 2010 MLB draft, this 6’2”, 200-lb Georgia native has raked baseballs this spring.
Through 50 games in his first Sally League season, Austin is batting .327 with 13 home runs, 44 RBI and 13 stolen bases for the Charleston RiverDogs.
Austin’s slugging percent is an outstanding .668. As is his OBP, which is .402. Austin’s 1.070 OPS is tops in Class-A. During the past 10 games, Austin has hit .465 (20-for-43) with a .549/.651/1.200 line.
By comparison, Williams is batting .286 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 44 games for Charleston.
He also has a .344/.434/.778 line. The past 10 games have watched Williams slump a bit. During this stretch, Williams has hit .222 (8-for-36) with a .356/.306/.661 line.
Defensively, both Austin and Williams own a .987 fielding percent, with each committing just one error in the outfield this season.
Should Austin remain on his current tear, the Yankees may have no choice but to promote this excellent prospect to Class-A Advanced Tampa.
With that said, one thing is for certain: Austin and Williams provide more proof that the future is bright for the Yankees.
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