Yankees Minor League Notes

Robert Pimpsner of Baby-Bombers.com and I are currently working on our projections of what the minor league rosters will look like. So look for that in the next couple of days.

We got a little help from Chad Jennings yesterday as he updated his blog with some notes from Yankees’ vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman.

Newman guesses that Alan Horne might stay in Tampa probably participating in extended spring training. In the past I’ve heard that he could be part of the Tampa rotation at least initially. Expect Horne to move up to triple-A as soon as the weather improves.

Jennings writes that Eric Fryer, the player acquired in the deal that sent Chase Wright to the Brewers, will likely start in single-A Tampa. How much playing time he gets and where depends on how he does, but it isn’t likely he’ll see much time behind the plate. You can thank Jesus Montero and Austin Romine for that.

That pair will likely start the season sharing the catching duties for Tampa. The Yankees like to keep their catching prospects on a slow pace, meaning they both could finish the season in Tampa even if they hit well. However, if anybody could move quickly through the system it is them.

Newman noted that since Wright has been shipped to Milwaukee he will likely be replaced on the triple-A roster with either George Kontos or Eric Hacker. Humberto Sanchez also has a chance to grab that fifth starter slot. Bullpen spots have not been ruled out for any of the three.

Christian Garcia is expected to start the season in the double-A Trenton rotation. As Jennings notes, this goes against Baseball America saying he could start in Tampa because the warm weather might be better for this injury prone starters health.

JB Cox is expected to start the season in the triple-A bullpen. I expect him to stay there for most of the season unless injuries create a need and a spot on the 40-man roster.

Newman predicts that out of these players, Jason Johnson, Doug Bernier, Angel Berroa, Justin Leone, Todd Linden and John Rodriquez, not all of them will be with the Yankees by the start of the season. Noting that some will leave to try to get a major league roster spot with other teams rather than go to the minors.

Newman talked about Colin Curtis and Edwar Gonzalez. He said that they are in the same boat where he hopes that they both start in triple-A. He does mention that this will be effected by Brett Gardner. On Gardner he said that if he isn’t the starting center fielder for the Yankees he could be in triple-A.

Ramiro Pena and Kevin Russo are expected to start in triple-A, but that isn’t guaranteed because there are more players than will be roster spots. He said Chris Malec is in the mix to start in Scranton as well.

Newman is also hoping that Eric Duncan turns himself back into a major league option. He said that he expects him to get plenty of at bats to give him that chance.