New York Yankees: 5 Top Prospects Ready to Make Instant MLB Impact
The New York Yankees can keep reaping the rewards of a loaded farm system by welcoming their next wave of top prospects to the Big Apple.
Although renowned (and often disdained) for their deep pockets, the Yankees built their Evil Empire on homegrown stars.
They have returned to the pennant race not on the merit of hired mercenaries but because of strong starts from Jordan Montgomery, Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez and American League MVP favorite and destroyer of baseballs Aaron Judge.
Those young players offer plenty of hope for a brighter present and future, but the Yankees are still waiting to unleash another hoard of minor leaguers. By trading Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller last summer, they established one of MLB's best farm systems.
Two top-tier position players acquired for the World Series-bound relievers have generated the most buzz, but a few organizational draftees have blossomed into potential big league contributors.
Their marquee name nearing a promotion, however, received a significant and untimely setback.
Most of New York's top prospects—with the notable exception of 2016 first-round pick Blake Rutherford—are on the cusp of realizing their dreams of playing in Major League Baseball. The following five Triple-A players are all making compelling cases to wear pinstripes this season.
Honorable Mention: SS Gleyber Torres
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Days ago, Gleyber Torres would have headlined this group. Yankees fans now must wait until 2018 at the earliest to see the spectacular shortstop.
On Monday, the team's PR department confirmed that Torres—MLB.com's No. 2-rated prospect behind Yoan Moncada—will need Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. He'll miss the remainder of the 2017 season with designs on returning next spring.
After initially struggling in Triple-A, the 20-year-old was beginning to beckon for a one-way ticket to New York. Hitting .400 (18-for-45) over his last dozen games and moving to third base—where the Yankees need more help—sparked speculation of an upcoming promotion.
"There are officials in the organization who like the idea of adding more talented, youthful energy for the stretch run to an already dynamic roster," ESPN.com's Andrew Marchand wrote three days before the bad news broke. "Torres could be an everyday addition to the lineup before the trade deadline."
The Yankees will hope this is a mere setback for a future star, who should finish his journey to the majors next year if healthy.
SP Chance Adams
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The only pitcher of the bunch, Chance Adams' promotion could be imminent.
When the Yankees needed a starter to replace the sidelined C.C. Sabathia on Sunday, fans wondered if Adams would get the call. The 22-year-old has justified such an opportunity by posting a 1.78 ERA in 13 starts between Double-A and Triple-A.
After allowing four earned runs in 35 Double-A innings, he has registered a 2.43 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 40.2 frames for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
The Yankees probably did not want to bring up their No. 7 prospect, as rated by MLB.com, for one or two turns. Yet it appears the vacancy is now more than a short-term opening.
According to the New York Daily News' Christian Reed, general manager Brian Cashman anticipates Sabathia missing at least six weeks with a strained right hamstring.
Sunday's starter, Luis Cessa, did not make a strong bid for an extended stay. The 25-year-old righty, who notched a 4.15 ERA in Triple-A, surrendered four runs in as many innings.
Another possible option, Chad Green, then tossed two scoreless innings in relief. He might be better served instead replacing injured long reliever Adam Warren.
A seven-game losing streak may also rattle the Yankees into deploying Adams, even if his command has ebbed in Triple-A.
If he doesn't take Sabathia's spot, Masahiro Tanaka's struggles and possible innings limits for Severino and Montgomery should still precipitate his debut this season.
1B Tyler Austin
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The Yankees lead MLB in weighted on-base average (wOBA) despite receiving the second-worst wOBA from their first basemen, per FanGraphs. Chris Carter is piling up strikeouts without his typical power offsetting those deficiencies, and Greg Bird suffered a setback during his rehab from a leg injury.
Matt Holliday could take more reps at first, but the Yankees will want to keep the 37-year-old healthy to preserve his offensive resurgence as their designated hitter. Their best internal minor league option is Tyler Austin, who showed some power with five homers in 90 big league plate appearances last year.
Austin held his own with a .758 OPS last summer, but a preseason foot injury prevented him from earning an Opening Day opportunity. Although he has yet to rediscover his power since returning in late May, the 25-year-old has hit safely in 22 of 28 games.
But that's not his game. Contact was his major problem in New York last year; two-fifths of his plate appearances ended via strikeout for the .241 hitter. He padded this year's .313 average in five Double-A rehab games, and he's arguably overqualified for a Triple-A as well.
That doesn't necessarily mean he's ready to make a major league impact. Austin must first flaunt some pop before the Yankees extend him the coveted job. Yet he'd likely at worst be a lateral move at first from Carter, so they don't have much to lose from trying him out before searching for an outside upgrade near the deadline.
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OF Dustin Fowler
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On another team, Dustin Fowler may already be in the majors.
Drafted out of high school in 2013's 18th round, the outfielder made incremental improvements before 2017's monumental strides. More of a contact-hitting speedster earlier in his development, he's hitting .296/.336/.544 with 11 home runs and 12 stolen bases for the RailRiders.
Placing the left-handed hitter with a compact swing inside Yankee Stadium could further unlock his 20-20 potential, and he has ably manned all three outfield positions this season. While his production warrants a reward, the Yankees don't have a vacancy.
Breakouts from Judge and Aaron Hicks should send Jacoby Ellsbury to the bench when the highly paid veteran returns from the disabled list. So Fowler would need two injuries to clear a starting role, and even then a more highly regarded outfield prospect could cut him in line.
The Yankees are unlikely to hinder his playing time with a bench role, so the 22-year-old requires noteworthy circumstances to leave the minors anytime soon.
A trade would spark his quickest path to the majors, as a retooling team would likely give him an extended look over the final months.
OF Clint Frazier
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Those same issues apply to Clint Fraizer, the crown jewel of the Yankees' Miller exchange last July.
MLB.com's No. 18 prospect flaunts a significantly higher ceiling than Fowler, but he has offered a similar 12 home runs and nine steals in the same Triple-A outfield. The 22-year-old strikes out more, leading to a lower .258 batting average, but a 12.0 walk rate fuels a superior .349 on-base percentage.
His success will spur a sign of relief, as he batted .225/.278/.396 in 25 games following last year's trade. RailRiders manager Al Pedrique noted Frazier's vast progress to MiLB.com's John Wagner:
"He has shown a lot of improvement from last year. You could tell he was trying to do too much, to show the organization he was 'The Guy.' He's got a lot of talent. I see a kid who defensively is getting a lot better with his jumps and his routes. Offensively, I see a different kid with more confidence: His plate discipline is better and so is his pitch selection."
Despite abiding by the organization's archaic rules and cutting his long red hair, Frazier still plays with a spark the frigid franchise would be foolish to quell. The aggressive baserunner with a strong corner-outfield arm will energize the Bronx when his time arrives.
Unlike Fowler, there's a minuscule chance of his debut happening elsewhere. Cashman shouldn't sacrifice the future to improve a team that has towered above expectations, especially since the club lacks many glaring needs outside of first base, where Bird and Austin remain long-term options.
He's nearly ready for the limelight, but Frazier will probably have to wait until next year.
SS Tyler Wade
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Torres' injury could create an opening for Tyler Wade, an overshadowed shortstop batting .319 with 20 steals in Scranton.
Lost in the shuffle behind Torres and Jorge Mateo, Wade was previously perceived as an ideal trade chip who could immediately contribute for a new club. Now the versatile infielder is the undisputed next man up if either middle infielder gets hurt or Chase Headley slumps his way to a benching.
If Cashman stayed true to his word, Wade would have superseded Torres anyway. Appearing on The Michael Kay Show before Torres went down, via YES Network, Cashman said Wade would be "the first guy getting the call" if he promotes an infielder.
Although he's blocked from a stable role, Wade would immediately help the bench as a super-utility man. What he lacks in power, he makes up for with speed and defense.
Yet this year's high average is an outlier for the career .275 hitter, so the Yankees have to determine if he has progressed or benefited from good fortune. If they believe the latter result, he still best serves their future plans as a midseason trade asset. Because of his positional flexibility, it's hard to envision a seller not clearing a spot for him to play out the year.
Wade isn't a superior everyday option to Headley, who still draws ample walks and has a sterling defensive reputation at the hot corner. Nevertheless, New York's infield can use an insurance option, and Wade is the ideal candidate.
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