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The Yankees have $5,179,700 in international bonus pool money this time around. Most of it will go to Arias, the 17-year-old switch-hitter whom the Yankees hope will be their shortstop of the future (which isn’t to discount the futures of Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza). |
SS are usually the best athletes so it makes sense.
I guess it’s gonna be urshula at short to start the season? None of the kids appear ready although Volpe has been ascending rapidly.
As has been the recent trend, the Yankees list is a lot of high variance prospects that are further away from the bigs. Including Volpe (though he's on another level), 6 of the top 10 guys in the system according to FG haven't played above high A (Volpe, Jasson, Vargas, Gomez x2, Pereira). These guys have extremely high ceilings, but can also flame out as they move up.
From an NJ.com article:
Exciting stuff. As someone above mentioned, these guys are "infielders." Sweeney, who was our first rounder this year, and drafted as a SS, will more than likely move to 3B or 2B as he matures. These are just the best athletes, that can move around, much like the CF of the OF.
FG - ( New Window )
From what I can see, the best use of prospects is to trade them to some small market team for that team's budding star who is already in the majors but the small market team doesn't want to pay.
If you check out that FanGraphs article that was linked, Antonio Gomez seems to be doing well and projects as an everyday catcher.
From the FG rankings, their #9 prospect (Antonio Gomez) is just that. He's another one of those high variance prospects, especially with lower ball catchers, but it looks like if anything, his arm will keep him in the conversation as a catcher:
This is a big year for him, as we need to decide if we're going to put him on the 40 man after this season to protect him from the Rule 5. Catchers are higher volatility than other positions, but the Padres took a young exposed catcher from us years ago (Luis Torrens), and he put together a solid 1 WAR season last year, with 15 HRs in 108 games.
FG is pretty down on Breaux, as they have him as our #38 prospect, behind even Anthony Seigler.
Interesting Dominguez was dropped to 4th already.
I am hoping Oswald Cabrera turns into a legit 3B prospect. Voted best defensive 3B in a minor league poll, switch hits, and an epic bat flip.
Interesting Dominguez was dropped to 4th already.
I am hoping Oswald Cabrera turns into a legit 3B prospect. Voted best defensive 3B in a minor league poll, switch hits, and an epic bat flip.
MLB: Yankee Prospects - ( New Window )
Manny Banuelos - ( New Window )
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while playing catch.
Interesting Dominguez was dropped to 4th already.
I am hoping Oswald Cabrera turns into a legit 3B prospect. Voted best defensive 3B in a minor league poll, switch hits, and an epic bat flip.
MLB has Dominguez at 2nd in the org. behind Volpe. Also interesting, is that there are many that compare Dominguez and Arias as being equal; which if true, Yankee fans should be excited about the future. MLB: Yankee Prospects - ( New Window )
Here's the video
Link - ( New Window )
They've been aggressive in blowing their whole pool on one player ever since they got screwed out of Wander Franco.
I note that the league is pushing for an international FA draft which leaves the clock ticking on buying talent overseas.
I note that the league is pushing for an international FA draft which leaves the clock ticking on buying talent overseas.
We supposedly have an agreement in place with the top IFA prospect for the 2023 period (Cuban CF Brandon Mayea), and this is one that could fall by the wayside due to a draft implementation. Hoping we can nab him with the draft falling after the fact.
Pereira will never justify the Yanks pulling out of the Franco sweepstake, but it'd be nice to have someone from that crop of OF prospects turn into something.
Lonk - ( New Window )
In turn, that forces the player to rely on what they already know- which isn’t enough to succeed against other equally talented players or quality off-speed pitches, which many hitters are seeing for the first time.
I liken this to how many college and HS players struggle after the draft and usually show significant improvement in years 2 and 3. it allows the player to get the instruction and skills training to succeed- work that usually takes months of repetition and time.
Look at last year’s group- mainly the two (unrelated) Monteros. Both are skilled, but the lack of contact and weak numbers are likely the result of having only a month or two of off-season work-ups and then right into extended spring training- which means scrimmages and other time that doesn’t involve as much one-on-one or long days spent crafting skills on one’s own.
I expect that we will see much improvement from the Monteros and others this year after having a full off-season and development plans in hand for an extended period.
While these are imperfect examples because the 2020 season didn’t happen, we could look at Volpe, Waldichuk and Wesnewski to compare. None of the 3 had particularly strong or even good debuts post draft- again, short period of indoctrination into the system and lack of long-term development plans. Granted- they really had about a year and a half to work on those plans- much more than normal- but the larger point is that once they returned to competitive action, they had significantly improved over the lackluster early performance.
I’m NOT saying we should expect HUGE jumps like the above players had- after all, with International signings, we are talking about 17-18 year olds as compared to early 20 something’s. However, I think that so long as the January signing period is in place, we should temper expectations in the first year for IFAs
Interesting Dominguez was dropped to 4th already.
I am hoping Oswald Cabrera turns into a legit 3B prospect. Voted best defensive 3B in a minor league poll, switch hits, and an epic bat flip.
I watched the majority of Cabrera's games with the Patriots & the few he had with SWB. Kid turned into a stud this year,playing 2B,SS(might have been the regular there if not for Peraza)& 3B. Was the league's MVP. I would not be surprised if he becomes our backup INF,replacing Wade. Finished with 29 HRs,89 RBIs,21 SBs,31 2Bs,2 3Bs. With all the talk of Volpe & Peraza this past season,Cabrera was somewhat under the radar. Could be a good one!
Didn't Mariano Rivera, also?
Amirite?
Fire the whole FO!
Just have to face it, the truly special ones overcome circumstances. We knew the Martian's hit tool wasn't nearly the equal of the other 2, but it's a little discouraging that his athleticism also isn't quite as advertised.
I do have high hopes for Arias.
As for Cabrera, maybe he's another Cano. Cano was never a top 5 prospect, we heard about his arm mostly and that he could hit a little, and we all know what happened....well, steroids aside haha
Just have to face it, the truly special ones overcome circumstances. We knew the Martian's hit tool wasn't nearly the equal of the other 2, but it's a little discouraging that his athleticism also isn't quite as advertised.
I do have high hopes for Arias.
As for Cabrera, maybe he's another Cano. Cano was never a top 5 prospect, we heard about his arm mostly and that he could hit a little, and we all know what happened....well, steroids aside haha
Tatis was .020 or so higher on OPS in his debut season. Acuña was okay. Machado struggled in half a season at High A in his second minor league year. Development is not linear, not everyone progresses on the same path, and having a year of near-layoff didn’t help. Don’t forget, he’s a switch hitter and his lefty swing is way ahead of his righty swing. He OPSed .803 as a LHH. Jasson is still tooled up, even if the speed may have taken a step back. He’s still got crazy power. He needs to make more consistent contact this year, especially as a RHH, but I wouldn’t give up on his star just yet.
I've lived through the Jackson Melians and Wily Mo Penas, but I'm always hopeful. It's just unbelievable how they haven't really stumbled upon one of these teenage wunderkinds despite their money and connection.
Highest priorities in my view along with another arm in the pen.
If I had my dithers, I think I would pivot and make Freeman an offer he can’t refuse. Yes, it would cost a draft pick and a big chunk of IFA money, but that gives the Yanks a GREAT lefty bat in the middle of the lineup, a strong defensive 1B and a leader.
Then, I would bet on the future and make a roster revising trade. I would send Hicks, Gallo, Urshela, Voit and German, plus a high end prospect or two (likely in the Medina/Gil/Wells level) to the Phillies for Didi and Nola.
Then, make DJLM the 3B, Didi the SS, Torres the 2B and Freeman at 1B. The DH is Stanton. Sanchez will be the C (he’s likely untradeable anyway). Judge is the RF- then fill in LF and CF in lesser trades or FA.
You go after Nola because he’s not an ace, but he is a legit #2/#3 SP- which would give them a playoff worthy rotation with Cole, Severino and Nola.
The Phillies need a defensive and offensive upgrade at 3B and LF. Done. With the DH a near-certainty, that allows them to use Voit and Hoskins as a 1B/DH rotation. They view Didi as a sunk cost- so one for another in Hicks- though Hicks can at least play a plausible CF when healthy.
Why Didi? He’s in his decline stage- and 2021 was TERRIBLE. With that said, the reports are that the Phillies misdiagnosed his elbow injury, which turned out to be pseudo-gout. Like Hicks, assuming he’s healthy, he’s at least a passable stop-gap SS. If it doesn’t work out, then he buys time until Peraza can be ready- which might be as soon as half a season. If it does, they can let him walk at the end without any issues.
It’s a crazy idea, and the Phillies may balk- as that might not be enough to get them to give up Nola- but Harper wants to win and the Phillies have nothing around him.