Schmeelk: Bats In Yankees' Farm System Are Coming Fast
By John Schmeelk
» More Columns
The promotion of Slade Heathcott to the Yankees to replace Jacoby Ellsbury a couple of days ago is a good sign that the Yankees' system is starting to produce some bats that could help the team in the next couple of years, or perhaps even this season.
Going level by level, here's how some of the Yankees' upper-echelon minor leaguers are performing in 2015, and how close they are to getting to the majors.
Triple-A Scranton
Robert Refsnyder: He's hitting, which is no surprise. He's posted a .312/.378/.440 line with 12 doubles and 2 home runs in 141 at-bats. You would like to see fewer than 25 strikeouts, but he does have 14 walks. But how about his fielding? He has nine errors at second base in just 35 games, though just two in his last 22. If his defense -- specifically his throwing -- continues to improve, he could be the Yankees' starting second baseman sometime this year if Stephen Drew continues to struggle. It is Refsnyder's glove that will get him to the Yankees, since most consider the 24-year-old's bat to be ready for The Show.
Ramon Flores: He could have been the pick to get called up over Heathcott if the team was looking for more of a power bat. With a .282/.377/.420 line thanks to four home runs and four doubles in 131 ABs, Flores is showing improved power after hitting seven home runs in 235 Triple-A at bats last year. Having just turned 23 in March, if his bat continues to improve he could be seen as a late-season call-up when rosters expand.
Ben Gamel: No one ever talks about Ben Gamel (10th-round pick in 2010) when they discuss Yankees prospects, but he just turned 23 a few days ago and is hitting .339/.394/.504 in Triple-A with only 21 strikeouts in 121 at-bats. He doesn't hit home runs (just six in his last two seasons), but he did have 63 doubles over those same two seasons. He can also steal bases, with 35 from 2013-14. He can play all three OF spots, so he could be a valuable backup at the major league level in the future. A .260 hitter from 2013-14, it bears watching if his average holds up over the course of a season.
Tyler Austin: Recovered from a wrist injury that halted his development, Austin is struggling mightily in his first season in Triple-A, hitting .194 with only four doubles and two home runs. Don't look for help from him anytime soon.
Austin Romine: Hitting just .214 in Scranton, any hopes of him becoming a two-way catcher are fading away.
The only pitchers worth mentioning in Triple-A are relievers.
2014 second-rounder Jacob Lindgren hasn't given up a run in May and has a 1.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP with 27 Ks in 20-plus innings. As a lefty, the moment he is needed in the Yankees' pen he is ready.
Mason Williams: Once the franchise's top prospect, he had disastrous 2013 and 2014 seasons and was almost not even protected in the Rule 5 draft earlier this year. With scouts questioning his motor, effort and intensity, Williams has started hot in Double-A, hitting .317/.407/.375. With 11 steals (and six caught stealing), he still has the speed to be a plus defender. He still isn't showing much power with seven doubles and no home runs, but his 19 BBs and 17 strikeouts in 120 at-bats show a much improved approach to past seasons. He was just promoted to Triple-A, where his newfound success will be tested even more. At 23, he might be back on the right track for consideration for the major league club.
Double-A Trenton
Aaron Judge: Judge has carried his hot spring bat into the minor league season, hitting .303/.358/.503 with nine doubles and 6 home runs. The 2013 first-round pick, 23, is still at least a season away, but his progress in his second full minor league Season is very encouraging. His 39 strikeouts are a small concern.
Eric Jagielo: The Yankees' other 2013 first-round pick seems to have taken a step forward in 2015. In his first ever Double-A at-bats, the Notre Dame graduate is performing better than he did at any of the lower levels of the system. At .287/.382/.558 with twelve doubles and seven home runs, the lefty is reestablishing himself as one of the team's top prospects. His big red flag is 36 strikeouts and a very shaky glove at 3B. His future could be at first base or in the outfield.
Gary Sanchez: After a slow start in Double-A, Sanchez has bumped his numbers to .269/.318/.412 with four home runs and five doubles. Reviews are mixed on his defense, and at 22 years old his bat hasn't put up elite numbers in the minors yet. The Yankees are still waiting for a big jump from him.
Jake Cave: The 22-year-old flashed in spring training and continued in Double-A. Hitting .295/.388/.390, he is a center fielder who can play all three outfield spots. With 20 walks in 146 at-bats, he has a good approach at the plate, even with limited power. He is closer than people think and could be a good contact hitter in the majors.
Greg Bird: After an impressive spring, Bird has slumped to start the Double-A season. Hitting just .226/.351./419, the player that the Yankees consider their most ready-hitting prospect has struggled, but his 14-to-16 walk/strikeout ratio shows he still has a good approach. He has shown power with nine doubles and three home runs. There shouldn't be much concern here yet, as his early numbers are much more likely to be an early-season slump than signs of true issues.
Dante Bichette: The Yankees' first-round compensatory pick in 2011 is still struggling with the bat, hitting just .237/.273/.333. He hit .271/352/410 in High-A ball last year and he is only 22, but he needs to start hitting more if he wants to be considered anything but a bust.
Luis Severino: The Yankees' top pitching prospect has had his ups and downs in Double-A, with a 3.86 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 24 strikeouts in 28 innings. The Ks show the dominating stuff is still there, but at only 21 he is still raw and learning how to pitch. He is probably more like two years away than one.
So far this spring, the Yankees' system -- especially their young bats are trending up. It is a good sign for the franchise moving forward.
You can follow me on Twitter @schmeelk for everything Yankees, Knicks and Giants.
