Yankees 2018 Pre-Spring Training Prospect Ranking: 11-15

Brendan Kuty

Matt Linder

Now, it is time for the fourth installment of my Yankees Top 30 Prospect ranking, 11-15.

Bobby McDuffie

15. Clarke Schmidt – SP Age: 21
-2017 Performance: Schmidt was drafted by the Yankees with the 16th overall pick in this year’s draft.  He is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and did not pitch for the organization in 2017.

-Strengths:  Clarke’s fastball-slider combo was lethal before hurting his elbow.  His heater runs in the mid-90s with heavy sinking action and he has the unique ability to vary the break on his slider.  Schmidt can sweep it left-to-right or tighten it to achieve later, sharper break.  Although his changeup is a distant third pitch, it showed signs of potential before he suffered the injury.  Lastly, Clarke has been praised for his attack-mode mentality, work ethic and makeup.

-Weaknesses/Concerns:  There is only one place to begin… the surgery.  When talking about pitchers, injury history is always something to follow closely.  Also, his mechanics are not particularly smooth, which might have been a root of the injury.  Clarke’s delivery is max-effort and his front foot has a tendency to fly open and land off-centered toward first base.  This problem caused his long arm action to lag behind.  As a result, Clarke’s arm slot would drop and his fastball location would suffer.  Lastly, although the changeup showed promise while he was in college, it still needs a lot of refinement before it becomes a reliable pitch.

-2018 Outlook: Schmidt rehab is progressing according to plan and he should be ready to pitch by mid-season.  He will likely open the year in Extended Spring Training before joining one of the Yankees’ short season affiliates.  The organization is going to be extremely cautious with Clarke and have him on a strict innings limit.

MLB.com

14. Matt Sauer – SP Age: 19
-2017 Performance: After being drafted 54th overall in last year’s draft, Sauer made six starts with the Gulf Coast League Yankees West.  He only threw a combined 11.2 innings with a 5.40 ERA and a K/BB ratio of 12/8.

-Strengths: Sauer’s best pitch is his power fastball, which sits in the mid-90s and possesses some two-seam action.  Matt is able to generate his plus velocity thanks to his prototypical size – listed at 6’4” and 200 lbs.  The slider is his strongest secondary pitch, sitting in the low-to-mid-80s and exhibiting sharp, late break.  Both his overhand curveball and changeup show signs of promise, yet they are still extremely raw.  He also creates some deception by throwing slightly across his body.  Sauer is an intimating mound presence because of his size and aggressive approach.

-Weaknesses/Concerns: Currently, Matt struggles throwing strikes, as evidenced by his elevated walk totals in Rookie Ball.  He has a high-effort delivery, which he has difficulty repeating.  His front foot occasionally lands in different locations, which leads to inconsistent control.  In addition, Sauer has a long arm action, which can lag behind his front side and contributes to his erratic accuracy.  Lastly, like most young pitchers, his third and four pitches are works in progress.  Matt may be a long-term fit in the bullpen if he does not refine his delivery and tertiary pitches.

-2018 Outlook: Sauer will likely begin the year in Extended Spring Training before joining one of the Yankees’ Short Season teams in June.

Associated Press

13. Nick Solak - 2B Age: 23
-2017 Performance: Solak began the year in High-A where he hit .301/.397/.460 with 10 home runs and 13 stolen bases across 100 games.  With his strong play, Nick earned a promotion to Double-A.  In Trenton, his impressive performance continued, slashing .286/.344/.429.  Overall, 2017 was a nice year for the Yankees second round draft pick in 2016.

-Strengths: Nick has an excellent ability to get his barrel to the ball.  His quick hands and powerful wrists allow him to stay back on pitches.  This patience helps Solak use the entire field and recognize breaking balls.  Although he is small in stature – listed at 5’11” and 175 lbs – he has mid-teens home run power.  Also, he possesses good speed which he uses to steal and take the extra base.  After playing baseball at NCAA powerhouse Louisville, he has experience against top competition and in high-pressure environments.  Finally, Solak receives compliments for his tough style of play and leadership.

-Weaknesses/Concerns: Nick is only a serviceable second baseman.  He does not have a strong enough arm to play the left side of the infield and his hands are a bit stiff.  His movements just do not seem smooth and natural.  Also, his power potential is likely limited to around 15.

-2018 Outlook: Solak will probably start the season at Double-A.  Depending on his performance and the opening in Scranton, he could be promoted at some point in 2018.  Also, since the Yankees have a ton of infield depth, Nick could be used as a secondary piece in a trade.

Robert Pimpsner

12. Freicer Perez – SP Age: 21
-2017 Performance: Following a breakout 2016 campaign, Perez continued his development successfully this past season.  For Low-A Charleston, Freicer pitched 123.2 innings with a 2.84 ERA and a K/BB ratio of 117/45. 

-Strengths: Perez’s best pitch is his mid-to-high-90s fastball with good sinking movement.  He is able to generate plus velocity thanks to a quick arm action and towering 6’8” frame.  However, the heater is not his only pitch.  Freicer also has a feel for three off-speed pitches, a changeup, a curveball and a slider.  The curveball is the most advanced of three, showing late bite and strikeout potential.  The changeup is his third best pitch, demonstrating solid velocity separation from the fastball.  Although Perez is massive, he is able to repeat his delivery and throw strikes.

-Weaknesses/Concerns: Freicer needs to improve his secondary pitches, especially the changeup and slider.  The changeup does not exhibit a lot of downward fade and the slider lacks consistency.  It is possible that he ditches the slider in order to focus on refining his three other pitches.  Also, Perez needs to work on his command.  He is able to throw strikes, but as he progresses toward the big leagues, it will be critical to hit exact locations.

-2018 Outlook: Freicer will likely start the season in High-A Tampa and barring injury or poor performance, should end the year in Double-A.  With continued development, I expect Perez to crack Top 100 prospect rankings in 2018.

Todd Hiller

11. Domingo German – SP Age: 25
-2017 Performance: German divided time between three teams last season.  He began the year in Double-A where he threw 33.0 innings with a 3.00 ERA and a K/BB ratio of 38/10.  Due to the strong performance, Domingo was promoted to Triple-A Scranton.  As a Railrider, German had a 2.83 ERA over 76.1 innings with a K/BB ratio of 81/22.  He also made his MLB debut in 2017.  With the Yankees, he pitched 14.1 innings over seven games, all in relief.  In his limited action, Domingo had a 3.14 ERA, while striking out 18 and walking nine.  Overall, he logged a combined 123.2 innings across the three levels with a 2.91 ERA.

-Strengths: German has an electric fastball that peaked at 99.1 mph as a reliever and sits mid-90s as a starter.  His heater has good downward sink, which helps produce his excellent groundball percentage.  Domingo’s best secondary pitch is his changeup.  It exhibits solid fading action and when coupled with the fastball, keeps hitters off balance.  His third pitch is a ‘slurvy’ breaking ball, which shows promise, but is still raw.  In his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, he demonstrated good control, which is not always the case.  He generates plus velocity thanks to an effortless delivery and extremely quick arm.

-Weaknesses/Concerns: Domingo has an extensive injury history, with the elbow surgery being the most recent and severe.  Also, German’s breaking ball, despite showing flashes of effectiveness is still inconsistent.  The combination of health risks and unreliable secondary pitches could result in the transition to the bullpen.  Lastly, Domingo is already 25 years old, so he cannot afford another setback from injury or poor performance.

-2018 Outlook: German will likely start the season in Scranton’s rotation, but I anticipate that he will spend a good portion of the year with the Yankees.  He can be used as a spot starter or long reliever.  Domingo could also be permanently sent to the bullpen, in hopes of a Chad Green-esque breakout season.

So that rounds out prospects 11-15. Check back in a couple of days for prospects 6-10.

If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com