Yankees 2018 Pre-Spring Training Prospect Ranking: 1-5

Brendan Kuty

Matt Linder

Now, it is time for the sixth and final installment of my Yankees Top 30 Prospect ranking, 1-5.

Kim Klement

5. Chance Adams – SP
-2017 Performance: Adams picked up last season where he left off in 2016.  He began the year in Double-A, posting a 1.03 ERA in 35 innings over 6 starts.  This display of dominance earned him a promotion to Scranton.  In Triple-A, he threw 115.1 innings with a 2.89 ERA and 103 Ks.  Despite Chance’s success last season, he did not get called-up to the majors at any point in 2017.

-Strengths: There is a lot to like about Adams beyond the eye-popping stats.  He is able to control a mid-90s fastball that exhibits “explosive rise” according to Baseball Prospectus.  Due to Chance’s quick arm action, his slider has late-bite and is a true strikeout pitch.  Another plus with Adams is his injury history, or lack thereof.  His repeatable and smooth delivery might be one of the reasons for his healthy track record.  Another potential reason is the fact that he was a relief pitcher in college and his arm does not have the mileage of a collegiate starting pitcher.  Since Chance has a mid-80s wipeout slider and two other average off-speed pitchers (curveball and changeup), he could likely contribute to the MLB rotation immediately. 

-Weaknesses/Concerns: Although Adams is knocking on the door to the big leagues, he still has some question marks.  His BB/9 jumped to 3.36 in Triple-A last season, which is a slight concern since prior to last season he was a consistent strike thrower.  Also, his K/BB split of 1.2 (42/35) against lefties is disconcerting.  Possibly due to Chance’s smaller stature, his fastball can be flat at times, which led to a poor groundball to flyball ratio of .95.  The relatively high walk totals coupled with trouble keeping the ball on the ground is a worrisome combination in Yankee Stadium.  There is also some speculation that he profiles as a relief pitcher because he lacks a consistent third pitch.  I believe his curveball is a more consistent and promising third pitch because of his ability to throw it for strikes.  Adams can use the curveball to get ahead of batters and then the slider to put them away.  His changeup is a workable fourth option.  However, it lacks fading action and is only about 5-7 MPH slower than his fastball. 

-2018 Outlook: Chance will almost certainly make his MLB debut this season, whether it is in the rotation or the bullpen.  He could be used as a power arm in relief or a back-end of the rotation starter depending on the Yankees’ needs.  Hopefully, he improves in some of the areas stated above and establishes himself as a viable starting pitcher.  Adams could also be used as trade bait in order to bring in a proven big leaguer, either before the season or at the trade deadline.

Icon Sportswire

4. Miguel Andujar - 3B Age: 22
-2017 Performance: Following up a strong 2016 campaign, Andujar broke out last season.  He started the year in Trenton, where he slashed .312/.342/.494 in 67 games.  This strong performance in Double-A earned him a promotion to Scranton, where he continued his hot hitting.  In Triple-A, he hit .317/.364/.502 across 58 games.  Due to this stellar production, he made his MLB debut against the White Sox on June 28th.  In his first major league game, Andujar went 3-4 with a walk and 4 RBIs.  Quite the first impression!  The Yankees, however, sent him back down to Scranton, so he could continue to improve by playing everyday.

-Strengths: Miguel has incredible bat speed thanks to his quick hands.  His swing has torque and controlled aggression due to his fluid load and weight transfer.  These attributes allow Andujar to clear his hips and drive pitches on the inner half of the plate.  Last season, Andujar hit a career-high 16 dingers in only 125 games.  With his tremendous bat speed and physical maturation, he should be a 20+ home run hitter in the big leagues.  Although Miguel does not walk a lot, his excellent contact skills allow him to post impressively low strikeout rates.  Defensively, Andujar has plus arm strength and the quickness for above average range. He has the tools to be an impact two-way player.

-Weaknesses/Concerns: As mentioned, due to his aggressive approach, Andujar will never have a high walk rate.  This approach can also lead to “jumpiness” in the batter’s box, which inhibits his pitch recognition.  Due to his impressive bat-to-ball skills, the lack of pitch tracking will likely result in weak contact as opposed to inflated strikeout numbers.  Miguel’s problems defensively are largely because of lapses in focus.  Sometimes he gets lazy with his footwork, which causes him to misplay grounders or throw inaccurately.  Thankfully, these issues are correctable.

-2018 Outlook: Since the Yankees traded away Chase Headley two months ago and have yet to sign or trade for his replacement, I believe Andujar be will be the starting third baseman on Opening Day.  The narrative about Miguel’s defensive woes preventing him from being a viable 2018 third base candidate is largely overblown.  Whether he begins the year in the big leagues or not, Andujar figures to play an important role for the Yankees in 2018.

Reinhold Matay

3. Justus Sheffield – SP Age: 21
-2017 Performance: In Sheffield’s first full season in the Yankees organization, he displayed why the Yankees coveted him in the Andrew Miller trade.  Across 93.1 innings in Trenton, he pitched to a 3.18 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 33 walks.  Although Justus was more than three years younger than the average Double-A player, he clearly was not overmatched.  Unfortunately, he was only able to start 17 games for Trenton due to an oblique injury suffered in July.  In order to make up for lost time, Sheffield made four starts in the Arizona Fall League, where he received glowing reviews.  Justus had a 3.10 ERA over 20.1 innings in the AFL and one scout told Josh Norris of Baseball America, “That was No. 1 starter-type stuff.” 

-Strengths: Sheffield is a lefty with a mid-90s heater and potential for two plus off-speed pitches, the slider and changeup.  Despite the fact that he is short for a prototypical starting pitcher (5’10”), he is able to get good sinking movement on his fastball.  Justus’ athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery consistently, which should help him throw strikes as he continues to develop.  Sheffield uses his strong lower half to generate velocity and creates some deception by slightly jumping at the hitter.  He has also been praised for his competitiveness and makeup.   

-Weaknesses/Concerns: The most important area of improvement for Sheffield is control.  Considering his ability to repeat his delivery, his 3.2 BB/9 is slightly surprising.  A 3.2 BB/9 is not terribly high for a minor leaguer, but Justus is certainly is capable of reducing it as he moves toward the big leagues.  Also, like most minor league pitchers, the changeup is the least refined of his three pitches.  It shows flashes of plus potential, but lacks consistency.  With continued development, the changeup has a strong chance of becoming a reliable out-pitch.  Lastly, Sheffield has never had any arm injuries, but oblique injuries can be a reoccurring problem, so it is something to keep an eye on in 2018.

-2018 Outlook: Justus is slotted to begin the season in Scranton’s rotation.  Since he has never pitched above Double-A, I expect the Yankees to allow him to develop at his own pace.  Sheffield could make his MLB debut this season, but I would be surprised if he earns a full time rotation spot in 2018.

Jerry Coli

2. Estevan Florial – OF Age: 20
-2017 Performance:  2017 was a breakout season for Florial.  Across 91 games in Low-A Charleston, he slashed an impressive .297/.373/.483.  His strong showing with the Riverdogs earned him a late season call-up to Tampa.  Over 19 games in High-A, Estevan posted similarly excellent numbers (.303/.368/.461).  The Yankees were eager to see him against top minor league talent, so they sent him to the Arizona Fall League where he hit .286/.383/.414 in 81 PA.

-Strengths: Florial is a “toolshed.”  He has plus raw power, speed, defensive ability and arm strength.  Estevan effectively uses his speed both on the base paths, stealing 23 bases in 31 attempts, and in the outfield, where he can certainly stick in centerfield.  As he taps into his raw power, he could be a 30+ home run hitter in the big leagues.  It should be noted that the Yankees rave about his work ethic and makeup.  With Florial’s foundation of tools, he has the potential to be a star.  At this point, it is just a matter of refining the raw skills into a more complete player. 

-Weaknesses/Concerns: As I mentioned above, he has plus tools in four of the five areas.  However, his hit tool is a question mark, which is not uncommon for a raw 20 year old.  Although he hit around .300 this past season, scouts are worried about his ability to recognize pitches, evidenced by the 30% strikeout rate.  They fear as he faces better competition, his strikeouts will rise and his batting average will fall.  Florial is prone to shifting his weight onto his front foot which hampers his ability to track pitches and causes him to roll over (as seen in the spray chart).  Also, it is uncertain whether his strong OBP is a result of inaccurate pitching in the low minors, a promising feel for the strike zone or a combination of the two.

-2018 Outlook: Even considering the question marks surrounding Estevan’s hit tool, he is a consensus Top 100 prospect for good reason.  He has as much upside as anyone in the minor leagues and his strong work ethic lends itself to improvement.  Florial will likely spend most of the 2018 season in Trenton, but I would not be surprised if he begins the year in High-A.  If he continues to develop, look for him to skyrocket up prospect rankings.

J. Conrad Williams Jr.

1. Gleyber Torres – INF Age: 21
-2017 Performance: In 32 games with the Trenton Thunder, Torres posted a .273/.367/.496 slash line.  This impressive stint at Double-A earned him a promotion to Scranton, where he slashed .309/.406/.457 over 23 games.  Unfortunately, Gleyber’s season was cut short after tearing his left elbow’s UCL while sliding into home plate.  The injury required surgery and likely prevented him from making his MLB debut in 2017. 

-Strengths: Torres has tremendous bat speed and balance.  This combination allows him to stay back and use the entire field.  Although he does not project to have outstanding home run power, his ability to constantly make hard contact will lead to a high batting average and 20+ HRs.  Also, Torres has demonstrated an advanced approach at the plate, exhibiting a two-strike plan, which is extremely rare for a minor leaguer.  Defensively, Gleyber has the ability to stay at shortstop.  However, since the Yankees seem to have that position locked up with Didi Gregorius, he has the arm strength to play third and the quickness to play second.

-Weaknesses/Concerns: For Torres, ‘weakness’ is a relative term.  His only non-above average tool is speed.  His run tool is simply average (50 on the 20-80 scouting scale).  Although he does not possess blazing speed, his strong instincts and quick first step allow him to be a solid base runner and infielder.  Also, there is some natural uncertainty surrounding Gleyber’s readiness to have an immediate impact on the big league club, since he only has 81 ABs above Double-A and is recovering from surgery. 

-2018 Outlook: The Yankees won’t rush him to the majors simply because they have openings in the infield.  The front office will likely use Spring Training and the start of the Triple-A season to let Gleyber prove he is 100% healthy and gain an extra year of contractual control.  Once May begins, I envision Torres as the starting second basemen in the Bronx. 

So that rounds out prospects 1-5.  With the combination of top-tier talent and extraordinary depth, the Yankees' farm system is one of the best in baseball.  Be sure to keep an eye on all of these young players as they continue their journey to the big leagues.

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