Get to Know ‘Em: Yankees
Prospects
In early February, the Star Tribune's
Joe Christensen reported that the Twins may not see Francisco Liriano in the long-term future, and that they would consider
trading him in the right deal. The article prompted a lot of discussion about
whether the Twins would actually consider trading the talented left-hander.
Would a team that claims to want to win now really trade one of the top dozen
pitchers in baseball? How good is Liriano? Is he a
big-time pitcher? How much money does he expect to make?
Once spring training started, we learned that
Liriano had a sore shoulder and wasn't able to throw
the first few days. Then Rick Anderson called him out by saying he didn't put
in the work in the offseason by doing his arm exercises. It
was not the first time that Liriano has not put in
his work, or that the Twins have called it out. So I think we
all better understand why they don't want to just give him a long-term
contract. At the same time, he is an ace-like pitcher who will make $4.3
million in 2011, and even if he wins a Cy Young Award this year, he would
likely make no more than $10 million in 2012.
Things were quiet on the Liriano
front the last couple of weeks, but then today, Bob Nightengale
from USA Today tweeted, "The Yankees are keeping a close eye on #Twins starter Francisco Liriano,
while Twins are keeping tabs on Yanks prospects."
Soon later, he responded to a question by
tweeting, "Yes, there is definitely a chance Liriano
could be dealt this spring, particularly if Twins get key prospects back in
return."
Do any of us know with certainty if Bill
Smith and Brian Cashman are talking? Of course
not, and for his part, Brian Cashman is trying to fan
the flames. The Yankees GM said, "I'm not
talking to anyone about anything right now. Nobody's available. Nobody of value, anyway."
What that quote means to me is that Cashman and the Yankees are talking to teams right now.
Someone is available. Someone of value.
Where there is smoke, there is fire. Sometimes.
So, as a Twins fan, I would want to know
what prospects the Yankees have. To be honest, the Yankees have a handful of
prospects that, put together in a package of three players could be a terrific
return for the Twins. Rumors on Monday indicated that Joba
Chamberlain or Ivan Nova might be available in a deal. If those two are the big
names in a Liriano trade, it will be quite
disappointing. Here is a look at some of the top prospects in the Yankees farm
system:
JESUS MONTERO
- C - The Crown Jewel of
the Yankees minor league system, Montero is the consensus #1 prospect. There is
some debate about whether the 6-4, 220 pounder will be able to play catcher in
the big leagues or not due to lack of speed and mobility. Many think he will
need to be a DH or 1B at some point. However, there is no questioning his
right-handed bat which has been compared to the likes of Mike Piazza,
Manny Ramirez and Miguel Cabrera. He will be 21 throughout the 2011 season.
Last year at Triple-A, he hit .289/.353/.517 with 34 doubles and 21 home runs
in 123 games. The past three years, I dreamed of a scenario in which Joe Mauer would catch 110 games and DH 40-45 games a year with
Wilson Ramos catching those game and DHing 100 games or so. Well, Montero is a much better
prospect than WIlson Ramos. MILB Prospects named
Montero baseball's top prospect. Baseball America, Project Prospect and
Prospect Junkies all rank Montero as the #3 prospect in all of baseball.
GARY SANCHEZ
- C - When Baseball America
announced its league top prospects, Sanchez was named
the top prospect in the Gulf Coast League. The Twins Miguel Sano was #2.
Sanchez got a $3 million bonus in 2009 to sign. He is called a Montero-like
hitter who is actually a very good catcher. He will be just 18 throughout the
2011 season, and he is likely at least 3-5 years from the big leagues. In 31
GCL games last year, he hit .354/.419/.597 with 11 doubles and six home
runs. Baseball America ranked him as the #30 prospect in baseball.
MANNY BANUELOS
- LHP - The Yankees signed
the little lefty (5-10, 155) from Mexico in 2008 for $450,000. As an 18 year
old in 2009, he pitched in Low A and in 25 games (19 starts),
he went 9-5 with a 2.67 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 108 innings. He missed most
of the first half of the 2010 season because of an appendicitus,
but he made ten starts in Tampa (Florida State League) where he went 0-3,
but in 44 innings, he posted a 2.23 ERA and struck out 62 batters. Late in the
year, he made three starts in Double-A Trenton and in 15.1 innings, struck out
18 and posted a 3.52 ERA. He made up some innings by being the
youngest player in the Arizona Fall League. Despite his small stature, he is
able to hit 94 mph with an above-average changeup and curveball and very good
control. He will turn 20 years old in the next two weeks. Baseball America
ranked him as baseball's 41st best prospect. The now-defunct AOL Fanhouse ranked him as baseball's #13 prospect.
DELLIN BETANCES - RHP - Late in March, Betances
will turn 23 years old. He and Betances are complete
opposites physically. Betances is 6-8 and 245 pounds. The Yankees drafted him in the 8th
round of the 2006 draft and gave him a $1 million bonus to keep the New York
native from Vanderbilt. In 2009, he had surgery to
'reinforce" his elbow. He came back in 2010 and was again
throwing 92-96 mph. He also has a tremendous curveball. His changeup
is average-at-best now. If he is able to develop it, he could be a
top-of-the-rotation starter. If not, he could be a good starting
pitcher or he could be a dominant closer. In 14 Florida State League starts in
2010, he went 8-1 with a 1.77 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 77 innings.
Like Banuelos, he made three starts in Double-A, and
in 14 innings, he walked three and struck out 20 while posting a 3.77
ERA.
ANDREW BRACKMAN - RHP - As we've noticed, the Twins like tall
pitchers. The 6-11 Brackman played baseball and
basketball at North Carolina State. The Yankees drafted him late in the first
round in 2007, and soon after they signed him to a $3.35 million bonus and
$4.55 million in guaranteed money (and $13 million in potential value), he had
Tommy John surgery, so his progress has been a little slow. He will be 25 throughout
the 2011 season. He returned in 2009 and in Low A ball, he went 2-12 witha 5.91 ERA. He began
2010 in High-A and was 5-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 12
starts and 60 innings. He made 14 Double-A starts and he went 5-7 with a
much-improved 3.01 ERA in 81 innings. By season's end, his fastball was hitting
95 mph, and his best pitch is a well-above-average curveball. He is working on
a slider and needs to improve his changeup, but don't forget that pitchers this
tall often take a little longer to find their release point. If he continues to
progress and finds consistent mechanics, he could be a very good
starter. If not, he could be a very good reliever.
Those are the five Yankees prospects that are
consistently in mentioned as top prospects, but they are not it. The Yankees
have several other intriguing prospects.
Austin
Romine - C - Another top
catching prospect, Baseball America ranked him in their Top 100 prospects. His
brother, Andrew, debuted with the Angels in 2010, and their father, Kevin,
played in 331 games for the Red Sox between 1985 and 1991. Austin will be
22 throughout the 2011 season. Nothing about his game jumps out, but he is a
good defensive catcher and has shown some power.
Hector Noesi -
RHP - He just turned 24 years old. After missing most of 2007 and
2008 because of Tommy John, he returned in 2009 and went 6-4 with a 2.92
ERA and a 0.95 WHIP between Low-A and High-A. He was added to the 40 man
roster, and in 2010, he pitched in Hi-A, Double-A and ended the season with
three starts in Triple-A. Combined, he was 14-7 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.10
WHIP. In 160.1 innings, he struck out 153 and walked just 28. He profiles as a
middle-of-the-rotation because of his control and a terrific changeup. He kind of looks like a typical Twins prospect.
Adam Warren - RHP - He was the Yankees fourth-round pick in 2009 out of North Carolina. In 2010, he went 7-5
with a 2.22 ERA in 15 starts in High-A, before he was promoted and went
4-2 with a 3.15 ERA in Double-A. Combined, he walked just 33 and struck
out 126 in 135.1 innings. He is 23 years old and throws his fastball between 90
and 94 mph.
Slade Heathcott -
OF - Another high-ceiling, toolsy outfield
prospect, he hasn't put up numbers yet, but many believe that he will develop a
great speed-power combination with a good outfield arm (although his season
ended early due to shoulder surgery). He will be 20 throughout 2011.
Eduardo Nunez - SS - OK
hitting, solid defending shortstop who profiles as a utility infielder who
could be an adequate starter down the road. The 23 year old will be a utility player for the
Yankees in 2011 (he got 50 at bats in 30 games in 2010) and could play some in
the outfield too.
Brett
Marshall - RHP - He was a
6th round pick in 2008 out of his Texas high school, and after 17 starts in
2009, he had Tommy John surgery. Pre-surgery, he was touching 96 mph. He
returned in 2010 and made 15 starts. He has a very good slider.
Ivan Nova went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA for the Yankees in 2010 The
24 year old made 23 AAA starts last year and went 12-3 with a 2.86 ERA.
His fastball touches 95 mph with sink, and he has a curveball, a slider and a
changeup. He could be a solid fourth starter for a big league team. However, if
the Twins are going to consider trading a pitcher of the caliber and age of Francisco
Liriano, then the Twins need to get at least two of
those top five prospects and someone like Joba Chamberlain who could help in 2011.
If the Twins could get Jesus Montero and
either Dellin Betances or
Manny Banuelos, plus someone like Chamberlain or
David Robertson, it would be a good trade for the Twins. In
the long term. But it would not be good for the 2011 Twins, and fans
would likely not respond well. Maybe at the end of the day, Twins fans won't
need to know these names afterall, but it doesn't
hurt to get to know them.
And hey, with all this talk about getting
past the Yankees in the playoffs, can we at least investigate a possible Liriano deal to the St. Louis Cardinals first, before
jumping to the Yankees?
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