Yankees Top Prospect Countdown: #4 Gary Sanchez

#4 – Gary Sanchez

Bats: R          Throws: R
Height: 6’2”         Weight: 220
D.O.B.: 12/2/92         Highest MiLB Level: Low-A

Stats:
2010 (Rookie, Low-A): .329/.393/.543; 196 PA, 173 AB, 33 R, 13 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 43 RBI, 2 SB, 14 BB, 44 K
2011 (A): .256/.335/.485; 343 PA, 301 AB, 49 R, 16 2B, 1 3B, 17 HR, 52 RBI, 2 SB, 36 BB, 93 K

Gary Sanchez is, you guessed it, yet another Yankees catching prospect. Sanchez, a native of the Dominican Republic, was picked up by the Yankees as an international free agent in 2010. He posted impressive numbers in both 2010 and 2011, though in different ways. In 2010 Sanchez looked like a batter with above-average power who also made a lot of contact and hit for average. His strikeout rate wasn’t great (1 K per 3.93 AB) but his .393 OBP made up for that. In 2011 Sanchez’s numbers shifted to look more like a typical power hitter, racking up 17 HR (1 in every 17.7 AB) while dropping his BA down to .256 and striking out 93 times in 82 games (1 K per 3.24 AB).

The only real issue with Sanchez is, you guessed it again, he is a much stronger at the plate than he is behind it. However, he did throw out 31% of would-be base stealers last year, and since he just turned 19 earlier this month there is plenty of time for him to develop defensively. For more on Gary Sanchez, be sure to check out Seedlings to Stars profile of him here.

To see our prospect countdown so far, check out:
#10 – Slade Heathcott here,
#9 – J.R. Murphy here,
#8 – Austin Romine here,
#7 – Ravel Santana here,
#6 – Dante Bichette Jr here, and
#5 – Mason Williams here.

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