Yankees Minor League Report: Bomber Prospects 6-10 on Baseball America’s list

This week we’ll look at the Yankees prospects ranked 6-10 on Baseball America’s list of top-10 minor leaguers in the system heading into 2013.

Here is the detail from players 1-5 in case you missed it.

Brett Marshall (93) ranked sixth on Baseball America’s list of Yankees prospects. (Image: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE)

6. Brett Marshall – Marshall, who will turn 23 in March, is a right-handed starter who finished the 2012 season with a 13-7 record and a 3.52 ERA in 158.1 innings. He struck out 6.8 batters per nine and walked 3.0 per nine, both very close to his minor league averages. Baseball America named Marshall the pitcher with the best changeup in the Yankees’ system, but it is his sinkerball which produces a high number of ground balls. He will most likely begin the season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

7. Angelo Gumbs – Gumbs is a 2010 second round draft pick. He spent the 2012 season in low-A Charleston where he hit. 272/.320/.432 with seven home runs, 36 RBI and 26 stolen bases. Gumbs, 20, has been developed as second baseman and the Yankees have been happy with his progress in the field and at the plate. He’s at least a few years away from making a difference at the Major League level.

8. Manny Banuelos – Banuelos is a left-handed starter who is hanging onto prospect status despite not showing much in the last two seasons before having to undergo Tommy John surgery which will keep him from pitching in 2013. He will turn 23 in March 2014 and the lost season puts him in a position to be ready for the Majors in the 2015 season assuming he can come back and be better than he showed in 2011 and the short time in 2012. He has struck out nearly one batter per inning in his minor league career, but he is still trying to figure out how to prevent walks as he has handed out free passes to the tune of 3.6 per nine (4.9 BB per nine in 2011).

9. Ty Hensley – Hensley is a 6’ 6” right-hander selected in the first round of the 2012 draft. He was able to get some time in this season with the rookie league Gulf Coast Yankees. He made four starts in five appearances accumulating 12 innings. He struck out 14 batters but also walked seven. Hensley, 19, throws a mid-90’s fastball and BA said he had one of the best curveballs in the draft. Hensley is very young but could see some time with short-season Staten Island in 2013, with the possibility of a call up to Charleston.

10. Rafael DePaula – DePaula is an international signing who has yet to play professionally in the United States due to visa problems. He was dominant in the Dominican Summer League going 8-2 with a 1.46 ERA. He struck out 85 in 61.1 innings and allowed just 35 hits and 18 walks (0.864 WHIP). He turns 22 in March and hopefully will have his visa issues settled. BA suggests he could begin the season in High-A Tampa which is a big push. He’s yet another prospect who projects to see the Major League level in 2015 or 2016.

So, there you have it. The Yankees have some nice upside players in the top-10, unfortunately none of them are ready to contribute in 2013 and only a few have the potential to reach the Bigs in 2014. But, some productive seasons in the minors could boost their trade values and provide the Yankees with chips to go after players ready to play in New York.

During the upcoming week, we’ll look at how the minor leaguers have fared in the winter leagues.