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New York Yankees MiLB News: Holder Highlights FSL All Stars

The New York Yankees farm system continues to grow better each month. The Tampa Yankees, who sit in second place in the Florida State League North Division, are sending an octet of prospects to the FSL All Star Game June 20th in Port St. Lucie, Florida. None may be more exciting than the Yankee with the shortest tenure. 

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Jonathan Holder will make his first professional All Star team and the Yankees couldn’t be happier. 2013 was the Yankees’ draft that shifted the direction of the franchise and expectations were set high for the 2014 draft class. Jacob Lindgren has already found his way to the Bronx, and now Holder is lighting things up in Tampa.

The 22-year old righty, who was drafted in the 6th round last year, is showing he may be more than ready to already take the leap to Double-A. Holder had a decent debut with Staten Island last season, earning him a YGY Top 5 Pitcher nod. This year, he is on fire: over his first 11 starts in High-A ball, Holder is 4-2 with an impressive 2.15 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Holder has become a Yankees prospect to keep an eye on as he matures into a possible rotation candidate of the future.

The Yankees No. 11 prospect Miguel Andujar also highlights the list. Andujar is actually having a down season after last year’s breakout season with the Low-A Charleston RiverDogs. He remains an extra base hit machine this season with 7 doubles, 3 triples and 4 home runs.

Andujar started slow last season as well, but batted .319 down the stretch. What the Yankees love most about Andujar is his arm, one which grades out at a 70 at MLB Pipeline. He is developing into a solid fielder after sloppy play held him back.

Also making the trip to Tradition Field in the Yankees No. 20 prospect middle infielder Tyler Wade. The 2013 fourth round draft pick had a solid full first season last year at Charleston, and this year has been even better.

Last season, Wade hit 1 home run and stole 22 bases. This year he has already matched his home run total and had 21 stolen bases. He is batting an impressive .289 as well. Wade has been back and forth between second and short this season. At second base he is perfect, with a 1.000 fielding percentage, whereas he has shown his struggles at short already committing 16 errors on the young season.

First baseman Mike Ford — also acquired in 2013 as a non-drafted free agent — is coming off a huge and surprising 2014 split between Charleston and Tampa. Ford surpassed many expectations last season slashing .292/.383/.458 while making the South Atlantic League All Star team behind a memorable 4 home run game late last May.

This season, he has started slowly, but has been a solid fixture at first base. Ford has become a dependable option at first base (.982 fielding percentage) but will have Greg Bird ahead of him. Should Ford continue to progress, however, the Yankees will have solid depth in the system for some time.

Kyle Higashioka, coming off a decent Arizona Fall League performance, will be heading to the All Star Game as the backstop. The 25-year old, 2008 7th round draft pick is a defensive minded catcher, batting a mere .215 with two home runs this season.

Reliever Andury Acevedo will represent the T-Yanks in St. Lucie also. Acevedo has been dominant at High-A, posting a 1.10 ERA and going 1-for-2 in save opportunites. He struggled mightily in a brief stint at Double-A Trenton before retuning to Tampa. He will be joined by 22-year old right handed closer Angel Rincon who is 6-for-7 in save chances with the T-Yanks this season.

Lastly, Danny Oh received an All Star nod. Oh, the 2012 26th round draft pick, started the season scorching hot for the T-Yanks, slashing .333/.411/.438. It earned the light hitting left fielder a promotion to Trenton, where he has returned more to his career norms.

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