New York Yankees Prospect Profile: Number 24 Jeff Degano

As we continue our Yanks Go Yard Prospect Profile series, we move down the New York Yankees pipeline to 24th ranked prospect Jeff Degano.

Scouting grades (courtesy of MLB Pipeline): Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

After going un-drafted from 2010-2014, the New York Yankees selected southpaw Jeff Degano out of Indiana State University with the 57th-overall selection of the 2015 MLB June Amateur Draft.

After transferring from Marshalltown Community College to Indiana State in 2013, Degano blew out his elbow after just three starts as a Sycamore. He missed the remainder of the 2013 season and the entire 2014 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, but he returned in 2015 with a vengeance, pitching to an 8-3 record in 99 innings and setting Indiana State records in single-season strikeouts (126) and career ERA (2.84).

Still, a few concerns popped up during his post-draft physical, and the Yankees signed him to a well-below-slot signing bonus of $650,000.

In rookie-ball, the 23-year old Degano pitched to an 0-4 record with a 3.80 ERA while allowing 14 hits, one home run and nine earned runs in 21.1 innings pitched split between the Staten Island ‘Baby Bombers’ and the Gulf Coast Yankees.

According to MLB Pipeline, Degano’s left-handed heater has a natural cut and sits in the 88-92 mph range, topping out at 95 mph. His hard slurve also reaches the low 80 mph range and generates a ton of strikeouts because it runs away from lefties and catches righties on their back foot.

His arsenal also features a changeup, but Degano rarely used it in college. However, according to Degano’s interview with Robert Pimpsner of Pinstriped Prospects, the young left-hander used this off-season to work on his changeup, and he want’s to be able to use it in any count.

Be sure to tune in to Yanks Go Yard tomorrow as we cover 23rd-ranked prospect Kyle Holder.