Five Yankees Prospects Who Can Contribute in September

Richard Bleier

Admittedly, the addition of Tommy Layne to the Yankees in the past two weeks has greatly diminished Bleier’s staying power on the Yankees’ active roster, but still, Bleier’s been good when he’s been at the MLB level. In 16 games, he has posted an ERA of 3.38.

If there is one manager in all of baseball that is a stickler for finding the best matchup, whether that’s a lefty pitcher versus a lefty batter or vice-versa, it is Joe Girardi. Having a guy like Bleier who can win with consistency against lefties gives the Yankees a solid option when they have to face players like David Ortiz, Edwin Encarnacion, and Chris Davis when their starters exit the game.

He may not be effective enough to pitch complete innings, but his impact can be felt against lefties. Bleier is basically a lock to make the roster when the roster expands. A battle between him and Layne for the lefty specialist gig could ensue in September.

It’s also worth mentioning that Bleier is extra versatile because he was originally supposed to be a starter when he was going through the Yankees’ organization. If the Yankees are truly out of it when September rolls around, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Yankees test out their minor league pitchers to find out if there is someone who could be in the rotation next year. His flexibility between being a spot-starter and a lefty-specialist in the pen makes him quite valuable.

Next: A Potential Starting Pitcher