Five Reasons to Be Excited About the 2017 Yankees

Mike Trout Junior!

At the August 1st trade deadline, the New York Yankees acquired five players who appeared on either the Baseball America or MLB.com Top 100 list before the season, however the consensus top talent they brought in was Triple-A outfielder Clint Frazier.

If he didn’t stumble in his first taste of International League play in the second half, there’s a strong possibility that Frazier could already be in the big leagues alongside rookies Gary Sanchez and Tyler Austin. He was hitting .276/.356/.469 with 13 homers in 391 Double-A plate appearances before the trade, and the Yankees have been very willing to let guys hit their way into a call up this year.

The 21-year-old showed he needed a little more seasoning down the stretch, but seems poised to crack the New York lineup with a hot start. He is certain to get a look in big league spring training, and there are even rumors the club could open up an outfield spot for him by trading Brett Gardner this winter.

One of the most exciting pure hitters in the minor leagues, Frazier combines tremendous bat speed, plus pop, and an advanced approach at the plate. As if that weren’t enough, he has plus speed, a strong arm, and has the skills to handle either outfield corner or even center in a pinch.

It’s not a sure-thing that we’ll see Frazier in pinstripes in 2017, but I would be willing to give better than even odds that he’s hitting in the three-hole by August 2nd next year.