Yankees: Who Will Make It to the Bronx First – Frazier or Torres?

The top two prospects in the New York Yankees farm system are on the fast track to the major leagues. While both remain very young, they have the chance to reach the majors very quickly.

The New York Yankees farm system is, to many, the best in the game. With unrivaled depth, talent, and youth, the future of Bronx baseball is undeniably bright.

The best of the system, however, sit at No.1 and No.2 in the rankings, respectively. Shortstop Gleyber Torres and outfielder Clint Frazier have the makings of future stars, this much we know. What we don’t know, though, is who will make it to the Bronx first.

The Case For Torres

Gleyber Torres’ .403/.513/.645 slash line from the Arizona Fall League is astonishing. It’s utterly ridiculous when you consider he had done this before he was even 20-years-old. Torres, the jewel of the Aroldis Chapman deal from last summer, is simply one of the best prospects in the game.

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He’s the No.1 prospect in the Yankees organization and for a good reason. Yankees evaluators and rival scouts have praised the infielder for his poise, with one National League GM even saying Torres “has a bit of Jeter in him.” The 20-year-old will begin the 2017 season in Double-A Trenton, and if he keeps up his stellar production, he could very easily find himself in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before season’s end.

While Torres will most likely see his AFL number’s come down to Earth, he will surely be able to compete with, if not outperform, the competition he faces. Torres is one of the true few super-prospects in the game, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he shoots through the minors in the ways Kris Bryant and Dansby Swanson did.

The only roadblock for Torres remains the incumbents in New York; Didi Gregorius and Starlin Castro. The Yankees are one of the few teams in the MLB to have a talented, young double play tandem on its roster. Both Gregorius and Castro are just 26, so there is certainly no rush to get them out of New York.

However, if Torres’ can sustain solid production to the point where the front office can’t hide it anymore, he may nip at the heels of either Gregorius or Castro. Luckily for the Yankees, Castro is very open to the idea of moving to third base, as he has displayed a team-first mentality in the event of a possible position switch.

If Torres did get the call, where exactly would he play? It seems unlikely the Yankees would trade Didi Gregorius, as he had a breakout 2016 season. Perhaps they could trade Castro, but a position switch seems more likely. On the flipside, Chase Headley would have to be traded or regulated to a bench role.

The Case For Frazier

Clint Frazier appears to have the swagger of a New York Yankee. He’s already a fan favorite due to his social media presence and his positive outlook. However, the red-headed wonder talks a big game and is tough on himself when he doesn’t perform up to his standards.

Before his trade to the Yankees, Frazier hit 13 home runs and drove in 48 runs through 89 games with Double-A Akron. Up to that point, he had shown that he was ready for the next step. So, upon his trade to the Yankees, he was immediately assigned to the next level, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The centerpiece of the Andrew Miller deal had trouble living up to the hype when he first arrived. He hit for a .228/.278/.396 slash line in his 25 games at Triple-A after hitting .276 in Double-A. He struck out 30 times in those 25 games and clearly had a hard time adjusting to Triple-A ball.

However, even with these rough numbers, there’s no reason to panic. Frazier is just 22-years-old and will begin the 2017 season in Triple-A. With the Andrew Miller trade in the rearview mirror, Frazier will be focusing on improving his game and making it to the Bronx by the end of 2017.

Although the Yankees outfield seems settled, it remains far from it. Aside from Jacoby Ellsbury, there are no clear-cut starters. Aaron Judge will most likely assume the reigns in right field if he can cut down on his strikeout numbers, but that isn’t a sure thing. In left field, Brett Gardner is the starter…for now. It’s a tossup to this point of whether or not he’ll be traded. If Frazier’s production calls for a promotion to the majors, you can bet that the Yankees will make room for him.

The verdict

This is a tight choice, but I’d bet on Frazier donning the pinstripes first. While he doesn’t have the insane numbers that Torres boasts, he is closer. Torres has yet to play above A-level, while Frazier will have an entire season to work out the kinks of his game in Triple-A.

The most probable scenario for Frazier to reach the majors this season is through a September call-up when rosters expand. However, if he excels in Triple-A, he could force his way up to New York sooner than expected. With the uncertainty of New York’s outfield, Frazier would be able to get ample playing time much in the same way Aaron Judge did last season. If the Yankees fail to contend by the trade deadline, Brett Gardner could be on his way out of town and open up left field for Frazier.

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Even though I’m choosing Frazier to reach the Bronx sooner, Torres is not far behind. It’s conceivable he could be on the Yankees opening day roster come 2018. Either way, Yankees fans have a lot to be excited about with both of these young men.