Yankees Farm Report Part Four: Triple-A Scranton RailRiders

Clint Frazier

Dustin Fowler will likely play in the majors before LF Clint Frazier. That might be a surprise since Frazier is the Yankees number two prospect, 18^th overall, while Fowler is the team’s eighth best young Yankee but is not in baseball’s top 100.

That doesn’t mean Clint is playing poorly. He started slowly but has been playing better almost every week, currently slashing .257/.349/.492.

Frazier is a real power hitter, so his average is not as significant as his home runs and walks. A home run hitter who forces the pitcher to throw in the zone is a dangerous man. And, once again, Aaron Judge has said Frazier hits home run balls a lot farther than he does.

As I said, Frazier started slowly but now co-leads the team in homers (9)–Clint has collected his with 26 fewer AB’s than co-leader Fowler—and is the sole leader in doubles, RBI’s, and walks. And he’s second in runs scored and total bases.

This also makes him first in the International League in doubles and ninth in both home runs and runs scored. He is a high-energy, high-emotion guy and admitted earlier this year that he needed to slow down his at-bats. The results speak for themselves.

No Room at the Yankees Inn

For comparison, here is the final RailRiders slash line for Aaron Judge from 2016: .270/.366/.489. Clint’s overall season numbers are comparable, and he has been playing to at least that level for the last month. And Frazier has just one little error.

Clint Frazier is 22 still needs time in the minors but is clearly on his way, and no later than September. Dustin Fowler, also 22, is ready now. His problem is that the Yankees are overflowing with outfielders playing well this year. Brett Gardner is having one of his best years, Aaron Hicks is having his best year period, and Aaron Judge is okay, I guess. Even Jacoby Ellsbury is playing better.

That probably means a trade. Typically Yankees fans would want to trade Ellsbury or Gardner but not with the team in first place and both playing well. And the Yankees are not going to trade Clint because of his power potential, making Fowler the next Gamel instead of the next Hicks. Fowler is destined to play in the bigs, just not in pinstripes.

The RailRiders infielders will probably find themselves in a similar position.