Yankees top-30 prospects Part 1; a short look

No. 30  Trevor Stephan

The Yankees’ No. 3 pick in the 2017 draft, Stephan has a plus fastball and solid slider. He has good control which led to a 44:6 K:BB ratio in 11 games last season.

Already 22, Stephan will probably begin the season in Low-A Charleston and may move quickly due to his advanced age. Stephan sits in the lower-mid 90s and can reach as high as 97.

MlLB.com’s scouts have said his deceptive ability gives his fastball a “run” on the hitters that can reach both sides of the plate.

"He touches 97 mph with a deceptive crossfire delivery that confounds batters."

Other scouts, however, see his future out of the bullpen.

"Some scouts wonder if his delivery and arm action are conducive to starting every fifth day as a pro, though the Yankees see him as a future option for their rotation."

No. 29 Giovani Gallegos

Gallegos got his cup of coffee in the bigs last year. A reliever by trade, Gallegos rode his power fastball and curveball to a 2.08 ERA in Scranton in ’17.

In 20.1 innings in the majors last season, Gallegos posted a 4.07 ERA. Already 26, Gallegos will likely remain a staple in the Triple-A Scranton shuttle and may see some extended playing time in the Bronx in case of injury.

No. 28 Juan Then

During the Yankees’ 40-man roster crunch at the winter meetings, the Yankees traded Nick Rumbelow, who was on the 40-man roster, to the Mariners for 17-year-old Juan Then and J.P. Sears.

Seen as a high-upside lottery ticket, Then’s development will likely depend on how he fills out as he matures. Then has a couple of pitches in his arsenal already and could improve as he grows — as he’s only 17. MLB.com scouts give him an upside of a mid-rotation starter.

"Once Then matures physically, he could have three solid or better pitches in his arsenal. He had no problem throwing strikes in his pro debut, another reason to think he might develop into a mid-rotation starter."

In 2017, Then posted a 2.64 ERA across 13 games started with a 56/15 K/BB ratio.

No. 27 Everson Pereira

One of the Yankees’ major international signings this year was outfielder Everson Pereira. Ranked the No. 4 international prospect in the 2017 class, the Venezuela native’s game is not limited to his bat.

Pereira can play centerfield very well and has good speed. He doesn’t hit for much power but has good gap-to-gap ability. However, with the current launch angle craze, his power output will likely go up.

Watch for Pereira to fly up the rankings. The only current knock against Pereira is as such a recent signing; he has yet to play in a professional game.

Pereira, still only 16, will likely spend a couple of seasons in rookie ball before reaching A-level or making it onto top prospect lists. But once he does, watch for him to be a top-tier prospect. Pereira projects to be top of the order bat with good speed and defense.

"Pereira projects as potential top-of-the-order hitter with little doubt that he’ll be able to remain in center field. He has a quick, compact right-handed swing and impressive hand-eye coordination, allowing him to make contact with ease. He focuses on hitting line drives and using the entire field rather than pulling the ball out of the park, though he should have some gap power."