New York Yankees top-30 prospects Part 1; a short look

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Last week I took a look at some of the under-appreciated prospects in the Yankees system. Now we’re going to get to see some of the candidates who may not be well known but still have a chance to contribute to the club.

If the Yankees stay put for the rest of this offseason, and that’s a big if, the farm system will look the same as it does now come Spring Training.

I have said before that the Yankees’ farm system is incredibly deep. This means that a player who might otherwise be in the top-30 is left out. As such, a couple of honorable mentions are in order.

While very few Yankee players in the minor leagues are known outside of the top-30, a couple of their names might ring a bell.

Jio Orozco

Orozco is a long way from MLB; he has yet to pitch in High-A Tampa. Orozco was acquired in the Ben Gamel to the Mariners trade back in 2016. He enjoyed a solid year in his first full professional season.

Orozco was seen as a high upside lottery ticket when the Yanks acquired him. This is MLB.com’s scouting report on his at the time.

His fluid arm action and clean delivery allow him to pitch to both sides of the plate with his 91-94 mph fastball, while his extension through the ball gives it some sinking action. Orozco’s curveball has above-average potential, thrown from an over-the-top slot with good arm speed, creating a 12-to-6 shape with depth, and he also shows good feel for a changeup, giving him the chance for three average-or-better offerings.

Still only 20, it will be a while before we see Orozoco in the majors and even then it might only ever be as a reliever.

JP Feyereisen

A reliever by trade, Feyereisen has steadily climbed through the minors since he started playing professional ball in 2014. While his gaudy 10.5 career K/9 rate makes it look like he can be a top-notch reliever, those numbers are often inflated in the minors, especially with relievers.

Feyereisen mostly relies on his fastball, which can reach triple digits, to overpower his opponents. He is, however, working on his slider and doing what he can to develop it into a real secondary pitch.

If he does, Feyereisen may find himself on the Scranton shuttle as he has pitched half a season in Triple-A already.

Kyle Holder

Holder is a left-handed hitting shortstop who was drafted by the Yankees in the first round in 2015. While he has never lived up to the hype of a real first rounder, Holder has consistently hit for average and finished 2017 in Tampa with an OPS of 1.016.

At 23, Holder will likely start the new season in Double-A Trenton. Without any real power, Holder probably tops out as a utility or backup infielder. With the plethora of infielders the Yankees already have, he likely never plays in the Bronx but may wind up on another club via trade.

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.

No. 26 Jonathan Loaisiga

Loaisiga was a relatively unknown prospect until the Yankees decided to protect him in this year’s Rule 5 Draft. The Yankees pulled him out of the dumpster after the Giants released him in 2015.

After Tommy John surgery in 2016, Loaisiga must have flashed something in ’17 for the Yankees to stick him on the 40-man roster. What he has is an excellent repeatable fastball. Per Baseball America.

[Loaisiga] has the potential for three solid or better pitches. He has a quick arm that generates 92-97 mph fastballs with life down in the strike zone. He also throws a hard curveball in the low 80s and a changeup that can get a bit firm in the upper 80s, albeit with promising fade. With a sound delivery that he repeats well, Loaisiga walked just three batters in 32 2/3 innings in 2017. With his repertoire and his control, he has the necessary ingredients to make it as a starter, but his size and health history are major concerns. If the Yankees do shift him to the bullpen, his stuff should play up and he could advance very quickly.

This report seems promising enough that the Yankees may have been smart in holding on to the 23-year-old. However, at his age and never having pitched above Staten Island, he might not crack the big leagues until he is at least 25.

No. 25 Luis Medina

Luis Medina is a work in progress for the Yankees. He has the “stuff,” but his control isn’t there yet. Baseball America gives Medina the best curveball in the Yankees’ system. The results, however, haven’t been there. His K:BB rate was a high 24:39 and he had an ERA over five in 2017.

However, with a fastball that can touch triple digits and a devastating curveball, his raw stuff is undeniable. MLB.com gave him a 75 score on his fastball.

No. 24 Cody Carrol

Another reliever, Carroll can bring the heat and has a good delivery. He has a fastball rated 75 to go along with a 60 slider, giving him the stuff to be a competent reliever.

However, a consistent lack of control ever since his professional debut weighs him down. As a 25-year-old in Double-A, he can still overpower opposing batters without needing much control. But this cannot be done in the majors.

Until Carrol figures his control issues out, he will never make the big leagues. Barring a significant turnaround, Carroll will likely find himself off this list by the end of next year.

No. 23 Donny Sands

As opposed to Carroll who is trending downward, Sands is trending up. Drafted in the 8th round back in 2015, Sands’ original position was third base.

However, the Yankees moved him behind the plate shortly after. While his defense is still in the early phases of development, his bat is what receives the most praise.

MLB.com scouts wrote that he has a “smooth right-handed stroke.” They also said “he has a great feel for the barrel and makes repeated line-drive contact. ”

Having reached High-A Tampa for the first time last season, Sands looks to continue his upward trend.

No. 22 Billy McKinney

Acquired in the Aroldis Chapman trade to the Cubs, McKinney had at times been a top-100 prospect in all of baseball. A couple of down years and a blocked position reduced him to an after-thought.

However, in an attempt to increase his stock, the Yanks shifted him over to first base and may take over there in the case of another Bird injury.

McKinney’s overall production took a significant step forward in 2017. His OPS shot up from .770 in half a year at Double-A Trenton to .877 in Triple-A Scranton. He hit a career-high 16 home runs, with 10 of them coming for the RailRiders. McKinney may compete with 26-year-old Tyler Austin this spring for the backup first baseman’s job.

No. 21 Ben Heller

Heller has made a couple of brief appearances in the Bronx via the Scranton shuttle. However, with six spots in the bullpen basically guaranteed, that leaves one place for a pitcher like Heller.

Chasen Shreve currently has the advantage as he is a lefty in a righty-heavy pen. With Heller’s plus fastball and solid slurve, he could be an outstanding major league reliever, and he is indeed major league ready.

However, Heller is blocked. Don’t be surprised if Heller is included in whatever trade the Yankees make in the next month or by the July 31 deadline.

Looking ahead

As we getter closer and closer to the Yankees’ top prospects, we see better and better players. Even within this list, the difference between the top and bottom is astounding.

The players we are going to take a continued look at are the following:

No. 20 Dermis Garcia

No. 19 Domingo German

No. 18 Hoy Jun Park

No. 17 Jake Cave

No. 16 Thairo Estrada

No. 15 Nolan Martinez

No. 14 Tyler Widener

No. 13 Tyler Austin (who apparently is still a prospect)

No. 12 Dillon Tate

No. 11 Clarke Schmidt

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A couple of these guys have stuck around in the Yanks’ system for a while and are now on their way down.

Others such as Garcia, Schmidt and Tate may be on their way up. A couple may lose their rookie status next year (see Tyler Austin, Jake Cave and Domingo German).

All in all, these mid-level prospects are due for a major shake-up to come next year.

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