Yankees: Thoughts on top five pinstriped prospects

Many Yankees fans have seen the profiles come up on their Twitter or Facebook feed of the top 75 prospects in the Yankees organization published by PinstripedProspects.com throughout January. Now we’ll dig a little deeper.

Of course, we have lists a-plenty this time of year, including the MLB.com, Baseball America and Keith Law lists of the top 100 prospects, all of which include some Yankees top talent.

Pinstriped Prospects, however,  is undoubtedly the resource most fans go to when they want to know more about a Yankees’ prospect since each level of the system is reported on by local reporters who see the teams regularly.

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the scouting reports and projections made by Pinstriped Prospects for the top five prospects they profiled.

Gleyber Torres came in at No. 1 on the Pinstriped Prospects’ list, as he also did on MLB.com’s top 100 list. By now, if you haven’t heard general manager Brian Cashman say that Torres will play with the Yankees in 2018, most likely at second base, then you need to come out from under that rock.

Most Yankees’ fans have heard the clamor and excitement about the 21-year-old Torres since he first came over from the Cubs in the Aroldis Chapman trade near the 2016 trade deadline.

We’ve also been told that Torres will likely begin the season at Triple-A at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to sharpen his skills after being out with Tommy John surgery on his non-throwing elbow since June of last season.

The organization also gain another year of service time with Torres if they keep him down in the minors for the first few weeks of the season.

That being said, scouts from 2020 Baseball were relied upon by Pinstriped Prospects and provided these observations of Torres:

• He’s legitimately close to a five-tool prospect, but for foot speed
• The hit tool is his top tool
• Good hands defensively
• Has an above-average arm