Yankees: Thoughts on Pinstriped Prospects top five prospects

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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

From Torres to Florial

During his shortened 2017, Torres hit .273 with five home runs, 10 doubles and 18 RBI in 32 games with Double-A Trenton before being promoted to Triple-A Scranton in late May.

At Scranton, he hit .390 with two homers and 16 RBI before his season ended in a collision at home plate that resulted in Tommy John surgery to his non-throwing elbow.

As for hitting, Torres is described as having a smooth stroke and feel for the barrel, along with average bat speed and excellent balance. He uses the whole field and, while not a significant power threat, may grow into an excellent opposite field home run hitter.

Estevan Florial

Estevan Florial is the No. 2 prospect on the Pinstriped Prospects’ top 75 list, and he is described as “one of the most talented players in the Yankees system.”

Florial signed as an amateur free-agent out of Haiti in 2015.

Florial has three tools that grade well above-average:

Raw power
Speed
Arm strength

On defense, Florial is described as very athletic with excellent speed and range in the outfield, as well as a robust throwing arm. While he’s still learning centerfield, his arm makes him a weapon anywhere in the outfield.

Offensively, Florial has shown some pop at the plate with his increasing power numbers, and he’s an excellent base stealer, who uses his speed well on the basepaths. However, Florial strikes out a lot, which is why he doesn’t show up on Keith Law’s top 100 prospects list.

From Florial to Sheffield

Florial struck out 31% of the time in 2017, which shows what a wide gap there is between his ceiling and his floor.

His double-plus speed somewhat makes up for his strikeout rate, as he could be a 30-30 player if he adds the necessary polish to his game.

Florial had a breakout season in 2017, slashing .303 with two home runs, two doubles, two triples and was six-for-seven in stolen base attempts for High-A Tampa after he was promoted there on August 1.

In 91 games for the Low-A Charleston Riverdogs, Florial hit .297 with 11 home runs, 21 doubles and five triples. He also stole 17 bases in 24 attempts.

Randy Miller of NJ.com has said:

Florial has developed into one of the best prospects in baseball.

Yankees fans will have an opportunity to see him play in Spring Training this year as he has received an invitation to Tampa from the big league club.

Justus Sheffield

Justus Sheffield profiled at No. 3 on the Pinstriped Prospects top 75 list. The 21-year-old Sheffield came over in the Andrew Miller deal back in 2016. The left-hander is one of the most highly regarded and exciting pitchers in an organization stacked with talent.

Sheffield put up a 3.12 ERA with 88 strikeouts and 34 walks in 98 innings of work between the Gulf Coast Yankees and Trenton Thunder. From July 5 to August 25, Sheffield was sidelined by an oblique injury.

From Sheffield to Acevedo

Sheffield went to the Arizona Fall League to make up the regular season innings he missed due to the oblique injury and ended up becoming the starter of the AFL All-Star Game.

Scouts were quoted as saying from his very first start in Arizona that he had No. 1 starter-like stuff:

Scout the other day on Justus Sheffield's opening AFL start: "That was No. 1 starter-type stuff right there." #Yankees
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) October 12, 2017

The Pinstriped Prospects’ scouting report on Sheffield pinpoints control as the key to his season.

While noting that he had improved his control in 2017, they pointed out that he will only become more efficient as his control continues to grow in 2018.

Sheffield has a 92-97 mph fastball, mid 80s slider and a changeup. He could have three-plus pitches when all is said and done.

Fans will get a glimpse of Sheffield’s talents in Spring Training as he has also received an invite.

Randy Miller of NJ.com speculates that if Sheffield is lights out in Spring Training, the Yankees may want to keep him around, and, further, that:

Sheffield is mature for his age and has three big league pitches.

Domingo Acevedo

Domingo Acevedo is ranked No. 4 among prospects in the Yankees’ organization by Pinstriped Prospects. Acevedo was signed as an International free-agent in 2012 out of the Dominican Republic. He’s a big pitcher, 6’7″, 250 lbs that had a breakout year in ’17.

The 23-year-old right-hander threw a career-high 133 innings with a 6-6 record and 3.25 ERA in 23 starts across three different levels; Tampa, Trenton and Scranton Wilkes-Barre.

From Acevedo to Abreu

Acevedo finally gained command of his pitches in 2017, as his strikeout numbers rocketed and his walks plummeted. He struck out 124 while walking only 34 during that time.

Rob Terranova of Pinstriped Prospects describes Acevedo as:

a three pitch pitcher with an electric fastball that’s touched 103 mph, but consistently attacked hitters at 94-98 mph last season. He has an above-average change up which he throws at 87-88 mph and a developing slider which he throws at 85-87 mph.

With his ability to throw three effective pitches, Acevedo is on track to be a starter and is expected to open the season with Triple-A Scranton.

Albert Abreu

Albert Abreu is the No. 5 prospect on the Pinstriped Prospects’ top 75 prospect list. He is a 21-year-old right-hander who was acquired in the trade that sent Brian McCann to the Houston Astros.

Abreu is a power pitcher. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, occasionally touching the upper 90s, and he has three distinct secondaries: a changeup, slider and curve.

He quickly moved up from Low-A level Charleston to High-A Tampa in 2017 but was injured after six games in Tampa. He was out of the lineup from June 6 to August 10.

Similar to Sheffield, Abreu was sent by the Yankees to the Arizona Fall League to make up innings missed and was spectacular. Abreu was singled out along with Sheff as one of the two best pitchers there:

Scout who's been in attendance since the start of the AFL: "Justus Sheffield and Albert Abreu are the two best pitchers here."
— Dan Federico (@DanJFederico) October 31, 2017

In Arizona, Abreu found success, posting a 2.60 ERA in 27 2/3 innings, while holding batters to a .219 average against him.

Abreu profiles to begin the season in either High-A Tampa or Double-A Trenton. Pinstriped Prospects compares Abreu to a younger version of Luis Severino, as he struggles to keep his emotions in check on the mound. Like a young Severino, Abreu has the stuff, but can he command it?

Next: Yanks' top 30 prospects, part 2

Of course being on a preseason list of highly regarded prospects is no guarantee of success in the big leagues. Whether or not these top talents make it with the big club or not out of Spring Training, fans are eager to get a look for themselves.

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Yankees: Thoughts on top five pinstriped prospects