Yankees Estevan Florial: What does he bring to Spring Training?

Yankees outfielder Estevan Florial is a 20-year-old Haitian-born player who is coming into Spring Training off a breakout 2017 campaign (Low-A and High-A combined).

Estevan Florial heads to Yankees camp for the second year — last spring he got just two at-bats with the big league club.

So what can Florial expect in Spring Training 2018? Competition for the centerfield position is on — Jacoby Ellsbury, Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier will hotly contend for the starting job, and all three have been vocal about their intentions of winning the job.

Florial and newcomer Jabari Blash will be most likely compete for the fourth outfielder position, but, in reality, they both will probably just be getting a look to provide depth at the minor league level.

That being said, what can Florial bring to Spring Training for the organization as scouts evaluate his overall progress?

Brendan Kuty of NJ.com quotes Jay Bell, Florial’s Double-A Trenton Thunder manager:

He’s as close to a five-tool player, in my opinion, as anybody in the game. He’s going to be a fan favorite for a long time. I think he’s got a chance not just to be a good player and not just an All-Star, but a great player and a perennial All-Star.”More from Yanks Go YardCreating a Yankees-Bryan Reynolds trade package after latest Pirates updateYankees analyst Cameron Maybin projects surprise landing spot for Gary SánchezYankees swipe intriguing minor-league FA lefty flamethrower from BravesWhat does Carlos Rodón’s new jersey number mean for Domingo Germán?3 lefty relievers Yankees can still sign without breaking the bank

High praise for a highly ranked prospect. Florial is ranked No. 2 in the Yankees’ system, and No. 38 overall by Baseball America.

Florial raked to a .298/.372/.479 slash line in 2017 with 13 home runs and 57 RBI in 110 games between Low-A Charleston and High-A Tampa, but that doesn’t tell the full story of his offensive success.

Joshua Diemert of Pinstripealley.com writes:

Estevan is coming off a season that saw him post an .855 OPS for Charleston’s A-level affiliate, against opponents that averaged about two and a half years older than him. For comparison’s sake, Torres posted a high .700 OPS while at A-level two years ago.

What Florial brings to the Yanks at this point, is a bat that shows the maturity of more experienced players.

According to scouts, he also has excellent defensive abilities. A Pinstriped Prospects‘ scouting report describes Florial as very athletic, with tremendous range in the outfield and a powerful throwing arm. He also has excellent speed, both on defense and on offense when running the base paths.

Manager Aaron Boone recently remarked:

“I don’t want to be too hyperbolic about it, but I’ve been blown away by the amount of high-end talent that exists now in this organization,” Boone said. “There are so many guys that I would view have a real chance at impacting us at some point if an opportunity presented itself. If an injury came up, maybe guys that some of you aren’t even thinking about yet have a real chance at being quality Major League players.

Of all the young talent in camp, Florial is a player to watch, as he may change the whole dynamic of the centerfield contest.

Next: How the Bombers will fare against Rays pitching

Jacoby Ellsbury is 34, and Aaron Hicks is 28 — the 20-year-old Florial will be bringing the future with him to Spring Training — so watch out Yankee fans!