Yankees: 4 Unexpected Prospects Who Will Contribute in 2020

3. Luis Medina

Luis Medina was ticketed for Trenton, but he could be an option for the Yankees.

Luis Medina’s arm is his calling card.

In a just world, with a minor league slate and full complement of time at his disposal, the 21-year-old Medina would be spending 2020 building on his ’19 progress at the lower levels, harnessing the repeatable delivery that led to the best control stretch of his career (15 walks in 45.2 innings to end the campaign).

Instead, it’s quite possible his 96-99 mph fastball gets unleashed at the big league level, instead.

The best-case scenario for Medina’s 2020 season definitely had nothing to do with the bright lights of Yankee Stadium, but we’ve wandered far from that path by now.

Ranked 10th on the team’s prospect list by MLB Pipeline, Medina sits behind favorites like Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia, as well as the very polished Luis Gil. But armed with a fastball that ranks 75 on a best-of-80 scouting scale, the Yankees may take their chances and let Medina rip it in a pinch.

2. Adonis Rosa

Adonis Rosa had an adorable cameo with the Yankees in 2019.

25-year-old Adonis Rosa got exactly one chance to show the Yankees what he was made of last year, closing out an 8-3 win over the Orioles with two one-run innings before being sent back to Scranton.

As tenuous as the “trust” he established there is, it still counts for something, and we wouldn’t be shocked if Rosa were called upon to make a similar “spot start” or something of the like in this unconventional season.

Rosa’s stuff isn’t overwhelming, and he’s conditioned to allow contact rather than wipe hitters away, but the stability he provides is good for something in 2020, with so many pitchers without MLB backgrounds fighting to fill gaps.

He appeared to harness something at Scranton last season, going 6-0 with a 3.88 mark in 13 outings (eight starts), walking just 14 men in 60.1 innings pitched. That command, control, and poise could definitely be worth something in a season unlike any other, even though he’s currently off the 40-man roster.

1. Brooks Kriske

The Yankees think they have a relief ace in Brooks Kriske.

Brooks Kriske shares something with Medina and Nelson: 40-man roster pedigree. However, unlike the rest of the top prospects who were added this offseason, Kriske was a relative unknown.

Protecting Kriske meant the Yankees left some previously prominent names exposed, and they certainly had their reasons. The 26-year-old got a late start to his career, but dominated at Trenton in 2019, whiffing 64 in 48.2 innings pitched to light a fire under the Yankees.

Kriske threw the eighth inning in Monday night’s spectacle at the Stadium, and made it clear this would not be his final impression on that stage.

If New York needs a more experienced bullpen arm from their shuttle squad at any point, we’d bet on Kriske arriving before Nelson. But in terms of dominating the narrative, these two men drew even on Monday, leaving Philadelphia in their wake.

Neither doing the exact same thing in September would surprise us.