Spring Training Prospect Update: Week 2

By: Josh Sabo | Minor League Reporter

Throughout spring training, we here at Yanks Beat Blog will be updating you on the the progress of the team. In this series, I will give weekly updates on the stats and performances of the Yankees prospects.

The term prospect will be used loosely here and will include a lot of fringe prospects, and some players that shouldn't be considered prospects. When this feature continues on into the year I will be more restrictive in my usage of the word prospect. The players will be listed in random order and the player stats will be listed after their names.

The following stats will be given to position players: games played, AVG, OBP, and SLG. Pitcher's stats will be: innings pitched, strike outs, ERA and WHIP.

1. Yangervis Solarte,  9/.588/.632/.941: Solarte has remained hot, though his numbers are steadily decreasing. It's a good sign that he and the other infielders are getting a similar amount of reps. It shows that this might actually be a real race. I still don't like his chances as the Yankees roster is full, but hopefully he proves me wrong. As of now it looks like he is on equal footing with players like Scott Sizemore, Dean Anna, and Adonis Garcia.

2.  Adonis Garcia, 10/.438/.438/.938: So far the super-utility player has been very impressive. Though I still don't think he could break camp with the team, he should be able to play a significant role on the Yankees AAA affiliate, and may be an intriguing late season call-up. It's important to remember he is 28 years old, and really isn't a prospect.

3. John Ryan Murphy, 8/.125/.176/.489: John Ryan is likely going to be in camp for a while, but he almost certainly going to start in the minors. The recent  Fransisco Cervelli rumors may help him, but if Cervelli's value is low I don't see the Yankees trading him. Murphy has been struggling a little at the plate, and did seem to get crossed up with Bruce Billings yesterday. With that said I don't think anyone is actually worried about his performance so far.

4. Dean Anna, 9/.357/.500/.357: Anna is a member of the Yankees forty-man roster, which means he has a much better chance of making the team than either Garcia or Solarte. Anna has made some pretty bad errors the past few games but is thought to be an adequate defender. If Anna can play a decent second and convince the team that his on-base abilities will translate to the majors he should get a starting job with the team.

5. Gary Sanchez, 3/.375/..375/.750: The teams best prospect hasn't really gotten the chance to show us his ability, but he will probably stick with the club for a couple more weeks. Hopefully, he gets a few more games in, but I guess it makes sense to showcase some of the other catchers.

6. Jose Pirela, 10/.438/.438/.688: Pirela is yet another player on this list who is fighting for a chance to be a utility infielder. Pirela has really turned it on lately. Considering he usually a slow starter this might be a sign he has taken the next step as a hitter. Like the other non 40-man roster players on this list I doubt he makes the squad coming out of spring training.

7. Ramon Flores, 9/.176/.167/.353: While Flores did hit a homerun off a major league pitcher, he hasn't done much else this past week. Given his age and level of play this isn't a big deal. I'm not really concerned about his ability to get on base anyway, his only real question mark is if his power will ever come.

8. Mason Williams, 9/.231/.267/.385: Williams has looked a lot better lately, and is beginning to show people what he can do. He made an amazing defensive play a few games ago, and is starting to show some power. Hopefully his poor season humbled him.

9. Austin Romine, 6/.308/.357/.308: Romine has strangely only played 6 games. While he has done okay in those games, I do not think he did enough to convince the Yankees to give him the backup catching job. The fact that he and Murphy can be sent to the minors doesn't really help their chances.

10. Russ Canzler, 7/.214/.267/.214: Canzler really hasn't played well this spring, and will probably have to earn his job in AAA. If Mark Teixeira goes down he would be the team's best backup option, so not breaking camp out of spring training isn't a big deal.

11. Dellin Betances, 6.1/5/0.00/0.63: Betances is getting rave reviews this spring, and is really looking like a lock to join the Yankees. I doubt he will get high leverage innings out of the gate but Betances will certainly help the Yankees pen.

12. Cesar Cabral 4.1/4/0.00/0.69: Like Betances, I feel Cabral is essentially already on the Yankees 25-man roster. The team needs a second lefty and he makes the most sense. He is better suited for a LOOGY role than Vidal Nuno is, and unlike Fred Lewis he is already on the Yankees roster.

13. Fred Lewis, 4.1/4/0.00/0.69: This late bloomer has done just as well as Cabral, and Matt Thornton for that matter, but will probably begin the 2014 season in AAA. I would not be surprised if he makes the Yankees team at some point this season.

14. Manny Banuelos, .2/1/40.50/4.50: Manny is finally back! While his start was obviously bad, the fact that he is pitching is way more important. This is especially true, when you consider the fact that he wasn't throwing his best pitch (changeup), and that he wasn't a finished project. While Joe Giradi, suggested he could make the team as a relief option; he is better off building up strength in AAA.

15. Danny Burawa, 4/2/2.25/1.25: So far Burawa has looked very impressive. Not only has his fastball reached 98 MPH, but his slider has looked very good. Burawa has been able to limit opposing batters to weak contact so far. The only reason his WHIP is so high is that sometimes weak grounders can become base-hits.Chances are the Yankees would choose to add Matt Daley over him, but he looks like a future Yankee.

16. Mark Montgomery 2.2/2/0.00/0.00: Montgomery looked good versus the Rays Sunday, but hasn't really pitched this spring; he only played yesterday because of extra innings.I haven't seen enough of him to gauge his fastball velocity, but the results are there and he hasn't looked wild.

17. Chase Whitley, 3.1/3/16.20/2.70: Whitley has really struggled this spring, and has erased any shot he had of winning a job. With that said it's not like a poor spring can affect his prospect status in a significant way. He just needs to go back to AAA and pitch to his capabilities.

Vidal Nuno, Bryan Mitchell, Shane Greene, and Branden Pinder have not played in any official games since first update.