Yankees prospect profile: Rob Refsnyder

By: Josh Sabo | Minor League Writer

Robert Refsnyder, 2B:

Rob Refsnyder was the Yankees 5th round pick in 2012. He was technically drafted as an outfielder but the Yankees always intended to move him to second. His stock has really taken off as a second baseman. The team will soon need a good long term second baseman, and as of now Refsnyder is looking like he can become that player. He will begin the 2014 season in Double-A.

Vital Statistics:

Born:   March 26, 1991
B-T: L-R.
Ht.: 6-2 
Wt.: 195
Drafted: University of Arizon, 2012 (5th round).
2012 A-ball stats( 46 GMs): BA/OBP/SLG/WOBA/WRC+                       .241/.319/.364/.319/91
2013 A-ball stats(13 GMs)                                                                           .370/.452/.481/.434/173
2013 Hi-A stats(117 GMS)                                                                          .283/.408/.404/.384/140  

Background:

Refsnyder was born in South Korea, but was adopted when he was three months old. His adopted parents raised him in California, where he attended Laguna Hills High. Refsnyder was actually high school teammates with Royals lefty John Lamb, but was no where near as good of a prospect..
Refsnyder wasn't even drafted coming out high school, and really only bloomed as a prospect once he got into college.

With that said he really came into his own in college where he never had an OPS under .800 and had an OPS of 1.000 in his junior year. Rob was a key part of Arizona's, College World Series run. He ended up with the MVP of the College WS, and signed with the Yankees soon after.

Refsnyder's college coaches all seemed to be very high on Refsnyder and his coach was quoted as saying that his outfielder has "the aptitude to hit,”... “he has good bat speed; he’s just a good hitter".  Scouts agreed that he could hit but questioned if he had enough power to be a corner outfielder.

A lot of scouts wanted Refsnyder to field groundballs as an infielder, but he did not feel that was fair to his teammates. In an interview with Chad Jennings, Refsnyder said that he that he felt it would be disrespectful to the teams current secondbaseman if he took grounders at the position. He apparently knew his refusal to take grounder would hurt his draft stock, but was willing to put his team first.

This means that the Yankees took a bit of risk, as they had no way of knowing how he would look at secondbase. So far the risk has paid off as he dominated minor league ball last year, and looks like he can make the majors pretty soon.

2013 Performance:

His 2013 performance was both good and bad. He showed that he has a good bat for second, and a decent amount of pop, but he was very shaky on defense. This isn't entirely surprising, as he hadn't played the position since high school, but it is still a reason for concern. It probably is one of the reasons that he was ranked higher on prospect lists, including my own. If he gets his defense down, he will shoot up the organization's prospect ladder.

He may never be a Robinson Cano type player, but he may become a solid regular. His performance last year allowed him to pass two levels and now he may only be a year away from the majors.He really excelled on offense, especially when you consider he played in two pitcher friendly parks. His power numbers were actually a better on the road, not that he will need much power anyway.

Scouting Report:

He has decent pop, which comes in the form of doubles, and he has a good hit tool.Refsnyder is a line-drive hitter who uses the entire field.  But the best part of his hit tool is his ability to get on-base. Last season he had 8 more walks than strikeouts. His 84 walks last season wasn't a fluke as he has a good eye at the plate.

Refsnyder's biggest weakness is his defense. Though it is more of question-mark than a weakness. After all he hasn't played second since high school. But many people believe that his defense will improve or is improving. Jim Callis, from MLB.com wrote that Refsnyder is a prospect "who's  making strides at his new position". He also tweeted the following comment about Refsnyder at second: He "started slow there, nice improvements 2nd half last yr, can be adeq to avg. . Additionally Baseball America and others feel that he can be a decent defender at second.

Projections:

Refsnyder is projected to be major league ready by 2016, and could very well be the Yankees starting second baseman by that time. Refsnyder doesn't project to have the highest ceiling, or even be an all-star, but he has talent. He could probably hit about 10 homerun a year, and would be able to get on-base at a good clip. I believe he'll become an average defender, which probably means his projections is along the line of a Freddy Sanchez type player.It's really hard to tell what type of player he will become until he plays in AA, and gets more experience at second.

2014 Level:

Refsnyder is going to begin the 2014 season in Trenton(AA), and probably spend some time there. Even if he shows he is ready for a promotion, the Yankees have a lot of infielders in AAA that will need time at second. The team has a logjam of infielders in AAA, and while most of those players aren't all that great they need to play. For instance players like Scott Sizemore and Jose Pirela, have to play in order to compete for a job on the Yankees. However, he will probably end up playing half of the season at AAA.

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Yankees Prospect Profile: Yangervis Solarte

While most minor league free agents won't get a prospect profile, Yangervis Solarte has really piqued the interest of some fans with his early spring training performance. Solarte is basically a utility infielder who is a journeyman at this point. Solarte may have found himself a permanent home, as the team really needs an infielder. Considering the other options on this team, Solarte has an outside shot of making this team.

Vitals & Statistics:

DOB:  07/07/1987
Bat-Throws: B/R
HT: 5-11
WT:176

2011 AA stats (121 gms) AVG/OBP/SLG/WOBA/WRC+                    .329/.367/.466/.372/130
2012 AAA stats (130 gms)                                                                   .288/.340/.405/.332/93
2013 AAA stats (103 gms)                                                                   .276/.323/.403/.324/89

Background:

Solarte was signed out of Venezuela by the Twins in 2005. His career has been riddled with injuries, but he has done a better job of staying on the field the past few years.

Solarte has spent most of his career in the Minnesota Twins organization. He wasn't considered a big prospect for them, and eventually found his way to the Texas Rangers. His prospect status didn't change with the move, but he did get the chance to advance to AAA.Unfortunately Solarte's numbers were nothing special at that level, as he failed put up the eye popping stats people expect out of players in the Pacific Coast League. 

Because of his lackluster numbers Solarte has never made an organization's top 30 prospect list. His lowly prospect status and the fact the Rangers have a lot of depth at the infield position the team made Solarte expendable. The Rangers did not resign him when he reached free agency. This allowed Solarte to sign with the Yankees as a minor league free agent.

2013 Performance & 2014 Outlook:

Unlike most players Solarte actually fared worse in his second year in AAA. This is a pretty bad sign. It suggests that he hasn't been improving.  Solarte may still prove to be a good player, but the mediocre stats that he put up in two years in an offensive league can't be erased by his early spring training numbers. According to Solarte the Rangers promised to call him up last season, so it's possible that he has more talented than his numbers suggest.If that is the case the Yankees may have signed an interesting player, who just happened to have developed slowly.

Even if he is a late bloomer I would not let him win a job out of spring training. He just doesn't have a great track record. With that said it would be great to have another switch hitter off the bench, so hopefully his hot start is a sign that he suddenly broke out.

Final Verdict:

Considering the Yankees would have to cut a player to put him on the roster, I do not see him making the team. It's pretty hard to imagine him beating out players like Dean Anna and Eduardo Nunez for roster spots, especially considering Nunez hasn't looked bad so far. Considering that Nunez and Solarte are the same age, and Nunez has done more in his career, I feel that Nunez should be given yet another chance, before the team gives Solarte one. With that said Solarte gives the team a lot of flexibility. He is a natural second baseman, but can really play any infield position, and has played some outfield as well.

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Josh Sabo is a Minor League writer for Yanks Beat Blog


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Organizational Depth: Outfielders, Part One

Outfield is the last category of this series, and it might be the deepest position in the farm system. This is especially true for the major league ready section, which features players that spent the majority of the year in AA. Like the SP and RP categories, the OF category will be broken down into two parts. The first part will look at players who spent most of the year in or above AA.  

Major League Players:

The Yankee prospect closest to being a Yankee starter is Zoilo Almonte. Almonte made the team last year but his time in the majors was cut short due to an injury. Almonte doesn't have the highest ceiling, but he has some power and is a switch-hitter so he does have some appeal. Almonte has decent tools, but none of his tools are plus.

Almonte has always been an aggressive hitter, that had an all-or-nothing approach at the plate. But in 2014 it had looked like he finally became more selective in AAA, as he doubled his walk rate. This resulted in the loss of some power but overall he had good numbers at AAA last season.

However, he really struggled in his short stint in the big leagues. Almonte had a WRC+ of 55 in 34 games. This is a very small size and he might be a better player than Ichiro Suzuki at this point of their careers. If he can't beat out Ichiro for the Yankees 5th outfielder spot he will either end up in AAA or traded. Considering he kind of looks like a fourth outfielder, it may be in the Yankees best interest to trade him.

After Almonte, the Yankees have two former consensus top 100 prospects who could begin the year at AAA, and have a legitimate chance to rebound. Slade Heathcott, and Tyler Austin are two big reasons why so many changed their stance on the Yankees system but they both have the ability to make the majors next season.

Slade Heathcott, has one of the highest ceilings in the organization but has been injured for basically his entire career. In my opinion, games played is his most important stat. Last season he was relatively healthy and set a career high in games played.

Heacthcott is the type of player that plays the game too hard. Nothing can stop him from hustling on every play. This style of play leads to a lot of injuries, and he has had multiple shoulder and knee surgeries in his career.

When healthy he looks like a future big leaguer, but his lack of playing time means he is a bit more raw than he should be. He currently strikes out over 20 percent of the time, but that number is improving, and most project him to be an above average batter in the future.

He has or had the potential to be a five tool player, but at the moment his two strongest tools are his speed and his defense. He still has an above average arm despite undergoing shoulder surgery, which is pretty remarkable.

Slade didn't display his hit or power tool in 2013, until the end of the season. By August he really began to show he could play baseball at a high level (.852 OPS after the All-Star game). Unfortunately, he wasn't able to finish the year healthy.

Likewise, Austin's season also ended early because of injuries, as he was forced off of the Arizona Fall League because of a lingering wrist injury. This injury bothered him for most of the season and took away much of his power. Because of this his numbers look very pedestrian last season, and some are now pegging him as a fourth outfielder.

He still has one big supporter in Keith Law, who noticed he was injured before it actually was announced, based off of how his swing looked. When healthy he shows gap power, and should be able to hit enough homeruns to be a corner outfielder. His defense in right is average, and he has a strong arm. Additionally he steals a surprising amount of bases for a guy without good speed.

 Austin should be given the chance to redeem himself in either AA or AAA next season, and is an interesting player to watch in spring training. He'd be even more interesting if the Yankees allowed him to practice third-base.

The last player in this section is Ramon Flores. Flores played the 2013 season as one of the youngest players in the Eastern League. While he didn't show much power and struggled initially he didn't do so badly considering his age.

Right now his only real strength is his ability to work counts and take walks.  While that is a very important aspect of baseball he needs to do hit for more power to be considered more than a fourth outfielder. He isn't fast, and he isn't a great defender so he really needs to become the type of offensive player scouts believe he could be.

Power is the last tool to really develop, so he still has time, but the Yankees are starting to stockpile outfielders throughout their system, so he will really need to breakout soon. In his defense he is working hard on his power and has gained a lot of muscle in recent years. So far the results aren't there, but if the power comes he will become a pretty good offensive player.

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Josh Sabo is a Minor League writer for Yanks Beat Blog.

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Organazational Depth: Second Base

After the departure of Robinson Cano, the Yankees decided to try to find a new second-baseman off of the scrap heap. While Brian Roberts and Scott Sizemore aren't bad options, their injury riddled past may mean that the Yankees will need to make a trade or call-up one of their own prospects to man the position.

Major League Ready:

Corban Joseph highlights this rather thin section. Joseph has a big chance to replace Cano, as he is the type of hitter that the Yankees like. He has great at-bats and has some power. In his last full season in AAA he had a WRC+ of 134. But he was much more average in 47 games last year, and he looked over-matched in his short stay in the majors.

Defensively Joseph is a decent fielder, but can be error-prone. Joseph doesn't have the type of range to be a utility player, which may put him at a disadvantage when compared to the Yankees other upper level second-base prospects.

Two players that can serve as utility players are Jose Peirella and Adonis Garcia. Pirela is the bigger prospect of the two, and the Yankees seem to believe in his ability to play in the majors.

Pirela has spent the majority of the last three seasons in AA, this was mostly due to the presence of Corban Joseph and David Adams in AAA. Overall Pirela has done well in AA and had an OPS of .777 last season at that level.

After the season Pirela went on to play in winter league and dominated. While he still doesn't show much power, he really has improved as a hitter in the past few seasons.Defensively he is decent  at second, and can also play shortstop, third-base and the outfield. 

In a recent interview Mark Newman spoke highly of the young second-baseman progress and his winter league numbers, stating  “He’s still just 23 (actually, 24). He’s been around or a while, but he’s not old. … He’s really made strides in the last couple of years. He’s really improving offensively he’s really made a lot of progress.”.

Pirela earned himself an invitation to spring training, and actually has a chance to win a starting gig if he gets over his history of slow starts.Considering that he will be just 24 years old next season he should still be looked at as a prospect.

The same can not be said for Adonis Garcia, as he is already 28 years old. However, the Cuban expat can still be a useful piece for the 2014 Yankees. That's because he is so versatile. Garcia can play the outfield, second and third.

Garcia and Pirela were both invited to spring training where they will be able to show the Yankees whether or not they can handle playing in the majors.

Depth Below AA:

Robert Refsynder quietly may of had the best offensive season of any Yankee minor league player last season. The lack of attention is surprising considering he was only 22 last season.

Refsnyder showed great on-base skills last season and showed good power with 41 extra-base hits. The biggest weakness in his game was his defense, but considering he used to be an outfielder until he was drafted it isn't really a big deal. Refsnyder defense will improve as he gets more playing time at the position.

Refsnyder will begin the season in AA and if he continues to perform well he may have a shot at a late season promotion. This would be an aggressive approach but some prospects are capable of skipping AAA.Refsnyder may have the highest floor of any Yankee prospect.

Angelo Gumbs, and Gosuke Katoh are the two second-basemen in the system, with highest ceilings. Gumbs ceiling would make him a top ten Yankee prospect but he has struggled in recent years.

Some of these struggles are related to injuries as he was hurt for a bit over the past two seasons. But his failures go beyond his injuries as he hasn't taken advantage of his raw ability. This was the reason that he was sent down to repeat A-Ball last season.

Gumbs has too much ability to stay in A-Ball for three seasons, so the Yankees will have to push him back to High-A. This will be complicated as Anderson Feliz will also need playing time at that level and there is no open DH spot on the team.

Gumbs has a higher ceiling than Feliz and some of the players that would be playing DH, so it would make sense for him to get the most playing time. Gumbs is known for his excellent bat speed; it is one of the first things scouts mention when they watch him play. His bat speed  is the reason so many think he has so much offensive potential.

But Gumbs is more than just a bat, he also has plus speed, and has shown potential on defense. He has a plus arm and solid range. If Gumbs puts all these tools together he can become an elite player, he is still just 21 so he has time to reach his potential.

Hopefully he has a better and healthier season in 2014, as he could have a major impact on the Yankees in a couple of years if he doesn't bust.

Kotah, who Baseball America ranked as the systems tenth best prospect, may not have Gumbs upside but he is currently a borderline top ten second base prospect.

Kotah dominated the GCl hitting,  310/.402/.522. People expected him to be able to hit, but his power was truly surprising.Kotah is already a good runner and excellent defender so even if his power isn't real he would remain a good prospect.

If he can keep that up as he advances through the system, he should be a top 100 prospect despite his position.

Sleepers:

Anderson Feliz is one of New York's toolsiest players, and he might be the systems best switch hitter. Feliz's struggles in the past two years are related to several injuries. He has only been able to play 36 games last season and only 45 games in 2012.

Because of this Feliz has never really had a chance to put up the type of statistical season he is capable of. However fans shouldn't give up on him yet, as he has above average power, and could hit for a decent average.

It is unclear where Feliz will begin the 2014 season, as he and Gumbs would benefit from starting the year at High-A. Because of the logjam at third and first, the DH position will always be filled by a decent prospect. This means that Gumbs or Feliz can only get playing time at second.

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Prospect Profile -- No. 1: Gary Sanchez

Gary Sanchez, C:

Gary Sanchez was signed as an international free agent in 2009. Because he was regarded as one of the best IFA free agents; he got 3 million dollars as a very raw catcher. Since making his debut as a New York Yankees prospect ,Sanchez's defense has progressively done better, and he has performed very well as a hitter.

Vital Statistics:

DOB: December 2, 1992
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height: 6'2''
Weight: 195

2011 SALL (82 gms) BA/OBP/SLG/WOBA/WRC+                         .256/.335/.485/.364/122
2012 SALL (68 gms)                                                                           .297/.353/.517/.390/136
2012 FSL    (48 gms)                                                                           .279/.330/.436/.351/117 
2013 FSL    (94 gms)                                                                           .254/.313/.420/.336/108
2013 EAS   (23 gms)                                                                           .250/.364/.380/.348/113

Background:

The Santa Domingo native signed with the Yankees as a 16 year old free agent out of the Domincan Republic. His $3 million bonus set a Yankees record that won't be broken anytime soon.

The Yankees trusted Sanchez so much that they let him skip the DSL league and had him begin his career in the United States. Sanchez had an immediate impact in the league and was quickly compared to Yankee top prospect Jesus Montero.

Generally GCL players don't receive such lofty praise but Sanchez put up a WRC+ of 188 and deserved all the praise he received, and was rated the best prospect in the GCL by BA. Sanchez ended his season in Staten Island and was considered a top prospect by BA(30) and Keith Law (68).

The 2011 season went slightly less smoothly as Sanchez was sent down to extended spring training for disciplinary reasons. However the move seemed to serve as a spark for the young catcher, as he hit 8 homers in his next 13 games. Overall Sanchez did well at his first go-around in A ball.

Especially considering he was one of the youngest players in the league. BA ranked him as the 14th best prospect in the South Atlantic league and dropped him to 81st on the top 100 list. Sanchez actually rose on Law's list and finished as his 55th best prospect.

Despite his success Sanchez started the 2012 back in A ball. This was probably due to his defense, he was very bad at blocking balls, and the presence of JR Murphy in the system. The move seemed to pay off as both Murphy and Sanchez improved their defensive games. Sanchez allowed 8 fewer passed balls, and started throwing more runners out.

Offensively Sanchez stayed very consistent and  earned himself a midseason promotion to High A. 2012 was a very strong year for Sanchez and he was named the 5th and 9th best prospect in A ball and High A. Sanchez was also named to the following top 100 lists: BA (57), Law (18), John Sickels (46), Fangraphs (42).

2013 Season:

In 2013 Yankees kept Sanchez in High A, and wanted him to work on catching tough fastballs. This was the main reason that they kept him down for so long.The plan worked out as he got a chance to catch Rafael DePaula and some other hard throwers. Sanchez stills needs to work on that aspect of his game but it is improving.

Another aspect of his game that is improving is his strikeout total. For the past few years his stikeout percentage has been consistently over 20. In 2013 he struck out 17.8% of the time in Tampa and only 14.5% of the time in Trenton. His walk rate also went up as the year went on. This shows that Sanchez is really working on particular parts of his game and so far he's doing a good job of fixing the few flaws that he has.

Sanchez finished as the 7th best prospect in the FSL according to BA, and was not eligible for the EAS list. Sanchez also finished top 50 overall range on many lists, including Sickels year end review. Overall Sanchez had a very nice season, and showed his glove is catching up to his bat. His offensive numbers got worse in Tampa as the season went on, and he did better in his short stay at Trenton.

Scouting Report:

Sanchez's two biggest tools are his plus-plus power and his elite throwing arm. While most know that Sanchez has a lot of pop, people seem to ignore his arm while talking about his defensive potential. Sanchez threw out a league leading 46% of base stealers last year. Sanchez still has problems blocking the plate and calling a game, but his arm is solid and every aspect of his defensive game is improving. Allowing "only" 11 passed balls is an improvement for him.

Despite his improving defense he will probably always be regarded a bat first prospect. Of course this isn't exactly a bad thing, and he certainly has the bat to make the statement work. Sanchez has short compact stroke, and great bat speed. Sanchez has some patience and he has shown the ability to wait for his pitch. He doesn't take that many walks, but he does work big counts in an attempt to get a pitch he can handle. Sanchez biggest tool on offense is his right-handed power potential.

Projections:

Sanchez projects to be an all-star caliber catcher. If everything goes right he should be able to hit .270 and have a 30 homeruns a year. If he can continue to would on his selectivity he might be even better than that. There aren't that many good offensive catchers in the majors so he should be a pretty valuable player.

2014 Level:

Gary Sanchez will begin the year in AA, and should be promoted later in the year. Like Murphy he will greatly benefit from catching with Tony Pena in spring training. There is also the possibility that the Yankees trade Sanchez, as he is their best trade chip. I do not think this will happen, as he has too much potential. Additionally there aren't so many options on the trade market. Sanchez has the bat to play first or DH so getting him playing time wont be too difficult. If he has a good season it is entirely possible that he becomes a top ten prospect, as he has that much ability.

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Prospect Profile -- No. 2. Slade Heathcott

Slade Heathcott, OF:

Taken in the first round in 2009, Slade Heathcott has always shown impressive tools. However a myriad of injuries has stopped him from showing evaluators his true potential. During the first three years of his Yankees career it seems as if he has spent more time recovering from injuries than actually playing. While he did have a minor surgery in 2013, he set a career high in games played and that may be his most important stat.

Vital Statistics:

DOB: September 28, 1990
Bat-Throws: L/L
HT: 6.1
WT: 190

2011 SALL stats (52 gms) AVG/OBP/SLG/WOBA/WRC+                            .271/.342/.419/.346/110
2011 FSL  stats (1 gm)                                                                                      .600/.600/1.200/.794/408
2012 GCL stats (5 gms)                                                                                    .235/.409/.353/.378/139 
2012 FSL stats (60 gms)                                                                                   .307/.378/.470/.389/142
2012 AZFL stats (18 gms)                                                                                .388/.494/..612/.499/192
2013 EAS   stats (103 gms)                                                                               .261/.327/.411/.334/104

Background:

Heathcott's injury history started before his minor league debut, as it was a big reason that the Yankees were able to draft him. Slade entered the 2009 draft as one of the toolsiest players in the draft, and if it weren't for shoulder/knee injuries the Yankees would've had no chance in drafting him. However a combination of injuries and makeup concerns led him to be ranked as only the 72nd best prospect by BA, the 51st best prospect by Keith Law. The Yankees selected him with the 29th pick in the draft and gave him a $2.2 million bonus.

This may seem like an overpay but no one really questioned Slade's talent. His stock was only low because of injuries and makeup concerns. Most of these makeup concerns can be found in the following link, http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20110513/PC1602/305139915. There's no question that Slade has been through a lot in his life, but so far his past mistakes haven't really affected his baseball career. Additionally it would be unfair to punish him for having bad parents as he doesn't appear to be a bad person.

Heathcott's first full season as a Yankee began in 2010 and like Mason Williams, Slade was able to skip low A and start in A ball. It was clear to scouts that Slade was something special and he was initially compared to a power hitting version of Brett Gardner. His strong 2010 season led BA to rank him as the 18th best prospect in the South Atlantic League. BA also named him as the best defensive OF in the Yankees system.

However his season ended with a shoulder surgery, and many worried that the injury would slow him down. This would quickly become a theme for the young slugger as he has visited the disabled list every single year. The surgery kept him in A ball for another year, and it was only in 2012 that he was really able to breakout again.

Slade may have missed a big chunk of 2012 recovering from his second shoulder surgery, but he made up for lost time by dominating high A and the Arizona Fall League. His performance got him some national praise as the BA (63) and Keith Law(52) considered him a top 100 player. BA also ranked him as the 17th in the FSL, which is good when you consider how little he played. BA also ranked him as the sixth best prospect in the Arizona Fall League.

2013 Performance:

While his stats weren't great, the simple fact that Heathcott avoided a major surgery may make it his best year yet. Additionally Slade did start to heat up at the end of the 2013 season as he hit for a .851 OPS in July and a .996 OPS in August. Because he has had so many injuries, it's almost as if his age doesn't matter as much as it should.

He is inexperienced compared to other AA hitters his own age due to all the time he missed.  It may not seem impressive that he was a slightly above average hitter in AA, but when you consider his lack of experiance and the fact that Trenton has a park factor of .953 it wasn't an awful season either.

His performance won't, and shouldn't get him onto many lists, but sadly staying healthy as long as he did makes his 2013 season a success.Unfortunately his success didn't last an entire year. His season was cut short by a minor knee operation, and according to Mark Newman Slade may not be 100% for spring training.

Scouting Report:

Despite a long history of injuries Heathcott is still considered to have 5 tool potential. Even his surgically repaired arm is regaining some power. Slade is considered a plus defender and has the ability to develop above average power. His biggest question mark is his bat as something he gets into bad habits. However, he has exceptional bat speed and strong hands so there is no reason he shouldn't be a good hitter. The one thing holding him back is pitch selection, which may be due to his lack of game time experience.

One of the biggest aspects of Slade's game is his effort. He is the type of player fans will love to watch as he sacrifices his body to make plays and he runs out easy ground-outs. He's the type of guy that will actually be affected by MLB rule to ban collisions. While fans may like this type of play it leads to injuries and Slade shouldn't go out of his way to put his body at risk. He has missed enough games as it is, so it would be in Heathcott's best interest to tone down his game.

Projections:

It is entirely possible that Slade manages to reach his potential as a Brett Gardner player with more power. But with the number of outfield prospects in the Yankee system he has to break out soon.Even if he doesn't reach his full potential he could still be a  valuable player. Chris Denorfia was worth a fwar of 4 last year due to being a slightly above average hitter and having a good glove. Slade already has a plus glove, and is the faster player.

2014 Level:

According to Mark Newman the Yankees won't know where Slade will start 2014 until the end of spring training. However the newlywed is probably ticked for AAA, as too many players need to begin the year at AA. Even if Tyler Austin gets most of his reps at third, Slade would still need to battle Mason Williams, Ben Gamel, and Taylor Dugas for time in AA. A good season in AAA may mean that Slade can become a major league starter if any of the Yankees outfielders get hurt. At this point Heathcott can't afford another injury, and must start to tap into his immense potential.

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Prospect Profile -- No. 3: Mason Williams

Mason Williams, OF:

The Yankees selected Mason Williams in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. Williams is one of New York's toolsiest prospects. Unfortunately Mason's stock has plummeted in the past year due to concerns over his attitude, and a poor showing in 2013. Despite his poor season prospects often get graded on their potential and they're truly few prospects in baseball with his combination of tools. For this reason he is still considered a top 10 Yankee prospect. 

Vital Statistics:

DOB:8/21/1991
Bats/Throws: L/R
Height:6-0
Weight:195

Stats:

2011 NYPL (68 gms) AVG/OBP/SLG/WOBA/WRC+                                   .349/.395/.468/.404/148
2012 SALL (69 gms)                                                                                        .304/.359/.489/.381/130
2012 FSL    (22 gms)                                                                                        .277/.302/.350/.331/104 
2013 FSL    (100 gms)                                                                                      .261/.327/.350/.317/95
2013 EAS   (17 gms)                                                                                        .153/.164/.264/.191/8
2013 AZFL (22 gms)                                                                                        .267/.330/.337/.313/84

Background:

Mason Williams comes from a good bloodline; his father was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, and played for the New England Patriots. Additionally Williams is also a distant descendant of Walt "no neck" Williams. It was clear from an early age that Mason possessed special athletic ability. WIlliams was so advanced at baseball that his family felt the need to move to Orlando, so that the 13 year old would have some competition.

In high school Mason was shortstop, centerfielder, and a pitcher. Mason led his team to three district championships, and helped his travel team win two Connie Mack championships. His travel team was the Midland Redskins, which is a very competitive team.

His strong pre-draft performance led him being ranked a top 200 prospect. BA ranked him as the 145th prospect in the draft, which coincidentally is where the Yankees took him. To sign him the Yankees offered him 1.45 million dollars, which is well over-slot for a fourth round pick. His bonus was higher than any other Yankee pick.

It didn't take long for Williams to prove he deserved that bonus. Mason began his first full season as a professional baseball player as a member of the Staten Island Yankees. Evaluators loved Mason from the start. Writer David Gershman called him a must see talent in a league where few prospects are.

Mason impressed scouts with a good consistent bat and a terrific glove. BA took note of his performance and ranked him as the best prospect in the NYPL, and the 85th best prospect overall. BA noted that he showed a good eye at the plate for such a young player, and was a plus-plus runner. Additionally in 2011, BA named him the best defensive outfielder, fastest baserunner, and best athlete in the Yankees system.

Mason continued his success in 2012 and quickly advanced out of A ball. Despite his short stay Mason did enough at Charleston to be named as the 9th best prospect in the league and the 32nd best prospect overall. He was named as the best defensive outfielder in the league and the Yankees system. He also was named the systems most athletic player and fastest runner.

His progress didn't entirely slow in High A, but the league seemed to be his first real challenge. Additionally reports began to surface  that he had attitude problems, and wasn't playing as hard as he could. His season ended early as he needed shoulder surgery but overall he held his own in his first taste in High A.

2013 Performance:

Williams started his 2013 season coming off of surgery and getting himself in trouble with the law. Unfortunately things didn't get better as the year went on, as he apparently put on too much weight and started slapping at the ball during games. This led to a disappointing year in Tampa and Trenton. His poor play may also be attributed to a pretty serious sickness he got in the middle of the year.

His performance led to Baseball America ranking him the 19th best prospect in the Florida State League. His ranking was mostly based on his reputation, and represents how much his stock dropped. Before 2013 it looked like he could've been a top 20 prospect in baseball and yet he barely made the top 20 in the FSL.

His poor performance will keep him off most top 100 lists, and now he must rebound in 2014 in order to become a serious prospect again. It's clear from listening to his family's story that he loves the game of baseball but he has to show that love on the field. Because of his lack of hustle the only real positive of his game that scouts were able to see was his elite defense. Scouts also noted that his swing looked better in the cage than it did during games, and it's clear that his Ichiro like approach at the plate isn't working.

Scouting Report:

The prospect that once was compared to Jacoby Ellsbury did not show up last year and that complicates his scouting report.In 2013 he wasn't making hard contact, and slapping the ball. He still showed speed, and great defense but he made people question his bat. 

In 2012 BA seemed to believe he had a power rating of 60, and hitting rating of 60 however he showed neither of those qualities in 2013. While he may show that ability next year it may be more appropriate to begin thinking of him as speed first offensive player. He still has the tools to be an impact player in the future, but must prove that 2012 was a fluke.

One reason to think he will rebound is that he is such a natural athlete. He has great bat control and eye-hand coordination. These aspects of his game are the reason so many thought he could him for a high average. He was once thought to have a plus bat and needs to show that again to be more than a fourth outfielder.

Projections:

Last year ex-ESPN writer, and current scout.com writer Kiley Mcdaniel remarked that Williams reminded him of Jacoby Ellsbury. In the insider only piece, Kiley mentioned that he saw Williams hold his own against top pitching prospect  Dylan Bundy, and that this shows what kind of hitter Mason can become. As of now his projections have been lowered and he may project to have a similar career to former Yankee top prospect Austin Jackson.

2014 Level:

Williams should begin the 2014 season in Double-A Trenton. He will have a lot of competition at that level. The Yankees will have to find playing time for Taylor Dugas, Slade Heathcott, Ramon Flores, Tyler Austin, and Ben Gamels. The Yankees will have to fit all these options, plus a few more, between just two levels. Mason has the talent to start over all these names but he most show the Yankees that he is maturer and healthier than he was in 2013.  

If he rebounds next year the Yankees system will instantly become much better, as he was once thought to be an impact player. Some prospects just have to be humbled sometimes there's still a lot of potential in his game.

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Prospect Profile -- No. 4: JR Murphy

J.R. Murphy, C:

JR Murphy was selected out of the Pendleton school in the second round of the 2009 draft. Murphy was selected as a bat first catcher. However he has progressed nicely behind the plate and is now considered an average or better catcher. With the McCann signing, Murphy has become one of the Yankees best trade chips, but it is entirely possible that they hold on to him and let his value grow in AAA. 

Vital Statistics:

DOB: 5/13/1991
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height: 5-10
Weight: 170

2011 SALL stats (63 gms)   BA/OBP/SLG/WOBA/WRC+                          .297/.343/.457/.357/117
2011 FSL    stats (23 gms)                                                                              .259/.270/.365/.284/70
2012 FSL    stats (67 gms)                                                                              .257/.322/.374/.324/99
2012 EAS   stats (43 gms)                                                                              .231/.306/.408/.319/94
2013 EAS   stats (49 gms)                                                                              .268/.352/.421/.353/116
2013 INTL stats (59 gms)                                                                              .270/.342/.430/.350/117
2013 MLB stats (16 gms)                                                                              .154/.185/.192/.171/-4  

Background:

After missing his junior year of high school with a knee injury, Murphy entered the 2009 as a bit of a mystery. However, he impressed scouts at various showcases right before the draft. Murphy was a part of the well regarded IMG Academy, and he won a MVP award for each tournament his team participated in (4). Because of this, his stock was relatively high coming into the draft. Baseball America called him the 12th best prospect in the state of Florida and the 95th best prospect overall, and Keith Law rated him as the 88th best prospect for the 2009 draft.

Murphy was selected as a catcher with the 76th overall pick. The Yankees were able to break his  commitment to the University of Miami by offering him a $1.25 million bonus. This major over-slot signing is very similar to what the team did with Greg Bird, as they were both drafted as bat first catchers. However Murphy was thought to be more athletic at the time of the draft and didn't have to deal with the injuries that Bird had. Because of this, Murphy was able to concentrate on becoming a good defensive catcher.

Not only did Murphy have to learn to be a good catcher, but because of the other good catching prospects in the system, he had to learn how to play third base as well. 2012 was the first year that he got to really be a full time catcher. For most of his career he has had to battle Yankee prospects like Gary Sanchez, and Kyle Higashioka.This may have slowed down his progress a bit.  But after five seasons in the Yankees' system, scouts agreed that the Yankees succeeded at making him a real catcher.

2013 Performance:

By the end of the 2012 season Murphy established himself as a top 15 prospect in the Yankees system. The reason that he wasn't a top ten prospect was that he had never simultaneity had a good offensive and defensive year. Since Murphy was so focused on becoming a better defender his offensive numbers have never really reached his potential.

That was until 2013 where he hit well at every minor league level. Murphy had a 372. WOBA once park factors are calculated. With this performance it's no surprise that he jumped 11 spots in BA's rankings. The performance also led to him being ranked 18th in BA's top 20 Eastern League prospect list.

Scouting Report:

Murphy doesn't really have one strong tool, but instead is a very well-rounded prospect. Murphy has nice bat that produces line drive power to all fields. He also has enough power to hit 12 or so homeruns a year. His defensive game currently has several strengths. Murphy is very good at throwing out runners, gunning down 48% of attempted runners in AA and AAA. However he still has room to improve, as he allows too many passed balls. Like most catchers Murphy is a below average runner and will only get slower now that he is catching more.

Projections:

Early on his career Murphy was projected to have a similar overall skill-set to Todd Ziele, but it now appears his glove may be better than that. Murphy ceiling is of a catcher who can hit .278 and get 10-12 homeruns a year.

Since he has a good arm and calls a good game he should be able to become an above average catcher. Especially now that he is on the 40 man roster and will be invited to spring training. At spring training he will be able to learn how to frame pitches from Tony Pena, who has had a positive effect on every catcher he has ever worked with.

2014 Level:

If he's still a Yankee next year Murphy should begin the Year at AAA. He will split time with Austin Romine at that level. Considering Romine's and Francisco Cervelli's injury history he should make the big league club at some point. The Yankees may also look to trade Murphy for a prospect, though prospect for prospect trades are rare. Murphy would be a very good backup catcher in the big leagues and it may be in the Yankees best interest to keep him.

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Prospect Profile -- No. 5: Eric Jagielo

Eric Jagielo, 3B:

Eric Jagielo was the first of the Yankees first round picks, and the third baseman is the the safest pick of the three. Jagielo was previously drafted out of the 50th round coming out of high school. This shows just how far he's progressed in his three years at Notre Dame. Considering the teams need for a third baseman and their lack of top third base prospects he was the smartest choice at pick 26. If he is able to stick at third he could be the third baseman of the future. 

Vital Statistics:

Born:   May 17, 1992. B-T: L-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 195
Drafted: Notre Dame, 2013 (1st round).
2013 GCL Stats(1 GM): BA/OBP/SLG/WOBA/WRC+                              .000/.333/.000/.260/61
2013 NYPL stats(51 GMs)                                                                           .266/.376/.451/.390/153

Background:

Jagielo was never considered a good high school prospect. The Chicago native was not ranked as one of the states best prospects, and was only selected in the 50th round by the Chicago Cubs. Instead of signing with the Cubs, he decided to go to Notre Dame and became a much better player there. Like Aaron Judge, Jagielo earned many accolades during college including:

2011 New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Star, 2012 Cape Cod League Post-Season All-League. In 2012 he achieved the following: 2012 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star, 2012 Cape Cod League Home Run Derby participant, 2012 BIG EAST Second Team All-BIG EAST 2012 College Sports Madness First Team All-BIG EAST, 2012 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Second Team Mid-East All Region. 

Finally in 2013 he had biggest year earning the: 2013 Golden Spikes Award watch list, 2013 Preseason Baseball America Third Team All-American, 2013 Preseason Coaches First Team All-BIG EAST, 2013 Preseason Perfect Game First Team All-BIG EAST.

These honors made him a top rated draft prospect for the 2013 draft. Jagielo was rated as the 1 prospect in the Big East by Baseball America and Perfect game. His overall ranking ranged from 16(BA) to 49(MLB). The Yankees ended up taking him with the 26^th pick which was coincidentally right where Keith Law had him ranked. 

Jagielo is new to third base as he only has played the position since 2012. Because of his size and inexperience at the position, some question his ability to stick at third. However, many scouts believe he can play there. The pick was praised throughout the industry as the Yankees simultaneously took the best player available and addressed a major need within their system.

2013 Performance:

A hamstring injury kept  Jagielo out for some time and limited him to the NYPL last year. Despite his injury he was able to make a strong impression in the NYPL. He began the year slowly but turned things around quickly in part due to advice taken from injured Yankee star Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez's gave his future replacement advice that helped him change his approach for the better. Jagielo's season placed him 6th on BA's NYPL top 20 list. With the recent struggles of past Yankee first round picks, Jagielo's strong start is a bigger deal than it should be.

Scouting Report:

Jagielo has worked hard to learn third base, and as of now many believe he will become an average defender. His main weakness on defense is his range, however he has a strong arm and quick instincts. Because of his range some questioned his long term future at third, and suggested that he may end up at first.

If he ever has to move to first, he has a good enough bat to make the switch. Jagielo should be able to hit for a good average and plus power, and has shown a good eye at the plate, throughout his college career. In his three years at Notre Dame his walkout and strike out numbers were almost identical. His strikeouts were high in NYPL, but this may be due to the break he took after being drafted and the fact that he was coming off of an injury. 

Projections:

Jagielo's ceiling is a 20-25 homerun guy who hits for a high average and gets on base. A good comparison for Jagielo may be Matt Skole, who BA rated as the Nationals fourth best prospect. However Jagielo seems to have a better bat and doesn't have anyone blocking him at third base.

According to Keith Law, Jagielo has the ability to be "a 20-homer guy with mid-.300 OBPs who plays solid-average defense in a few years, which makes him an everyday guy who could make an All-Star Game or two. Because of his advanced plate approach, I could see him in pinstripes sometime in 2014, early 2015." ESPN's Christopher Crawford is also high on Jagielo and thinks he is polished enough to make the majors at some point in 2014 or early 2015.

2014 Level:

In a recent interview with Chad Jennings, Yankees executive Mark Newman said both Judge and Jagielo could start the year at High A Tampa. Because Jagielo is so polished and has seen game time he may be able to move up to Double-A Trenton after a hot start. 

This would help prevent a logjam of sorts, as Dante Bichette may be pushed to Tampa and Miguel Andujar may start the year in A-ball. Jagielo would need to a really strong showing to reach to reach the majors this year, but more realistically he will make it to the Bronx at the end of 2015.

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