Luis Severino was ranked either 1
st or 2
nd
(more like 1 or 1A) on every Top Yankees Prospects list not made out by Keith
Law before the season and after the draft and will be making the big step to
the Major Leagues tonight in the Bronx. Much like another fellow Yankees farm
hand, Robert Refsnyder, Severino will be making his Major League debut against
the Boston Red Sox this season. All eyes will be on Severino as he comes up to
the majors looking to be the Yankees saving grace in the pitching staff as he
essentially replaces Michael Pineda. Before Severino throws his first pitch and
throws six shutout innings tonight against the Red Sox we may as well meet him
first so let’s Meet a Prospect, Luis Severino.
Luis Severino was born on February 20, 1994 in Sabana de la
Mar, Dominican Republic where he grew up idolizing former Yankees second
baseman Robinson Cano and the New York Yankees. Severino signed as an amateur
free agent in 2012 after agreeing to a signing bonus worth $225, 000. Severino
was just 17 years old at the time and could throw his fastball at just 91 MPH,
the Yankees saw something in that to justify the signing and it worked out for
New York almost immediately.
Severino began in the Dominican Summer League that season
and immediately posted a 4-2 record with a 1.68 ERA while striking out 45
batters in 64.1 innings. Severino was back with the Yankees DSL team in 2013
before being promoted all the way to the Charleston Riverdogs. At Charleston
Severino found himself and his fastball as he pumped up the heat to 97 MPH
while posting a 4-2 record with a 2.45 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 44 innings.
Severino began the 2014 season as the Yankees ninth best prospect back at
Charleston before quickly earning a promotion to the Tampa Yankees. Tampa would
not be his last stop of the season though as he also made the 2014 All-Star
Futures Game and earned a promotion to the Double-A Trenton Thunder.
In 2014 Severino pitched for three teams and combined for a
6-5 record and a 2.46 ERA with 127 strikeouts to just 27 walks in 113 innings
pitched. Severino’s strong season had him ranked as the best prospect in all of
the Yankees farm system and 23rd best out of all minor league
players according to Baseball America. Severino began the 2015 season by
throwing just 38 innings for the Thunder before earning the promotion to
Scranton Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees Triple-A affiliate. At the time of
Severino’s promotion to the Bronx the young right-hander had a perfect 7-0
record with the RailRiders with a 1.91 ERA in 11 starts. Severino was deemed
untouchable at the July 31st trading deadline and the Yankees stood
pat at the trading deadline with the intention of calling up their top pitching
prospect.
Severino is the future and the future is tonight in the
Bronx and inside Yankee Stadium. Severino will not be on any kind of innings
limit or pitch counts so he can show the world just how fearless everyone who
knows him already knows that he is. We wish Severino nothing but the best of
luck tonight and going forward in his career and I think I speak for everyone
when I welcome him to the Yankees family with open arms. You’ve earned this
Severino, now make the best of it! Go Yankees and Go Severino!