Thursday, August 11, 2016

Meet a Prospect: Tommy Layne


Just in time for the New York Yankees latest series to kick off with the Boston Red Sox the team added a former member of Red Sox nation to their bullpen. His name was Tommy Layne and he was a member of these same Boston Red Sox as recently as last weekend before the organization designated him for assignment and now he has latched on as a part of the Yankees in Joe Girardi’s bullpen. Let’s meet the man that better come with some trade secrets or something because this season the Yankees need all the help they can get. Let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Tommy Layne Edition.

Thomas Kevin Layne and I share a birthday almost to the year but as I was born in 1985 Tommy was born on November 2, 1984. That’s where the similarities between myself and Mr. Layne end as Layne attended Fort Zumwalt South High School in St. Peters, Missouri where he played baseball and soccer. Layne did enough to catch the eye of Central Missouri University for a season before transferring to Mount Olive College in Mount Olive, North Carolina. While pitching for the Trojans Layne was named an All-American and the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Year in 2007. That was enough for the Arizona Diamondbacks to come calling in the 26th round of the 2007 MLB Draft giving him the opportunity to begin his professional career.

By the 2011 season Layne had already reached Triple-A Reno and was knocking on the door to the Major Leagues. Layne thought he would be knocking on the door to Chase Field in Arizona but by May 3, 2012 it would be the door to Petco Park he would be knocking on because he was traded to the San Diego Padres for cash considerations. Layne was promoted to the Major Leagues and made his MLB debut on August 14th of that season against the Atlanta Braves. Layne did well in his debut striking out the side in one inning giving the Padres enough confidence to keep him in their bullpen for the remainder of the 2012 season. Layne was not long for San Diego though as the Padres designated the lefty for assignment after the season leaving the southpaw a free agent for the very first time.


Layne was not a free agent for long as the Boston Red Sox came and snatched him up off the free agent market and stuck him in their farm system. Layne spent the 2014, 2015 and parts of the 2016 season in the minor leagues for Boston before once again being designated for assignment this month. Once again Layne did not stay a free agent for long though as the New York Yankees came calling adding him to their organization and their team. That’s all fine and well Mr. Layne but I am here to welcome you to the family… so welcome. Do well!

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)