This Day In New York Yankees History 3/3: Yankees & Adidas

On this day in 1997 the New York Yankees signed a 10 year contract with Adidas. The licensing agreement with the sportswear company, my favorite in case you were wondering, put Yankees owner George Steinbrenner at odds with the baseball establishment. We all know George was never scared to ruffle a feather or two.

Most Popular Article of the Week: Don’t Look Now but Jonathan Holder is Coming

Edit: Yes I know he has arrived. This was written two days before he was called up and went live before it was confirmed he was getting a call up... so I kind of called it. You're welcome.

Don’t look now but the Yankees youth movement is in full effect, the future is now and many prospects including Jonathan Holder are coming. We’ve done one of these posts before as I showcased Jordan Montgomery and his stellar season as he inches towards the Major Leagues and I felt like I couldn’t praise Montgomery for his season without also giving a little love to Holder as well. Holder was drafted in the same draft as Jacob Lindgren, he was Lindgren’s teammate at Mississippi State in fact, but has since been stretched out and moved in and out of the starting rotation where he has absolutely flourished in both roles. Now he gets to showcase his talents as the RailRiders closer in the International League’s playoffs.


Holder was on the mound when the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders clinched their playoff spot earlier in the week and he made a statement in doing so. In the contest Holder faced 13 hitters and struck out 12 of them including 11 batters in a row in four innings of relief. That capped off a season in which he had 42 appearances, a 2.50 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, 225 strikeouts in 219.2 innings and all with just 45 walks. That’s dominance not only in one level but across many levels in the Yankees farm system.


If Holder can pitch like that, given the Yankees current state of affairs in the bullpen department, he may be up for the team when the playoffs end down in Triple-A. The Yankees don’t need to give him a 40 man roster spot and don’t need to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft just yet either but some players simply push the issue and force the hand of the organization and you have to think Holder has done that this season.


Imagine this in 2017 and beyond. Dellin Betances in the 9th, Jonathan Holder in the 8th, Tyler Clippard in the 7th, Adam Warren in the 6th and whoever else can make the bullpen. That’s getting close to being dominant again and that has to be the ultimate game plan in the Bronx.

Don’t Look Now but Jonathan Holder is Coming

Don’t look now but the Yankees youth movement is in full effect, the future is now and many prospects including Jonathan Holder are coming. We’ve done one of these posts before as I showcased Jordan Montgomery and his stellar season as he inches towards the Major Leagues and I felt like I couldn’t praise Montgomery for his season without also giving a little love to Holder as well. Holder was drafted in the same draft as Jacob Lindgren, he was Lindgren’s teammate at Mississippi State in fact, but has since been stretched out and moved in and out of the starting rotation where he has absolutely flourished in both roles. Now he gets to showcase his talents as the RailRiders closer in the International League’s playoffs.

Holder was on the mound when the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders clinched their playoff spot earlier in the week and he made a statement in doing so. In the contest Holder faced 13 hitters and struck out 12 of them including 11 batters in a row in four innings of relief. That capped off a season in which he had 42 appearances, a 2.50 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, 225 strikeouts in 219.2 innings and all with just 45 walks. That’s dominance not only in one level but across many levels in the Yankees farm system.

If Holder can pitch like that, given the Yankees current state of affairs in the bullpen department, he may be up for the team when the playoffs end down in Triple-A. The Yankees don’t need to give him a 40 man roster spot and don’t need to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft just yet either but some players simply push the issue and force the hand of the organization and you have to think Holder has done that this season.

Imagine this in 2017 and beyond. Dellin Betances in the 9^th, Jonathan Holder in the 8^th, Tyler Clippard in the 7^th, Adam Warren in the 6^th and whoever else can make the bullpen. That’s getting close to being dominant again and that has to be the ultimate game plan in the Bronx.

Meet a Prospect: Brooks Kriske

Continuing with our daily Meet a Prospect series post-draft we take a look at the Yankees sixth round pick and 188^th overall pick Brooks Kriske. Kriske was your stereotypical college senior and closer that you draft in order to sign quickly, move quickly through the farm system and save some slot money with in order to increase your chances at signing one of your top picks but that doesn’t mean Kriske can’t and won’t be useful in the Bronx going forward so let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Brooks Kriske Edition.

Kriske was the closer for the University of Southern California Trojans baseball team in 2016 and as I mentioned before he was a four-year college senior without many alternatives options as far as baseball after college. Kriske was ranked 29^th overall and 41^st best in the state of California by Baseball America but you know how the Yankees and specifically Damon Oppenheimer love their California arms.

Kriske is 22-years old and in his senior season at USC the right-hander posted a 2.55 ERA with a 2.80 K/BB ratio and 10.70 K/9 ratioin 35.1 innings. Kriske has six saves in 26 games and Fangraphs ranked him as one of the top pitchers in all of the Pac-12 before the 2016 season began back in March. Kriske has a big pitcher’s frame standing at 6’3” and 190 lbs. with tons of room to grow into his frame and into his stuff.

Kriske possesses a 95-96 MPH fastball to pair with an average slider although he did show signs of life and consistency with it this season. Kriske is not a Chance Adams or Jonathan Holder that will likely be tried out as a starter in the Yankees system, Kriske was drafted to fly through the system and make a difference in the bullpen much like Jacob Lindgren was when he was drafted in 2015 out of Mississippi State University.

Kriske might not make Brian Cashman and his scouting crew look like a genius as a sixth round pick but he could still turn into a very useful relief pitcher as soon as the later parts of the 2017 season. That has to count for something, doesn’t it? So Brooks I want to be one of the first to welcome you not only to the organization but to the family as well. You deserve it. 

The Last 20 Yankees First Round Draft Picks

With the MLB Draft tonight, which can be seen on MLB Network, I figured now would be a good time to look at the Yankees recent draft successes and failures, especially in the first round. Now for the sake of simplicity and time I had to go with the Yankees first overall pick in a few of these because the Yankees surrendered their first round pick so keep that in mind while reading. Despite me being a human I am well aware that Jacob Lindgren was a second round pick. Thank you for reading and let me know who you think will be selected 18^th overall by the New York Yankees.

2015 – James Kaprielian, Kyle Holder

2014 – Jacob Lindgren (2^nd round pick, no first round pick)

2013 – Ian Clarkin, Eric Jagielo, Aaron Judge

2012 – Ty Hensley

2011 – Dante Bichette Jr.

2010 – Cito Culver

2009 – Slade Heathcott

2008 – Gerrit Cole, Jeremy Bleich

2007 – Andrew Brackman

2006 – Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain

2005 – CJ Henry

2004 – Phil Hughes, Jonathan Poterson, Jeffrey Marquez

2003 – Eric Duncan

2002 – Brandon Weeden (2^nd round pick, no 1^st round pick)

2001 – John-Ford Griffin, Bronson Sardinha, Jon Skaggs

2000 – David Parrish

1999 – David Walling

1998 – Andy Brown, Mark Prior

1997 – Tyrell Goodwin, Ryan Bradley

1996 – Eric Milton

Help Wanted: Scranton Shuttle Members

So I was walking down the street in front of Yankee Stadium this week when I saw a help wanted poster outside reading "Help Wanted." Me needing a job like I do I immediately checked it out hoping I could snag a job that got me into Yankee Stadium on a nightly basis and I was disappointed to read that the help wanted sign was for new members of the Scranton Shuttle.

Now this is obviously a fictitious story as I have moved to Atlanta, Georgia from the Bronx and I am very much employed but aside from that the rest is pretty accurate. I'm sure the Yankees haven't resorted to posting a sign outside of the stadium for their poor, their tired and their hungry just yet but the Scranton Shuttle is getting awfully thin nowadays.

New York has already lost Branden Pinder, Nick Rumbelow, Bryan Mitchell and Jacob Lindgren to various injuries including a pair of ulnar collateral ligament tears, a serious toe injury and yet another elbow injury for a former 2nd round pick. What's left at the Yankees disposal as far as the Scranton Shuttle goes? More than you would think actually.

The list of available relievers for New York still includes Luis Cessa, Chad Green, Tyler Olson,  and James Pazos on the 40 man roster while Richard Bleier, Tyler Cloyd, Kyle Haynes, Diego Moreno, Vinnie Pestano, Anthony Swarzak and Tyler Webb make up just a few of the options down in Triple-A with the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders.

There are plenty of more names that could be options as soon as July and by September as well. Names you may know and names you may not know. Names like James Kaprielian, Brady Lail, Daniel Camarena, Cale Coshow, Ronald Herrera, Mark Montgomery, Evan Rutckyj, Matt Tracy and Miguel Sulbaran to name a few.

Injuries suck but don't sleep on the Yankees, their bullpen and the whole Scranton Shuttle just yet.

James Kaprielian placed on MiLB DL with elbow inflammation

Yankees' top pitching prospect James Kaprielian landed on the minor league disabled list Monday with inflammation in his right elbow. Kaprielian, who had been pitching for High-A Tampa, was the team's first round pick (16th overall) in last year's amateur draft. The team announced that the injury will be "treated conservatively," and rightly so, considering this type of issue if often the precursor to the dreaded TJ surgery. The plan is to have Kap rest and eventually begin a throwing program, but at the moment the organization declined to offer a timetable for his return.

This is a crushing blow not just because of Kaprielian's prominence as a prospect, but because he had a legitimate chance to step into the rotation in the second half if everything went smoothly. One of the most attractive aspects of Kaprielian as a draft choice was that he's basically a finished product. He was expected by many to receive a brief tuneup at each level on his way up the ladder and reach the big leagues by August assuming there were no obstacles. This injury completely throws that possibility out the window. Even if the inflammation subsides with rest, the best case scenario, he will be treated with kid gloves and likely have a fairly cautious workload.

Even worse, Kaprielian had been far exceeding expectations in his early work as a professional. He's reportedly been sitting in the 97-99 range with his fastball, an insane jump from the 88-92 offering he had in college. In his first three starts, he's struck out 22 and walked just three in 18 innings of work, allowing just three earned runs.

Elbow issues have become something of an epidemic among Yankees' farmhands in the early going, with Jacob Lindgren, Nick Rumbelow, Branden Pinder, Domingo German, and Ty Hensley among those dealing with one.

Image Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America

Reliever Jacob Lindgren Placed on DL with Elbow Injury

Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America

Jacob Lindgren, the Yankees second round pick in the 2014 draft, was placed on the disabled list by the High-A Tampa Yankees Saturday with an undisclosed elbow injury. It’s been a disappointing start to the year for Lindgren, who went from an early favorite to break camp in the New York bullpen to being demoted in the first round of roster cuts in spring training. Ranked the 11th best prospect in the organization by MLB.com, Lindgren missed the second half of 2015 following elbow surgery in June.

 He was never known for having strong control, but it’s been abysmal in the last two months. Lindgren walked nine batters and hit one in his seven innings of work for Tampa. A lingering issue with his elbow would be a welcome explanation for his struggles. Lindgren’s pure stuff has been as good as advertised since the team drafted him. He combines a mid-90’s heater with an absolutely filthy wipeout slider. The only thing holding him back from becoming a late inning option for New York is his control.

 The team hasn’t released any information as to the extent of the injury, but hopefully this is not another TJ surgery. Four prominent Yankees’ MiLB arms have suffered torn UCLs in the past month, including Nick Rumbelow, Branden Pinder, Domingo German, and Ty Hensley.

If Johnny Barbato Keeps Pitching This Way…

It’s only mid-April and the New York Yankees bullpen has already been on a roller coaster ride this season. The team’s biggest strength took a hit this winter with the trade of Adam Warren only to receive Aroldis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds back in a trade. The strength of the bullpen took another hit when Justin Wilson was traded only to see Luis Cessa, at least in spring training, pitch well and lock down a bullpen slot out of spring training. The team thought they had Adam Warren replaced when Bryan Mitchell won a spot in the bullpen out of spring training as a reliever that could start only to take another hit when Mitchell injured his toe and learned he would miss four months of the season at least to fix it after undergoing surgery. The Yankees bullpen was handed another bad card when Nick Rumbelow announced that he needed ulnar collateral ligament replacement surgery, better known as Tommy John surgery, but you know what? If Johnny Barbato keeps pitching the way he has I don’t think any of it is going to matter.

The Yankees already have a strong bullpen with Andrew Miller closing out games and Dellin Betances setting up games in the 8^th inning and that core only got better when, albeit in a small sample size again, Chasen Shreve remembered how to get Major League caliber hitters out with his splitter. The Yankees have weathered the storm through seven games now and in another month they get their eventual closer back in Chapman after the lefty got suspended for 30 games due to an altercation this winter but New York may have also found another great arm in Barbato.

The theme of this post, like most posts similar to this in the early parts of the MLB season, is going to be sample size. Stats regress or improve and over 162 games you usually have a much clearer picture than you do after two weeks of the season but you have to crawl before you can walk so stick with me. Barbato, already deemed the Yankees “secret weapon” by that guy that has me blocked because I broke a story before him and wanted some accountability at the New York Post, has pitched extremely well not only this spring but it has carried over into the regular season as well. Barbato seems to be quickly earning his keep and working his way into the Joe Girardi Circle of Trust, trademark pending, this season giving the Yankees another strong 6^th or 7^th inning option out of the pen.

The Yankees pen, as patchwork as it has become in the early portions of this regular season, is still a strength and it’s only going to get better as long as everyone keeps pitching the way that they’re supposed to. When Chapman returns and when the Yankees find the confidence to bring up a Jacob Lindgren or a James Pazos again this pen has all the makings of being unhittable and downright unfair. Hate us now, we live for this. 

What First Rosters Cuts Really Mean

The New York Yankees made their first round of roster cuts from spring training to round out the week over the weekend sending 16 players back to the minor leagues. This happens with every team as we inch closer to Opening Day and as regulars need more playing time and the spring competitions heat up. The Yankees had a business as usual approach to their cuts sending players that had no legit shot at making the team out of spring back to the minor leagues, Jorge Mateo, Aaron Judge and James Kaprielian most notably, but one name really stood out to me. That name was Jacob Lindgren.

The Yankees bullpen is seemingly wide open aside from the “three-headed monster” and even more wide open with the fact that Aroldis Chapman is suspended for the first 30 games of the season. What did it hurt to have Lindgren in camp for another week or more?

You would think after Lindgren made his Major League debut in 2015 that the team would want to give him a shot at the 2016 bullpen but an elbow spur injury ended his season prematurely. Lindgren didn’t do himself any favors this spring struggling with command and effectiveness, but the same can be said for James Pazos who did not get cut just as an FYI, and will likely be the first one up if and when a need and/or an injury occurs.

Looking at the rest of the list no notable players really got cut but Lindgren, the rest are merely procedural. Here is the complete list again in case you missed it over the weekend:

Jacob Lindgren, Domingo German, Chad Green, Kyle Haynes, James Kaprielian, Brady Lail, Santiago Nessy, Tyler Webb, Francisco Diaz, Kyle Higashioka, Sebastian Valle, Jorge Mateo, Deibinson Romero, Tyler Wade, Lane Adams, Aaron Judge and Dustin Fowler.

Yankees Spring Training Open Thread 3/13

What happened down at Yankees spring training camp today? Let's get caught up!

CC Sabathia did not look good in his start allowing three runs on five hits in just 1.2 innings pitched. Not so good for CC. He came out of it healthy though and I guess that's all that matters, especially this early in the spring.

Sabathia was throwing 86-89 MPH consistently on the radar gun.

Michael Pineda threw three scoreless innings in relief of Sabathia.

Dellin Betances struck out the only batter he faced and Aroldis Chapman struck out all three batters he faced in the contest.

The Yankees announced their first round of cuts and they included Jacob Lindgren, Domingo German, Chad Green, Kyle Haynes, James Kaprielian, Brady Lail, Santiago Nessy, Tyler Webb, Francisco Diaz, Kyle Higashioka, Sebastian Valle, Jorge Mateo, Deibinson Romero, Tyler Wade, Lane Adams, Aaron Judge and Dustin Fowler.

The New York Yankees lost to the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0.

My Early Spring Predictions of the Bullpen

It’s early, really early in fact, in the season and in the spring but I like to make predictions. With that said I wanted to take the extremely small spring sample size that I have and I wanted to see if I could take a stab at predicting the Yankees bullpen come Opening Day. This post will likely change and be updated before the calendar turns to April but as it stands right now this is what I am coming up with, for better or worse and for right or for wrong.

CP: Aroldis Chapman

SU: Andrew Miller

SU: Dellin Betances

RP: Chasen Shreve

RP: Nick Rumbelow

RP: Bryan Mitchell

RP: Ivan Nova

RP: James Pazos (while Aroldis is suspended)

This is where much of the post and prediction is going to change before Opening Day. Right now both Jacob Lindgren and James Pazos are struggling but the sample size is extremely small. I can see the Yankees, although I will specify that I know no more than you, sending Lindgren down to Triple-A to make sure he’s right and healthy before making him the conductor of the Scranton Shuttle in 2016. Other than that the list is pretty straight forward and should contain little to no surprises or eye-turners. The big three, Shreve Mitchell and Nova are almost locks while a combination of Pazos, Rumbelow, Lindgren, Nick Goody and Branden Pinder lead the way for one of the final spots in the Yankees bullpen.

Check in a little over a month from now to see how my predictions went when the New York Yankees face off with Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros on Opening Day in the Bronx. 

What Do the Yankees First 30 Games Look Like?

The New York Yankees knew when they acquired closer Aroldis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds that the left-hander was going to be suspended using Commissioner Rob Manfred’s new Domestic Violence Policy. The team didn’t know for how long but it was almost a foregone conclusion that a suspension was coming but New York took a chance regardless. Whether the team and their GM Brian Cashman secretly counted on Chapman getting suspended for 46 days or more making him ineligible for free agency at the end of the season is anyone’s guess but common sense would tell you that the team would not have been terribly upset if it happened, especially for a year-and-a-half of control of Chapman for what they gave up in return. In the end Chapman was only suspended for 30 games, rumor has it that it would have met the 46 days suspended if he had appealed which is kind of shady in my opinion but that’s another discussion for another blog, so I wanted to take a look at what the Yankees first 30 games will look like in 2016.

As you can see the Yankees can absolutely weather the storm without Chapman if the team comes out of the gates firing on all cylinders. The bullpen is still strong with the returns of Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller and the bullpen has the potential to be truly unfair and absolutely ridiculous, in a good way, if Chasen Shreve, Jacob Lindgren and others can return healthy and return to form. It sucks losing your closer for a month of baseball but when you put it into perspective it’s not that bad. A closer averages about 10-15 innings per month so that’s all the Yankees would be losing. This is easier to swallow when you have two potential closers in Betances and Miller behind him so in my opinion the Yankees will be fine.

Don’t fret Yankees family the 30 games will be over before you know it and Chapman will be back to throwing 105 MPH+ heat coming to a mound near you. Stay tuned. 

Yankees Spring Training Open Thread 3/3

So what happened down in Yankees spring training camp today?

The New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies faced off in a non-televised spring training game and it may have been a good thing for the Yankees. The team lost 13-4.

Alex Rodriguez was a bright spot in the Yankees lineup hitting a two-run home run on the first swing he took this spring and on the second pitch he saw. Awesome!

Gary Sanchez drew wave reviews from the Yankees coaching staff but not because he drew two walks, no, it was because of his much improved defense behind the plate.

Ivan Nova looked good in two innings giving up just one run but Jacob Lindgren struggled a bit facing five batters walking three of them and hitting one other. The fifth you ask? He laid down a sacrifice bunt.

This Day In New York Yankees History 3/3: Yankees & Adidas

On this day in 1997 the New York Yankees signed a 10 year contract with Adidas. The licensing agreement with the sportswear company, my favorite in case you were wondering, put Yankees owner George Steinbrenner at odds with the baseball establishment. We all know George was never scared to ruffle a feather or two.

ICYMI: Yankees Broke a 103-Year Old Record in 2015

The New York Yankees broke a Major League record that has stood for 103 seasons in 2015 when they sent catcher rookie catcher Gary Sanchez up to the plate. The first at bat for Sanchez last season was also the first at bat of his MLB career and his Major League debut. Sanchez was the 18th member of the New York Yankees to make his Major League debut which is an MLB record that passed the 1903 New York Highlanders. 

The 2015 season can easily be described as the Year of the Prospect as many top prospects have made their way to the Major Leagues this season. The Cubs seemingly have a new stud rookie starting at every position this season, the Twins called up MLB's top prospect Byron Buxton and the Dodgers called up new MLB top prospect Corey Seager this season and the Yankees even called up their top prospect in Luis Severino. In fact the Yankees have called up a lot of prospects this season and let a slew of them make their Major League debut's with the team, 18 of them to be exact setting a new MLB record that stood for over 100 seasons.


Back in 1912 the New York Highlanders watched as a whopping 17 rookies made their Major League debut's including George Batten, Curt Coleman, Iron Davis, John Dowd, Benny Kauff, Ray Keating, Jack Little, Pat Maloney, Jack Martin, Bill Otis, Del Paddock, Al Schulz, George Shears, Klondike Smith, Dutch Sterrett, Homer Thompson and Tommy Thompson.

The impressive list of Yankees players to make their MLB debut's with the team in 2015 included Matt Tracy, Branden Pinder, Slade Heathcott, Jacob Lindgren, Ramon Flores, Mason Williams, Danny Burawa, Jose De Paula, Diego Moreno, Nick Rumbelow, Robert Refsnyder, Caleb Cotham, Nick Goody, Luis Severino, Greg Bird, Gary Sanchez, James Pazos and Rico Noel.


Any time a team gets this close to breaking a record I sort of hope for it to happen, I can't lie. I am a sucker for history. The main difference between the 1912 New York Highlanders and the 2015 New York Yankees is that the Highlanders only won 50 games while the Yankees would have finished a mere 50 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox had it not been for a September collapse of sorts. The latter may be a slight exaggeration but it goes to show you just how far the Yankees farm system, as underrated as it is, has come in recent seasons.

TGP Prospects Night featuring Jacob Lindgren

Jacob Lindgren was deemed the forgotten one early on in the offseason by myself and this blog but it seems like suddenly the rest of the blogopshere is beginning to catch up. Everywhere we are starting to read about Lindgren, his bone spur surgery in his left elbow and how he is going to attempt to make the Yankees bullpen out of spring training this season. I said all these things months ago but now it's popular so now it's okay, I get it. I like to be different and I like to be original and I'm truly glad people are giving Jacob the attention he deserves. Good for him, truly!

Lingo Lightning is what we called him on Twitter last season and Lingo Lightning is set to make the Yankees bullpen this spring, write it down. Now seems like a good of a time as any to get to know the Yankees top pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. Watch the video, support the blog and get to know the next big thing in the Yankees bullpen. 

TGP Prospects Month Top 29 Prospects List - #10 Brady Lail

Ladies and gentleman we have an announcement. We have officially reached the Top 10 of our Top 29 Prospects List here as a part of Prospects Month on The Greedy Pinstripes. We have technically counted down from 30 with James Pazos all the way to #11 Jacob Lindgren and today we enter the best of the best. Everyone talks about the Top 10, everyone releases at least their Top 10 Prospects List. The Top 10 is where it's at and we kick off the Top 10 with one of the best starting pitching prospects in the Yankees system, Brady Lail. Are you hyped yet?

Lail was drafted out of High School by the Yankees in the 18th round of the 2012 Draft and has done nothing but pitch his way all the way to Triple-A and the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders in 2015. Lail now has 37 innings under his belt at the highest minor league level and owns a career 3.13 ERA and 1.168 WHIP with the organization.

Lail is not going to strike out 20 in a game and he's not going to strike out 200 in a season but he is a durable starter that knows how to get advanced hitters out. He reminds me a ton of David Phelps and Adam Warren when they were in the Yankees organization and he reminded me a lot of Rookie Davis as well who was recently traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Aroldis Chapman. Those are not bad comparisons and those comparisons could land Lail in the Major Leagues as soon as 2016. Many don't necessarily know his name yet, he's not the sexy or breakout name like Davis or Luis Severino was, but I have a feeling that by the time we see Prospects Month 2017 you probably will.

10. Brady Lail
11. Jacob Lindgren
12. Bryan Mitchell
13. Drew Finley
14. Mason Williams
15. Slade Heathcott
16. Abi Avelino
17. Hoy-Jun Park
18. Luis Torrens
19. Cale Coshow
20. Chance Adams
21. Miguel Andujar
22. Jonathan Holder
23. Tyler Wade
24. Nick Rumbelow
25.Jordan Montgomery
26.Trey Amburgey
27. Ben Gamel
28. Austin DeCarr
29. Thairo Estrada
30. James Pazos

Jacob Lindgren, Elbows and Masahiro Tanaka

Even before Yankees pitchers and catchers reported down to George M. Steinbrenner Field this week to begin Spring Training camps all the eyes and discussions were on the elbow of Masahiro Tanaka. This is nothing new for Tanaka or Yankees fans but this year it was for a different reason. In years past the discussion and worry has been focused on his ulnar collateral ligament and his “need” for Tommy John surgery despite the fact that five doctors including specialist Dr. James Andrews diagnosis not to have the surgery but this year all the attention is focused on the surgery that Tanaka did elect to have. Tanaka had bone spurs removed from his elbow this offseason after the spurs hampered him and his ability to throw a splitter for much of the 2015 season, the same surgery that ended the season of Yankees relief prospect Jacob Lindgren.

Lindgren had bone spurs removed from his elbow late last June and he said after “about three months” he was feeling “great now.” Tanaka had the same surgery after the season meaning he is pushing the four month rehab and rest window now and yet fans and the organization are still worried and/or holding him back for precautionary reasons. I understand Lindgren is making $525K this season and Tanaka is making in excess of $20 million but the future of both arms should be equally as important, so why hold Tanaka back?

Let Lingo Lightning do his thing this spring and win his spot back into the Cirlce of Trust and let Tanaka do his thing and win the ace spot away from Luis Severino in the starting rotation. It is bone spurs, it’s not Tommy John surgery. Take the diapers off and let the kids throw! Just my two pennies this morning. 

TGP Prospects Month Top 29 Prospects List - #11 Jacob Lindgren

This has to be one of the most bittersweet feelings in the world of being an MLB prospect. You have to be happy to be listed as the 11^th best prospect in what is strongly considered to be a strong prospect but at the same time it’s almost like being the first runner up in a race. You want to be in that Top 10, everyone talks about the Top 10, but at the same time you don’t want to seem ungrateful for your inclusion at #11. That’s what Jacob Lindgren, the Yankees left-handed relief pitcher, might be feeling if he’s reading this now because he’s the 11^th best prospect in the Yankees system according to the TGP Top 29 Prospects Month List.

Lindgren was the Yankees first pick in the 2014 MLB First Year Players Draft and was a second round pick overall out of Mississippi State University. Lindgren was thought to possibly reach the Major Leagues by the end of that same season but it was early on in the 2015 season before Lindgren made his MLB debut and pushed his way into Joe Girardi’s “Circle of Trust.” Lindgren pitched well and looked well on his way to being a weapon for Girardi going forward before an elbow injury ended his season prematurely.

Lindgren is said to be completely healthy and ready for all the things that come along with spring training camp, hey did I forget to mention that pitchers and catchers are down in Tampa as we speak, as he looks to battle his way back into the Yankees bullpen this season. That pen seems a lot more crowded this time around than it did last season but I don’t think Lindgren will mind, all he does is pitch and get hitters out no matter the level or the competition. The Yankees future closer here ladies and gentleman, write it down.

11. Jacob Lindgren
12. Bryan Mitchell
13. Drew Finley
14. Mason Williams
15. Slade Heathcott
16. Abi Avelino
17. Hoy-Jun Park
18. Luis Torrens
19. Cale Coshow
20. Chance Adams
21. Miguel Andujar
22. Jonathan Holder
23. Tyler Wade
24. Nick Rumbelow
25.Jordan Montgomery
26.Trey Amburgey
27. Ben Gamel
28. Austin DeCarr
29. Thairo Estrada
30. James Pazos