TGP Prospects Month Top 29 Prospects List - #12 Bryan Mitchell

Bryan Mitchell is a name that many Yankees fans, even the most casual fan, knows by now. He's been around the organization for what feels like forever now and has made appearances with the big league club in each of the last two seasons. Last season was especially notable for Mitchell because he took a line drive off the bat to the face that seemingly and presumably messed with his mind and psyche for the remainder of the 2015 season. If anyone has ever been hit in the face with a baseball whether it be in Little League or professional baseball you know more than anyone what an offseason can do for your mind. It's like a reset button so if this was the reason for Mitchell's struggles then I'm not entirely concerned.

Mitchell's stuff cannot be denied. He throws hard and has an absolute ton of movement on his pitches as both a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher. Mitchell has less than 40 innings thrown in the Major Leagues and at 24-years old is just entering the prime of his career. He will likely outgrow his prospect status this season as he is penciled in as a member of the team's bullpen but he could also conceivably lose out on the numbers game and start the season in Scranton. Either way I truly believe Mitchell could be the team's next Adam Warren as he can both start and relieve and he doesn't seem to let the game overwhelm him. Yes his MLB stats are ugly, although his minor league stats are comparable to Warren's for much of their MiLB careers, but the sample size is small and the comparisons to Warren are real.

Maybe I'm off base but behind the likes of James Kaprielian, Domingo Acevedo and the young guys who are two-to-three years away from the major leagues (Drew Finley, Ian Clarkin etc.) I believe Mitchell is the team's best starting pitching prospect. I can admit when I'm wrong, and I know I've been wrong before while letting my fandom get in the way, but I don't think I'm wrong about Mitchell. I don't.

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

TGP Prospects Month Top 29 Prospects List - #20 Chance Adams

So you don't know the name Chance Adams, huh? Don't worry, you will. This is the great thing about doing a Prospects Month here on the blog. I get to do the research for you and bring you the knowledge and information that a lot of places, especially places that don't focus solely on prospects, won't do. Everyone talks about Jorge Mateo, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and James Kaprielian but how many will tell you about the next relief pitcher to fly through the system and reach the Major Leagues as soon as the 2016 season? Not many, but we will, and that's why Chance Adams is the 20th best prospect on our Top 29 (30) Prospects List.

Adams was drafted just last year but may be the first 2015 draft pick to reach the Major Leagues. Not Kyle Holder, not James Kaprielian and not a guy like Jeff Degano or Will Carter. Adams pitched for three minor league affiliates last season beginning his professional career in Staten Island before finishing his season in High-A with the Tampa Yankees. Adams pitched to a 1.00 WHIP or below in all three affiliates and had a combined 11.5 K/9 average in his first professional season. Adams doesn't walk many and he didn't give up a home run all season long.

Adams could be the right-handed arm the Yankees need for their second half push and if his first season is an indicator of his future I believe he will be up to the task. 100%.

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

Yankees Prospects Night Open Thread featuring Kyle Holder

This is truly an awesome video to watch for any Yankees fans and especially for fans of the prospects that play for the team. This is a bit of a season in review for one of the Yankees first round picks in the 2015 MLB First Year Players Draft Kyle Holder. Holder, who is considered an elite defensive shortstop, is being covered and showcased by the people who know him best, his teammates. 

Weekly Check In: Jeff Degano

The New York Yankees added a ton of talent to their minor league affiliates this month through the 2015 MLB First Year Players Draft including two first round picks in Kyle Holder and James Kaprielian. The two first round picks have already made it to the New York-Penn League with the Staten Island Yankees and they joined another 2015 Draft pick by the Yankees, Jeff Degano.

Degano was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 Draft out of Indiana State. Here is the MLB.com Pipeline scouting report on Degano:

The redshirt junior works at 88-92 mph and can reach 95 with his fastball, which features some natural cutting life. He gets many of his strikeouts with his hard slurve, which he can run away from lefties and back-foot against righties … Degano has a decent changeup with some fade and will need to use it more as a starter in pro ball. He throws strikes but his command could use some refinement. Though he doesn’t have a true plus offering, he has the upside of a three-pitch starter with the fallback of becoming a situational lefty.

Year	Lev	W	L	ERA	G	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9
2015	Rk-A-	0	4	4.50	8	16.0	19	10	8	1	6	14	1.562	10.7	0.6	3.4	7.9
2015	Rk	0	4	5.06	6	10.2	14	8	6	1	4	8	1.688	11.8	0.8	3.4	6.8
2015	A-	0	0	3.38	2	5.1	5	2	2	0	2	6	1.312	8.4	0.0	3.4	10.1

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Yankees Final 2015 Draft Pool Tracker

The New York Yankees had quite the haul in the 2015 MLB First Year Players Draft which included signing -- of their 41 draft picks. New York signed each of their first 19 draft picks and 33 of their first 36 draft picks as the team continues to rebuild the farm system from the inside out. Here is one last final look at the draft pool now that everything is finalized. Enjoy the future.

*bold denotes a player that did not sign

1. RHP James Kaprielian - 16th overall
1. SS Kyle Holder - 30th
2. LHP Jeff Degano - 57th
3. RHP Drew Finley - 92nd
4. CF Jeff Hendrix - 123rd
5. RHP Chance Adams - 153rd
6. 2B Brandon Wagner - 183rd
7. RF Jhalan Jackson - 213th
8. 3B Donny Sands - 243rd
9. 1B Ryan Krill - 273rd
10. LHP James Reeves - 303rd
11. LHP Josh Rogers - 333rd
12. CF Terrance Robertson - 363rd
13. CF Trey Amburgey - 393rd
14. RHP Will Carter - 423rd
15. RHP Bret Marks - 453rd
16. RHP Kolton Mahoney - 483rd
17. RHP Brody Koerner - 513th
18. LF Zack Zehner - 543rd
19. RHP Mark Seyler - 573rd
20. 1B Isiah Gilliam - 603rd
21. RHP Josh Roeder - 633rd
22. RHP Cody Carroll - 663rd
23. RHP Garrett Mundell - 693rd
24. RHP Patrick O'Brien - 723rd
25. C Austin Afenir - 753rd
26. RHP Icezack Flemming - 783rd
27. 1B Michael Hicks - 813th
28. RHP David Sosebee 843rd
29. 1B Kane Sweeney - 873rd
30. RHP Chad Martin - 903rd
31. RHP Hobie Harris - 933rd
32. RHP Alex Robinett - 963rd
33. RHP Christian Morris - 993rd
34. LHP Andrew Miller - 1023rd
35. RHP Alex Bisacca - 1053rd
36. RHP Dustin Cook - 1083rd
37. 3B Matthew Schmidt - 1113th 
38. 2B Mike Garzillo - 1143rd
39. SS Deacon Liput - 1173rd
40. C Will Albertson - 1203rd

Another Day Another Flurry of Roster Moves

Another day in the Bronx brings another set of roster moves by the New York Yankees. The Yankees have used 21 different pitchers in the last 22 days coming into tonight's (possible) game with no end to the revolving door in sight. Just to catch up:

Jose Pirela was called up today while Stephen Drew was added to the paternity list which comes with a maximum of three games out.

Ramon Flores was also optioned back to Triple-A while the Yankees brought up a new long-man Bryan Mitchell. Capuano will likely be unavailable for two or three days giving Mitchell a couple opportunities to gain the trust of Joe Girardi.

In other Yankees news the team signed their second round pick LHP Jeff Degano to an under-slot deal worth $650,000.

Yankees 2015 MLB Draft Results Rounds 1-2

by: Ben Embry

The Yankees took three college players with their first 3 picks in the 2015 MLB Draft.  The Yankees took UCLA RHP James Kaprielian with the 16th overall pick.  Kaprielian is the classic “pitchability” starter whose command/control exceed his “stuff”.  He seems to have a low floor and low-to-moderate ceiling.  Projected mainly as a number 3 starter with some 4s thrown on him.  May be a number 2 starter if he can put it all together.  He works with a 4 pitch mix; some scouts say his changeup is his best offering while others say it’s his curveball.  His fastball is of the four-seam variety and sits in the low 90s and will touch 95.  He has the ideal pitcher’s body at 6’4, 200 lbs.  He led the Pac 12 in strikeouts the past two years and has had success putting hitters away if he gets ahead.  Concerns would be diminished velocity, which is already not the highest, once he goes from a 7-day rotation to a 5-day rotation.  Again, this is considered a “safe” pick; I would expect him in the majors as a September call-up in 2016 at the earliest, but mid-season 2017 seems a more realistic timetable.

The Yankees took San Diego SS Kyle Holder with the 30th overall pick.  The glove is his calling card, with scouting grades ranging from  55 to 70.  The knock on him is his limited offensive upside due to a pronounced uppercut swing path, though he did have a .900 OPS in college this year.  His contact numbers are good with only 19 K’s in 224 AB’s.  His defensive prowess is unquestioned, despite only average speed.  He has a plus arm and good instincts.  His intangibles are also high, with labels like “gritty”, “natural leader”, and “clubhouse guy” being thrown on him.  He was ranked 54th on my draft board so he seemed like a reach at 30, but if the Yankees really wanted him they had to take him there since their next pick wasn’t until 57, (he was ranked as high as 38 on the boards I track).  Scouting Director Damon Oppenheimer has said the Yankees have made more success lately developing college players over high school ones, which may explain the choice of Holder over other HS players Yankees had been linked to more like C Chris Betts or RHP Donny Everett.

The Yankees took Indiana State LHP Jeff Degano with the 57th pick in round 2.  Degano is a 6’4, 200 lb southpaw from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.  Degano was a late riser in the draft scouting process due to missing 2014 and some of 2013 with Tommy John surgery.  He performed well for the Sycamores, going 8-3 in 15 starts with a 2.36 ERA.  His 11.7 K/9 was the seventh best in Division I.  He’s gotten by on just his fastball and breaking ball with a seldom used changeup that needs development.  His fastball sits in the low 90s and has little movement.  If his changeup doesn’t come around, there’s a good chance he ends up as a reliever but projects as more of a late inning guy than a LOOGY.

The best available players remaining from my top 200 list: Donny Everett (23), Michael Matuella (26), Dakota Chalmers (37), Jacob Nix (38), and Jalen Miller (40).  This is somewhat conjecture, but Nix may be the only signable one of that group.  I expect the Yankees to stick to their college-heavy philosophy and would predict they take Iona RHP Mariano Rivera, Jr, (yep, Mo's son) with their 3rd round pick, (#92 overall).  It would be a little bit of a reach since he's #120 on my board, but they don't draft again until 123 so if they want him, I think they have to take him at 92.  You would think they would want him pretty pad since he's Mo son and  he's improved his stock since they drafted his last year.

The draft concludes tomorrow with rounds 11-40 and sometime the day or two after that I'll have preliminary draft scores and I'll have final draft scores after the signing deadline on July 17th.  THEN...shortly after that I'll update my top 30 Yankees prospects.  As of right now, I'm thinking Kaprielian will be in the back half of the top 10, with Holder about 10-12 spots behind him and Degano maybe sneaking into the last few spots.  Have a good day!