So it Seems the Yankees Could Have Had Clay Bellinger

Could you imagine a lineup that had some combination of the Los Angeles Dodgers star Cody Bellinger and the Yankees stars Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge hitting in the middle of it? Talk about that being the dream. Well according to a new report that was released this week that could have been a reality for the Yankees as the organization had a chance to draft Bellinger, son of former Yankee Clay Bellinger, during the 2013 MLB First Year Players Draft.

Before the 2013 MLB Draft the Yankees had Bellinger inside Yankee Stadium after inviting him to a pre-draft workout for some of the top amateur players. During the workout they had a game for the players and Bellinger hit a three-run home run to right field, the first home run Bellinger would ever hit inside of a big league park. The Yankees instead took LHP Ian Clarkin and Aaron Judge with their pair of first round picks in that draft passing on Bellinger. Instead the Dodgers took Bellinger in the fourth round with the 124^th overall pick with what might soon be the steal of the draft.

All told the Yankees drafted Clarkin, Judge, Eric Jagielo who is still in Double-A within the Cincinnati Reds organization at last check, center fielder Michael O’Neill and second baseman Gosuke Katoh. Yeah, looking at that list hurts when you see what Bellinger has done thus far for the Dodgers in 2017.

In the Yankees defense every team passed over Bellinger at least three times, sometimes four times, during that draft and for good reason. Bellinger had just one home run during his senior season and didn’t show the pop that he has at the big league level. As a first baseman with little-to-no power you can see why teams would be weary of using an early draft pick on him. The Dodgers took the chance and the Dodgers caught lightning in a bottle. Say what you will about the Dodgers scouts and system being better than the Yankees, and it very well may be but not because they drafted Bellinger, but any team that drafted Bellinger did not expect him to be lighting the world on fire and being among the league leaders in home runs before the All-Star Break. Nobody.

One last thing before we go. Kris Bryant was also drafted in that draft class, ahead of Bellinger obviously, leading me to wonder if that draft class may go down as one of the best in recent memory when all the dust settles and when this trio stops hitting home runs. Food for thought on this Thursday. 

Yankees Re-Sign Culver, Release O’Neill

According to our friends over at Pinstriped Prospects, shout out to Robert Pimpsner and his crew for a continued year of great success and even better work by the way, the New York Yankees made a couple minor league deals that I think are noteworthy. The Yankees signed Cito Culver to a minor league deal and they also released outfielder Michael O’Neill from his contract.

Culver is still somehow just 24-years old after being the Yankees first round draft pick in 2010. The Yankees promoted Culver to Triple-A for the 2015 and 2016 seasons but never made the call to bring him to the Major Leagues. Culver has always been considered to be a top notch defensive shortstop but his bat has always lacked which has kept him from taking the big step to the Bronx.

O’Neill, son of former Yankees star Paul O’Neill, is also 24-years old and was a third round pick for the Yankees in the 2013 MLB Draft. O’Neill reached Double-A with the Trenton Thunder this past season but his bat lacked in 60 games after a strong start to the season in Tampa. O’Neill will now look to latch on with another team to continue his dream of reaching the show.

Good luck to both. Oh, and good morning Yankees family. We’re back!

Michael O’Neill & Jordan Montgomery Named FSL Player & Pitcher of the Week

OF Michael O'Neill and LHP Jordan Montgomery Named FSL Player & Pitcher of the Week Tampa, Fla. - The Florida State League named Tampa Yankees OF Michael O'Neill Player of the Week and LHP Jordan Montgomery Pitcher of the Week today. This honor was for games played August 24 - 30, 2015. O'Neill played in four (4) games and collected eight (8) hits in 13 plate appearances for a .615 batting average. He had two (2) doubles, one (1) triple, and one (1) homerun. He scored six (6) times with four (4) RBI's. His OBP was .706 and slugging percentage was 1.154. This is the third year of professional baseball for the 2013 First-Year Player Draft Pick (3rd round) from Powell, OH. Montgomery pitched in one (1) game for a total of six (6) perfect innings. He struck out eight (8) batters. This is the second year of professional baseball for the 2014 First-Year Player Draft Pick (4th Round) from Sumter, South Carolina.