Clint Longenecker evaluated and gave a write up for Baseball America on the New York Yankees 2013 prospects that we got in the draft by giving us a report card. Will the Yankees need to hide this report card from their parents? Let's see...
Longenecker called our first overall pick Eric Jagielo the best overall hitter, most pure hitter, and the likeliest to make the major leagues first. Longenecker said of Jagielo that he had a "smooth stroke with loft to all fields, a disciplined approach and the ability to make consistent hard contact." Dante Bichette Jr. was moved up to High A with the Tampa Yankees so Jagielo may start 2014 in Low A with the Charleston Riverdogs.
Longenecker called Aaron Judge the best power hitter in the system and said that Judge has "raw power that rates at least a 70 on the 20-80 scale, and he can put on a show in batting practice. He has tremendous natural strength in his extra large frame." Judge has yet to make his professional debut so he will likely start 2014 in the Gulf Coast League or, at best, with the Staten Island Yankees. Judge will play winter ball this year before his 2014 season.
Tyler Wade was given the nod for the best defensive player in the draft as a shortstop which is encouraging for us. Longenecker said of Wade that Wade "who could hit for average is a good athlete with above average speed, good actions, steady hands and an above average arm." The Yankees seem to want to keep Wade and Gosuke Katoh together so where one goes the other probably will and Wade seems ready to go to Charleston with the Riverdogs.
Michael O'Niell is the fastest Yankees runner from the draft with well above average speed that could keep him in center field long term. Gosuke Katoh was also praised for his speed not only in the field but out of the box. O'Niell will probably repeat Staten Island in 2014 while Katoh, who had one of the best professional debuts from a High School player will go to the Charleston Riverdogs in A Ball.
Longenecker liked our pitching and ranked David Palladino, Nick Rumbelow, Cale Coshow, and Philip Walby as having the best fastballs in the draft as all four of the pitcher touch or top 96 MPH. Walby even touched 98 MPH comfortable but Longenecker praised left hander Tyler Webb because of his "average velocity but his fastball plays up because of his command and deception." Palladino will probably stay in Staten Island with Coshow while Rumbelow and Walby head up to Charleston. Webb already has tore up the scene with the Riverdogs and could be headed to High A with the Tampa Yankees by 2014.
The best secondary stuff went to Ian Clarkin, Nick Rumbelow, and David Palladino. Clarkin missed most of the 2013 season with an ankle injury but Longenecker says Clarkin "has the makings of a plus curveball. Palladino's curveball and Rumbelow's slider are plus at their best." Clarkin will "repeat" Staten Island in 2014 but with his stuff, as raw as it is, I do not see him staying there long.
Finally Longenecker praised Dustin Fowler and Caleb Smith as the best late round picks because of Smith's potential for a plus fastball and changeup and Fowler's athleticism to go with his simple swing and above average speed. Finally, and this makes me very happy, Brandon Thomas was named the drafts best athlete. I like this because I live in metro Atlanta, Georgia and support the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and that is where Thomas spent his college career.
