My Top 10 Prospect List

After all the dust has settles from the Winter and GM Meetings and all the big time free agents have signed, well except for Prince Fielder, the Yankees blog world usually goes prospect crazy. The Winter Leagues and Dominican leagues and Arizona Fall Leagues are all wrapping up and the Yankees blogs and experts put together their top prospect lists, and here is mine.

With the recent trade of super prospect Jesus Montero that opens the door for everyone to slide up a spot. Let the debate begin.

1. Manny Banuelos
2. Dellin Betances
3. Gary Sanchez
4. Austin Romine
5. Mason Williams
6. Jose Campos
7. Dante Bichette Jr
8. David Phelps
9. Adam Warren
10. JR Murphy

Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances is more of a #1 and #1A type situation here. You could put either at #1 and the other at #2 and no one would complain too loudly. Banuelos gets the edge on my list because he is younger, more durable, and is left handed. The stats are a wash basically with both of them in AAA Scranton.

Gary Sanchez is the replacement for Jesus Montero, the problem is he is so far away. He does project, even with a down year last year, to be better offensively and defensively then both Jesus Montero and Austin Romine. Projections mean little when your in A Ball though...

Austin Romine is this high on my list for one reason, major league readiness. He is major league ready now and is already on the 40 man roster. His bat is a little deficient when you look at what Montero has done in the minors but he more then makes up for it with his defense. I am personally a bigger fan of a Jose Molina type catcher then a Javy Lopez or Mike Piazza type catcher. We had enough years of Posada, as much as I love him and am glad he was a Yankee, not being able to throw runners out and call a game that Russell Martin and Romine will be a sight for sore eyes this season.

What can I say about Mason Williams that hasnt already been said? He showed lots of pop, fundamentals, tools, etc etc etc... in a short season in the New York Penn League. He is the farthest thing from a sure thing and is extremely far from the majors but the Yankees have seemingly donned him "untouchable" which should speak volumes.

Jose Campos is the 19 yr. old RHP we got in the Montero and Noesi for Pineda trade. He easily touches 95 mph, sometimes as high as 98. Again only in A ball and again only in a short season but he already has 2 plus plus pitches and 2 more potential plus pitches. 4 plus pitches , especially with the strike out numbers he puts up, always projects to be a top of the rotation starter. He may be the best pitching prospect in the system not named a "Killer B".

Dante Bichette's biggest thing is if he can stay at the 3B position. He proved above and beyond that the bat was there but the defense was always the suspect. When you have that kind of a special bat like this young man can, see Jesus Montero, you find a way to hide the defense. He was horrendous defensively though which gives you some hope. Much like a lot of these Top 10 guys, he is in a short season (GCL) and is far away.

Adam Warren and David Phelps could be flip flopped here. Both are in AAA Scranton and both are starting pitchers. Both, in my opinion, are also major league ready although it wouldnt hurt Phelps to spend some more time in AAA to work on a few things. Phelps is the better pitcher , projection wise, in my opinion. I could see him as a 4th or 5th starter type where I could easily see Adam Warren having to move into the bullpen to lengthen his career.

I wanted to put Slade Heathcott here but I decided not to since he cant seem to stay healthy for a full season. JR Murphy is yet another catching prospect that the Yankees like and yet another prospect on my list in A Ball. He could make it as high as AA Trenton this season with no one but maybe Jose Gil standing in his way and Gary Sanchez needing full playing time in A Ball.

Thats my list.... whats yours?