Meet a Prospect: Christian Herstine

Herstine, right, after pitching a no hitter. Courtesy of NCAA.com

The New York Yankees have added a bit of depth to their minor league system this week that I thought you all would like to meet. His name is Christian Herstine and he had been playing with the Gary SouthShore RailCats, a minor league team in the Independent American Association, as a pitcher. Herstine is a big and powerful relief pitcher that will look to fly through the Yankees system on his way to the Major Leagues. Let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: Christian Herstine.

Herstine is a 22-year old right-handed pitcher who had his contract purchased by the New York Yankees recently giving him the opportunity to begin his professional career. While with the RailCats Herstine had thrown in five games and 8.2 innings allowing just one earned run while posting 10 strikeouts and an anemic 1.03 ERA. Herstine was scouted by Yankees scouts recently and he was told to report to the Yankees minor league facility in Tampa to begin his career. It’s unsure where he will land but one of the Gulf Coast League teams or the Tampa Yankees seem to be the most obvious choices.

Herstine was a non-drafted free agent before latching on with SouthShore after going 9-4 with a 2.32 ERA at Marietta College in 2016. Herstine, as a starter, led his Pioneers teammates to the regional round of the Division III tournament before his collegiate career ended. Now he will take his power stuff to professional baseball.

It’s unclear whether the Yankees plan to work him as a starter or as a relief pitcher but with an arm like scouting reports say that he has you would have to think he would be given every opportunity to fail as a starter before being shifted to the bullpen. This isn’t a signing that’s going to make LoHud, River Ave Blues or MLB Tonight but it’s these little signings that I like focusing on. The underdog story. The David vs. Goliath. Those are my kind of stories.

Welcome to the family Christian. Hope you enjoy your stay.