Yankees Spring Training Open Thread 3/24

So what happened today down at Yankees spring training camp today? Let's get caught back up.

Chaz Hebert, Yankees pitching prospect that went down to the Arizona Fall League this season, informed us all that he would require Tommy John surgery and would miss the entire 2016 season. This is terrible news for a guy that was on the brink of Triple-A and eventually the Major Leagues. Come back stronger Chaz and if you're reading this (and you'll know what this means) "Princess Probz."

The Yankees and the Rays are facing off tonight at George M. Steinbrenner Field with CC Sabathia going for New York. This will be one of the last starts this spring for Sabathia and if he wants to win a starting rotation job he needs to start pitching like it tonight.

More when the game is over!

Final Arizona Fall League Check In

The Arizona Fall League ended on Saturday, November 21st as the Scottsdale Scorpions faced off with the New York Yankees prospects led Surprise Saguaros. If you watched the game the players looked a little tired, and very sloppy, for a Championship Game but at the end of the day the Scorpions went on to win the championship inside their home stadium. The Scorpions beat the Saguaros 6-4 in a game that saw seven errors combined committed, and honestly it could have been as many as 10 errors if not for some generous box scoring, and finished their season with a 18-12 record. Heading into the championship game the Saguaros held a 5-1 head-to-head record against the Scorpions but it didn't matter in the victory.

The Yankees sent Gary Sanchez to play catcher in the game while Tyler Austin and Dustin Fowler started in left field  and center field respectively for the Saguaros. No Yankees pitchers made it into the contest. Sanchez went 1-3 with a walk and a strikeout, Austin went 1-4 with a run scored and Fowler finished his AFL with a 2-3 game including a home run and two RBI. Here is what the Yankees final tally lines looked like from their Arizona Fall League season.

Weekly AFL Check In: Dustin Fowler

Every team has the opportunity to send up to eight prospects to the Arizona Fall League every single season with the knowledge that one of the players would be used sparingly. That player this season was Dustin Fowler which is why we never checked in on him weekly like we did Gary Sanchez, Ian Clarkin, Domingo Acevedo, Tyler Austin, Tyler Webb, Tyler Wade and Chaz Hebert. Now that the AFL regular season is wrapped up and the championship game is being played, by the way the Surprise Saguaros and the Yankees prospects will be in the championship game so check that out, we can do a bit of a weekly AFL recap rather than check in with Mr. Fowler.

Fowler made the most of his limited opportunities in the AFL and hit for a surprising bit of power as a member of the Saguaros. His numbers will look skewed due to sample size but he wouldn’t be here had he not caught the eyes of the New York Yankees organization. Fowler had a free pass to take it easy down in Arizona and once again opened the eyes of the Yankees front office and advanced scouting teams thus setting himself up for a bright future in New York potentially.

Dustin Fowler:

Games: 15
At Bats: 57
AVG: .281
OBP: .305
SLG: .421
OPS: .726
H: 16
HR: 2
RBI: 7
BB: 2
K: 9

Weekly AFL Check In: Chaz Hebert

Entering the Arizona Fall League after the 2015 season the New York Yankees had their eyes set on the development of Gary Sanchez, the velocity of Domingo Acevedo, the effectiveness and defense of Tyler Austin at the plate and at first base and the innings count of Ian Clarkin. Truth be told, and I am presuming here, names like Tyler Webb, Tyler Wade and Chaz Hebert were secondary to the team. I’m not meaning to sound disrespectful and make it seem like Webb, Wade and Hebert were merely fill ins, that’s definitely not the case, but they weren’t as high profiled and weren’t the household names to Yankees fans that the other four were.

Hebert has done his best to change that after a strong AFL showing and a trip to the AFL Stars Game. Hebert is still quietly climbing the Yankees ladder and probably not getting the attention that other names in the Yankees system doing but judging by this winter I’d have to say he’s okay with that. Just keep shutting them down Chaz and we’ll all know your name soon enough.

Chaz Hebert: 

G: 6
GS: 0
IP: 12.2
W/L: 0-1
ERA: 2.84
K: 10
BB: 9
WHIP: 1.42

Weekly AFL Check In: Chaz Hebert

Chaz Hebert represented the New York Yankees this weekend in the Arizona Fall League Stars Game and did what he has done for the Surprise Saguaros for much of the fall, pitched a 1-2-3 inning of relief. Hebert has been piggybacking Ian Clarkin for much of the fall as it seems that Clarkin is only going to get around 4-5 innings per start and each time he has pitched Hebert is the first man out of the Saguaros bullpen. Hebert is not a name too many knew before the Arizona Fall League but between his good pitching performances and Gary Sanchez’s home run pop the New York Yankees farm system is being well represented in the desert.

Chaz Hebert: 

G: 4
GS: 0
IP: 9.0
W/L: 0-1
ERA: 1.00
K: 8
BB: 5
WHIP: 1.22

Weekly AFL Check In: Chaz Hebert

Chaz Hebert had two interesting and notable milestones that he achieved this week while he was down playing for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League. First Hebert was named to the Arizona Fall All-Star team for the Saguaros representing the New York Yankees and secondly he accepted my friendship request on Facebook. I'll leave you to decide which of the two will go up first on his trophy case.

Anyway, here are the stats that sent the right-hander to the All-Star Game this fall down in Arizona.

Chaz Hebert:

G: 3
GS: 0
IP: 7.0
W/L: 0-1
ERA: 1.29
K: 7
BB: 4
WHIP: 1.29

Weekly AFL Check In: Chaz Hebert

The Weekly Arizona Fall League check in posts continue this morning with a prospect that the casual New York Yankees fan probably doesn’t know, Chaz Hebert. Chaz is a pitcher in the Yankees organization that spent time with the Charleston Riverdogs, the Trenton Thunder and the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders this season down on the farm.

Hebert has basically been the piggyback to Ian Clarkin as he has entered in from the bullpen first after both of Clarkin’s starts this fall. Hebert is not the sexy name that we all salivate over in the AFL but he’s climbing the ladder quickly and quietly and may be a common name in your household before you know it.

Chaz Hebert

G: 2

GS: 0

IP: 5.0

W/L: 0-1

ERA: 0.00

K: 7

BB: 7

WHIP: 1.00

Yankees Announce Their Arizona Fall League Representatives

The New York Yankees have announced their representatives that will join the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League this season and that list includes six members of the Yankees. New York will send two pitchers, one catcher, two infielders and an outfield to Arizona this winter. That list includes Chaz Hebert, Tyler Webb, Gary Sanchez, Eric Jagielo, Tyler Wade and Dustin Fowler.

The Jagielo decision makes a ton of sense for New York as they try to get their third baseman some work in after missing much of the season while the Sanchez, Wade, Fowler, Webb and Hebert picks are not really head-turners.  

Chaz Hebert Named FSL Pitcher of the Week

LHP Chaz Hebert Named FSL Pitcher of the Week Tampa, Fla. - The Florida State League named Tampa Yankees LHP Chaz Hebert Pitcher of the Week today. This honor was for games played August 17 - 23, 2015. Hebert pitched in two (2) games for a total of 13 innings, with one being a 7-inning complete game shut-out, his second this season. He allowed only five (5) hits, one (1) run, and struck out 17 batters with a 0.69 ERA for the week. This is the fourth year of professional baseball for the 2011 non-drafted free agent from Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.

Jaron Long, Chris Smith Heading to Tampa

Jaron Long, Chris Smith Heading to Tampa

Single-A Tampa Yankees receive two RiverDogs right-handers via promotions

CHARLESTON, SC – The New York Yankees have announced that Charleston RiverDogs right-handed pitchers Jaron Long and Chris Smith have been promoted to the Single-A Tampa Yankees. Long leaves the RiverDogs as the South Atlantic League leader in earned run average while Smith had a strong start to his debut in affiliated baseball.

In a pair of corresponding moves, Charleston receives left-handed pitchers Evan Rutckyj and Chaz Hebert from Tampa. The RiverDogs will maintain their maximum of 25 active players.

Long, a non-drafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2013, currently tops the Sally League with a 1.64 earned run average and also shares the league lead with one shutout. Long owns a 3-1 record for Charleston and recently recorded a streak of 22.2 consecutive scoreless innings.

Smith joined the Yankees in 2013 after playing in Australia for the Pine Hills Lightning and the Brisbane Bandits. The Louisville, KY native won his affiliated baseball debut on May 12 and earned a save on May 16 in a doubleheader opener. Smith has 1-1 record with a 4.50 ERA.

Rutckyj and Hebert, a pair of southpaws, are added to Charleston roster. This is the third season that Rutckyj has been a member of the RiverDogs, featuring his team-high ten wins in 2013 for Charleston. This season, Rutckyj has one win over 12 relief appearances with Tampa. Hebert went 0-2 in three Tampa starts to begin this season and joins the RiverDogs for the first time.

Charleston starts a four-game homestand against the Savannah Sand Gnats at 7:05pm tonight. Budweiser Thirsty Thursday, presented by 95SX, offers $1 drafts and DJ Natty Heavy in the Ashley View Pub. Tickets may be purchased at the Riley Park Box Office, (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or on-line at www.riverdogs.com. If fans cannot make it to the ballpark, they are encouraged to tune in to all the action this year both home and away worldwide on www.riverdogs.com and locally on 1250 WTMA, the new radio home for RiverDogs baseball.