Yankees Set Thunder Opening Day Roster

THUNDER ROSTER 4-5-18

The New York Yankees have set the Thunder roster for the 25th season of play at ARM & HAMMER Park.

The roster features three of the top starting pitching prospects in the organization with RHP Domingo Acevedo, LHP Justus Sheffield and RHP Dillon Tate lining up at the front of the rotation. All three rank in the top-10 of Baseball America's pre-season Yankees prospect list with Sheffield checking in at #3. RHP Will Carter and RHP Erik Swanson round out the starting group for the Thunder, a team that set the franchise record for team ERA (2.83) and shutouts (20). 

The bullpen features a number of strong arms including Rule V returnee RHP Jose Mesa Jr.. Righties Jordan Foley, Joe Harvey, Brian Keller, and Andrew Schwaab will be joined by left-handers Caleb Frare, James Reeves and Stephen Tarpley. 

Behind the plate C Jorge Saez returns after hitting nine home runs in 67 games for the team. Former Reading Fightin Phils catcher Chace Numata joins Saez as a catcher for the club. 

In the field, the roster features two local products. Council Rock South High School graduate Billy Fleming breaks camp with the team. He's joined by West Windsor Plainsboro South High School graduate, Ben Ruta; who will make his Double-A debut when he takes the field for the first time.

Rounding out the position players on the roster, infielders Chris Gittens, Bruce Caldwell, Vince Conde, Gosuke Katoh, and Mandy Alvarez join the team. Conde and Fleming are the only infielders returning to the team from 2017. In the outfield, Trey Amburgey, Rashad Crawford, and Jhalan Jackson join Ruta. Amburgey appeared in one game for the Thunder in the 2016 ELCS against Ak

Looking Ahead to 2018: Rule 5 Draft Eligible Players

We have been sneaking ahead and looking ahead at the 2018 season a little bit here on the blog and I wanted to take the opportunity to do so again here this weekend. This time around I wanted to take a look at the Yankees Rule 5 Draft eligible players and take a stab at who I think will ultimately be added to the 40-man roster and protected, who will be left out there for any and all teams to choose in the draft and who I think could be on the trading block this winter because of the Yankees 40-man roster crunch. These are all opinion-based as I have no inside information to the team so take these predictions and opinions as such and enjoy.

Rule 5 Eligible Prospects

1. OF Jake Cave

2. OF Billy McKinney

3. SP Daniel Camarena

4. SP/RP Stephen Tarpley

5. SP Brady Lail

6. 1B Mike Ford

7. OF Rashad Crawford

8. SP Austin DeCarr

9. SP Domingo Acevedo

10. OF Mark Payton

11. SS Abiatal Avelino

12. OF Devyn Bolasky

13. INF Thairo Estrada

14. RP J.P. Feyereisen

15. SP/RP Nestor Cortes

16. SP Albert Abreu

17. RP Cale Coshow

18. 2B Gosuke Katoh

The complete list of eligible Rule 5 Draft players is here including who could be taken in the Minor League portion of the Draft but I wanted to solely focus on the Major League portion on this blog post. Big shout out to Pinstriped Prospects for their hard work and the information.

http://pinstripedprospects.com/updated-list-of-yankees-2017-rule-5-eligible-players-and-minor-league-free-agents-21546

The Yankees hardest decision of the winter will likely come down to which one of their two high-upside outfielders to protect in the Rule 5 Draft, Jake Cave or Billy McKinney. Cave has been left unprotected for two consecutive seasons and was taken once by the Cincinnati Reds before ultimately being returned before the beginning of the season. McKinney will be faced with this for the first time in his MLB career after coming over to the Yankees in the Aroldis Chapman deal. Both have been hitting well at Triple-A and both face an outfield roster crunch in front of them in the Bronx so it’s conceivable that both could be left unprotected, although very highly unlikely, although at the end of the day I think the team will decide to protect McKinney. If unprotected I think Cave will be selected and will be able to stick with an MLB team like the New York Mets for the entirety of 2018. Just a hunch.

Daniel Camarena will likely be protected as he is a 24-year old left-handed starting pitching option for the Yankees going forward. While he doesn’t come with the same upside as a Chance Adams he is likely a better long-term option than Caleb Smith in my opinion. I’d say Camarena is as close to a no-brainer as it gets as far as protecting prospects this winter. Stephen Tarpley was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Ivan Nova deal and hasn’t pitched above High-A Ball so I find it highly unlikely he would be picked up, even if he is 24-years old.

Brady Lail has been pitching in Triple-A for what feels like forever but has yet to really dominate the league which leads me to believe the Yankees will likely leave him unprotected, and he will likely be picked up too. Nothing wrong with giving a guy like Lail who has upside but has yet to put it together a spring training camp to prove himself. With the Yankees lack of first base depth I have to think that Mike Ford could be protected this offseason but it really depends on what the Yankees think of Garrett Cooper. If they think Cooper can be the man in the Bronx and a suitable backup and insurance for Greg Bird than Ford may be left unprotected but I think at the end of the day Ford will be protected. If unprotected I can definitely see the power hitter being selected and hidden on a MLB roster for the entirety of the 2018 season.

Rashad Crawford came back in the Aroldis Chapman trade last year with the Chicago Cubs and has struggled to handle Double-A pitching meaning he will likely be left unprotected. Austin DeCarr has also not pitched above A-ball after missing the entire 2015 season with Tommy John surgery and will also be left unprotected if I were a betting man. Domingo Acevedo seems like the biggest no-brainer on the list to protect. Acevedo may not be ready to start at the Major League level but I am sure there is more than one team that would be willing to give Acevedo a shot in the bullpen as a 25^th man on a roster if it meant holding into that 103 MPH flame-throwing arm for more than a season.

Mark Payton will likely be left unprotected and will likely be taken in the draft due to the Yankees logjam in the outfield. Payton, 25-years old, was hitting .269 at Triple-A at last check and can play all three outfield positions making him super useful for a National League team that could use his speed and versatility off the bench. Abi Avelino has been in the Yankees system for what feels like forever now but is somehow still just at Double-A at the time of this writing. Avelino has played in 20 games at the Triple-A level but never seemingly caught on as he hit just .213 there which will likely leave him unprotected and not chosen in this year’s draft. The same can be said for outfielder Devyn Bolasky who is hanging around the Mendoza Line at Double-A this season. He will be left unprotected and will not be chosen this offseason.

Thairo Estrada may be one of the better and top rated shortstops in the Yankees system not that Gleyber Torres has moved on to third base and Jorge Mateo has been traded to the Oakland Athletics. Estrada is 21-years old and currently tearing up Double-A pitching which leads me to believe that the Yankees could protect him this winter. Sure, he is in Double-A right now but by the end of the season he could be at Triple-A if he keeps up his torrid pace. Meanwhile J.P. Feyereisen, the relief pitcher who was acquired in the Cleveland Indians trade for Andrew Miller last season, has split time between Double-A and Triple-A this season posting a 2.73 ERA with four saves in 29 appearances and is considered by many to be Major League ready. If the team wants to keep him, and I think that they will, they need to protect him because another team will snatch him up and put him on their roster in a heartbeat. I can guarantee that.

Nestor Cortes is a left-handed bullpen arm that is considered to be MLB ready at this point which leads me to believe that he may be protected this winter by the Yankees. Cortes is 22-years old and has pitched well at Double-A and Triple-A this season so if the Yankees did not protect him, and trust me… they will, he would definitely be taken and stashed in someone else’s bullpen for the 2018 season. Cortes also ranks higher in my opinion than Caleb Smith and others in the Yankees farm system so holding onto him should be a priority.

Albert Abreu was acquired from the Houston Astros this offseason in the Brian McCann trade and was immediately placed on most publications Top 10 Yankees Prospects list. Abreu hasn’t pitched above A-Ball in his minor league career but is too much of a talent with too much upside to not be protected. Not protecting Abreu is like playing with fire, and kids that’s never good. If you think I’m crazy for saying so see how that worked out for the Yankees with Luis Torrens, one of their top catching prospects, in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft. Torrens never played above A-Ball either but a team like the San Diego Padres can afford to take him and stash him with no playoffs or contention in sight. The Yankees don’t want and can’t afford for lightning to strike twice here. Protect him.

Coshow has been closing games for the Trenton Thunder in Double-A and at the time of this writing has compiled 14 saves in 17 opportunities with 62 strikeouts in 48.1 innings pitched. Coshow gives up too many hits though and makes David Robertson look like a lockdown and dominant closer, and all this before Coshow has even reached Triple-A. I can’t see Coshow getting protected and honestly I don’t think he should be either. Finally we have Gosuke Katoh who was the Yankees second round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft. Katoh has not played above High-A ball and may not even get to Double-A this season. At last check Katoh was hitting .282 but there is little to no chance he gets protected or taken in the Rule 5 Draft next year.

So kudos to anyone and everyone who read that book of a post but if you didn’t here is the long and the skinny of the situation. The Yankees have a lot of guys they need to protect and the team may lose 3-5 prospects this winter in the draft if they don’t. The work is never done.

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. 

2015 Prospects: What Went Right & What Didn't

The New York Yankees system as a whole had a great season in 2015 and this was no more evident than when the likes of Greg Bird and Luis Severino came up and made huge impacts with the club last season. Bird and Severino were talked about a ton in 2015 but there was a lot that went right with the system as a whole last year that wasn't talked about. Also, admittedly, there was some that went wrong as well last season which we will also showcase here. 

So it's a "do you want the good news or the bad news?" type question and usually everyone goes with the bad news first so we will too. What went wrong?

• Miguel Andujar was expected to have a breakout season like Jorge Mateo did last year and he didn't. Andujar continued to strikeout far too much in High-A with the  Tampa Yankees and the 20-year old once again seems plagued by the slow start. See Mark Teixeira for much of his tenure with the Yankees. 

• Gosuke Katoh was expected to make big strides in 2015 as well and he just fell short of that last season unfortunately. Katoh did well at Pulaski but I believe he was too advanced in his development there. Unfortunately he proved that when he reached Charleston with the Riverdogs. 

• The final disappointment last season was Drew Bridges who could have made a push for out Top 29 Prospects List if he had played another position. Bridges had some great production in 2015 and started out well in the short-season leagues but he struggled once he hit Staten Island. As a third baseman hitting just .211 at third base for the Staten Island Yankees is not going to cut it. Not now and not next season either. 

Alright the bad news wasn't THAT bad, so what's the good news?

• Jorge Mateo went from the outside of many Top 50 and Top 100 prospects lists and is now a staple on all of them. Mateo stole 82 bases last season between two A-Ball levels and may have stolen 100 if he was not injured at the end of the season. His defense is strong and his offense is coming around. 

• Speaking of top Yankees shortstops what about Wilkerman Garcia at age 17? Not many knew the name Wilkerman Garcia last season but this season I have seen him place on many Top Prospects lists and has even been named the next big thing in the Yankees system. Some even think that Garcia is and will be better than Mateo and that's quite the compliment. 

• The final thing that went right was Domingo Acevedo who took the biggest strides in 2015. Acevedo won the New York-Penn League Pitcher of the Year Award and was sent to the Arizona Fall League  where he showcased his 100+ MPH fastball in both levels. He could see two or even three levels in 2016 as he looks to be on the fast track to the Major Leagues. 

Weekly Check In: The Pulaski Yankees

The Pulaski Yankees is the newest minor league affiliate for the New York Yankees and had an amazing inaugural season down on the farm. The Pulaski Yankees finished the season with a 45-23 and finished an impressive eight games in front of Princeton (Tampa Bay Rays rookie affiliate) in the Appalachian League. Pulaski is now in the playoffs facing off with that same Princeton team and are being led by a very impressive list of prospects including our friends Kendall Coleman and Gosuke Katoh. I absolutely could not decide on just one of these young men to check in on today so I decided that since it's my blog so I'll check in on them both.

Katoh is 20 years old and was drafted in the second round of the 2013 MLB First Year Players Draft. Katoh spent the 2013 season inside the Yankees Gulf Coast League and absolutely killed the ball before taking a little step back in 2014 with the Charleston Riverdogs. Katoh was technically demoted to Pulaski but it may have been the best thing that ever happened to him. Katoh has exploded once again and has put himself right back on the Yankees prospects map. The batting average is low but the home run, RBI and defensive stats are great and that's what is most important at this point in his career.

Year	Tm	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2015	2 Teams	98	403	38	78	11	6	31	17	67	111	.239	.367	.334	.701
2015	Pulaski	59	254	31	58	9	5	22	9	49	61	.287	.426	.416	.842
2015	Charleston	39	149	7	20	2	1	9	8	18	50	.161	.264	.202	.466

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Coleman is a great guy, can I start the post about him by saying that? He's been gracious to us ever since Day One with the club and has always shown us the utmost respect and friendship and for that I thank him personally. Kendall was drafted in the 11th round of the 2013 MLB First Year Players Draft and spent each of the last two seasons in the Gulf Coast League with the Yankees. 2015 marked the first full season for Kendall and he has responded well showing a great batter's eye, on-base percentage and has shown double, triples and home run power. Coleman is as exciting of a prospect as any on Pulaski and we are extremely proud of him for everything he's done in his career.

Year	Tm	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2015	Pulaski	58	235	36	48	2	5	24	2	29	62	.236	.336	.389	.725

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

RiverDogs Announce 2015 Opening Day Roster

Roster highlighted by highly-touted shortstop Mateo; USC’s Jordan Montgomery

CHARLESTON, SC-- With Opening Day this week, the New York Yankees have revealed the players who will don Charleston RiverDogs uniforms to open the 2015 season on April 9 at The Joe against the Lexington Legends.

Luis Dorante returns at the helm of the RiverDogs for the second-consecutive season and fields a team that has 10 players with prior experience in Charleston. Featured returners include the talented double-play combo of second baseman Gosuke Katoh and shortstop Abiatal Avelino and outfielder Dustin Fowler who tallied nine homers in a RiverDogs uniform during the 2014 campaign. Former University of South Carolina Gamecocks pitcher Jordan Montgomery will also be a RiverDog.

Highly touted shortstop Jorge Mateo breaks camp and heads to Charleston after spending the 2014 season with the Gulf Coast Yankees. Mateo (Yankees No. 3 prospect, Baseball America and MLB.com) signed with the Yankees in 2012, but made his U.S. debut last season playing in 15 games with the Gulf Coast League Yankees where he hit .276 with six extra-base hits and 11 stolen bases. His speed on the bases and range in the field highlight the great potential for his inaugural season in the South Atlantic League.

Avelino (Yankees No. 15 prospect, Baseball America, No. 21 MLB.com) returns to the RiverDogs’ roster after logging 53 games in Charleston during the 2014 season. He hit .232 with 15 extra-base hits and 11 stolen bases. His arm is well above average and defense solid as he committed just seven errors from one of the most-important spots on the diamond.

Katoh (Yankees No. 28 prospect, MLB.com) logged 121 games with the RiverDogs in 2014, third most on the team, and hit .222 with 28 extra-base hits, 37 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 30 attempts. He ranked second in the SAL with 71 walks.

Surrounding Katoh, Avelino, and Mateo on the corners of the diamond will be third baseman Allen Valerio and first baseman Connor Spencer. Valerio played the hot corner in 42 of his 43 Gulf Coast League games and committed just nine errors in the field. His offense was solid as he hit .292 with 19 extra-base hits, 24 RBI and an OBP of .404. Spencer, an 8th round pick by the Yankees in the 2014 draft, made his pro debut with Staten Island and paced the Yankees by hitting .364 with 14 doubles, a triple, and 11 RBI in 51 games in the New York-Penn League.

Jose Javier rounds out the infielding core for the RiverDogs. He spent 2014 with the Staten Island Yankees in the New York-Penn League where he hit .241 with 2 homers and 16 RBI.

Fowler, Austin Aune, Chris Breen, and Brandon Thomas will patrol the outfield at The Joe to begin the 2015 season. The duo of Fowler and Thomas, which combined for 14 home runs, 80 RBI, and 25 stolen bases, returns to Charleston for this season and will again split time in center. Aune and Breen both advance from Staten Island and will spend most of their time in the corner outfield spots for the RiverDogs. Aune, a second-round pick of the Yankees in 2012 hit .218 with 4 homers, and 23 RBI for the SI Yankees. Breen, a 12th rounder from the 2012 draft, crushed a team-high 8 homers and hit .281 with 16 doubles, 5 triples and 28 RBI in 63 games.

A pair of backstops break camp and head to the Lowcountry. Eduardo de Oleo returns to the South Atlantic League after playing in 78 games with the ‘Dogs in 2014. The 22-year old catcher clubbed a team-high 12 home runs and threw out a team-high 21 base stealers in his first year of A-ball. Alvaro Noriega makes up the other half of the catching duo and advances from the Gulf Coast League where he hit .252 and threw out 17 opposing base stealers.

The RiverDogs’ pitching staff is highlighted by native South Carolinian and former South Carolina Gamecock Jordan Montgomery who returns to his home state with the RiverDogs. The left-handed pitcher hails from Sumter and was selected by the Yankees in the fourth round of last year’s draft. He went 1-1 with a 3.79 ERA across 19.0 innings in 10 games (seven starts) between Staten Island and the Gulf Coast Yankees 2. Montgomery’s three-year college career saw him go 20-7 with a 2.87 ERA over 253.2 innings with the Gamecocks. The southpaw attended Sumter High School and earned 2011 Gatorade Player of the Year honors in South Carolina and was named to the 2011 All-USA baseball squad by USA Today. He tallied a perfect 11-0 record with a minuscule 0.38 ERA and struck out 114 batters over 74.1 innings during his senior season.

Other members of the pitching staff include 2014 draftees Jordan Foley, Sean Carley, Justin Kamplain, Joe Harvey, and Andre Del Bosque.

The righty Foley was selected in the fifth round and is the second-highest draftee from the class of 2014 on the RiverDogs roster. He began his professional career last season with the Gulf Coast Yankees 2 and Staten Island Yankees and went 0-2 with a 4.10 ERA in 13 games across the two levels. Foley was initially drafted by the Yankees out of high school in the 26th round of the 2011 draft, but opted to attend and play baseball at Central Michigan University. Carley was selected in the 14th round out of West Virginia University, in his hometown of Morgantown, WV. The righty compiled a 1-4 record with a 5.19 ERA in 12 games, 6 starts, across two levels below the South Atlantic League.

Kamplain and Harvey were taken back-to-back in the 18th and 19th rounds respectively. Both pitched together in Staten Island before the lefty Kamplain progressed to Charleston to finish the season out. He started six games for the RiverDogs and went 0-0 with a 2.78 ERA in 22.2 innings in the South Atlantic League. Harvey had a stellar pro debut out of the bullpen and finished his first season 0-2 with two saves and a 1.74 ERA in 15 games between the Gulf Coast Yankees and Staten Island. Del Bosque was selected in the 38th round of the draft and pitched in four GCL games during his first pro season.

Right-handed pitcher Domingo Acevedo (Yankees No. 30 prospect, MLB.com) rounds out the four players on the roster recognized as top 30 prospects by either Baseball America or MLB.com. Acevedo is regarded as the hardest thrower in the Yankees system working 95-97 MPH and hitting 100 MPH on occasion. He started five games for the Gulf Coast Yankees 2 and went 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA across 15.1 innings striking out 21 hitters and walking just six. He will begin the season on the disabled list.

Rony Bautista, Cale Coshow, and Chaz Hebert is a trio of returners that make their way back to the Lowcountry following their 2014 stints with the RiverDogs. Bautista made his debut with Charleston on May 12th and made 10 appearances out of the ‘pen for Dorante’s club before he finished the season in relief for Staten Island. Coshow’s season took him to three stops across the Yankees’ minor league system, the second of which was Charleston. The burly righty pitched in six games out of the bullpen and went 1-1 with a 5.19 ERA. Of the returners on staff, Hebert made the most appearances last season with 15. The southpaw went 3-3 with a 2.49 ERA in 65.0 innings with the RiverDogs.

Righty David Palladino spent the last two seasons with Staten Island, but makes his way to Charleston’s staff to open up the 2015 campaign. The Yankees’ fifth-round pick of the 2013 draft and Emerson, New Jersey native earned a career-high six wins in 14 games last season, which marks the highest total of wins on the RiverDogs’ opening day staff.

Caleb Frare, Joey Maher, and Yoel Espinal round out the RiverDogs’ 13-man active pitching staff that will be under the tutelage of former RiverDog and current pitching coach Tim Norton (2005). Neither pitcher made has pitched in a game since 2012. Frare was drafted by the Yankees in the 11th round of the 2012 draft and went 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 10 GCL appearances during his first pro season, but missed both 2013 and 2014 seasons due to Tommy John surgery. Espinal was signed as a Minor League Free Agent in 2014 following his release from the Detroit Tigers. He looks to rebound from injury and get the 2015 campaign off on the right foot. Maher, a native of Bedford, NH, pitched for the Gulf Coast Yankees 2 team and went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 3.1 innings pitched.

Pitchers Ty Hensley, Dallas Martinez, and Jose Pena along with infielder Ty McFarland are on the 60-day disabled list, but have been placed on the RiverDogs roster. Former Citadel standout and Greenville, South Carolina native, infielder Bo Thompson is on the RiverDogs roster as well, but remains on the suspended list.

Gary Denbo Creates Captain's Campers

Gary Denbo was hired this offseason to be in charge of player development in the New York Yankees farm system and has created a program called Captain's Campers. The purpose of the group is to promote quality character, accountability and respect for the game. Basically they are sending prospects to the Derek Jeter school.The Yankees invited 15 of their prospects to this year's camp and they all took part in character building exercises including visiting a children's hospital.

The fifteen prospects that attended were Luis Severino, Jacob Lindgren, Jake Cave, Ian Clarkin, Greg Bird, Eric Jagielo, Aaron Judge, Gosuke Katoh, Leonardo Molina, Alex Palma, Nick Rumbelow, Luis Torrens, Matt Tracy, Tyler Wade and Jorge Mateo.

Here is a direct quote from Lindgren:

“It kind of gave me an idea of what they want. How I should eat in the off-season to get ready for a long season. We got to talk to some big league guys who have done it before. They told us their personal experiences with it. You try to take a little bit from each person.” 

Meet a Prospect: Gosuke Katoh

Gosuke John Katoh was born on October, 8th 1994 in Poway California and spent his high school years at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego. Katoh is not a towering presence, unlike yesterday's showcase in our prospects month Aaron Judge, only standing 6'2" and weighing 180 lbs soaking wet but he has produced unforeseen power at the plate in his limited debut. Katoh was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2013 MLB First Year Players Draft by the New York Yankees out of High School and signed quickly jump starting his professional career.

Katoh put up big numbers for Rancho Bernardo High School which included playing in 135 games in which his team put up a stunning 107-29 record in his four seasons on the Varsity team. Katoh finished with a career .411 batting average with a .524 on base percentage while bashing 181 hits, 114 RBI's, and scored 169 runs. Katoh slugged .711 in his career and smashed 25 home runs, 35 doubles, and 11 triples in his four years while taking 96 walks and striking out 57 times. Katoh is a smart base runner and base stealer as he stole 38 bags in 51 chances in High School while also doing it with the glove and a .987 fielding percentage. Katoh committed seven errors in his entire High School career and his taking that glove, and all his talents to the New York Yankees.

Katoh's a left handed batter and a second basemen by trade but the Yankees have already said that they are going to try Katoh at shortstop as early as this winter, which may not happen after his finger injury, or next season. Katoh is considered to be a wonder kid with the glove at second base but his arm is the only concern with moving him to the left side of the infield. It will be interesting to see if Katoh fills in a little bit or stays looking like a taller version of Ichiro but for now Katoh is tall and lanky with a compact swing that translates into doubles and gap hitting in the majors. Katoh hits left handed but throws right handed just in case that means something to somebody who thinks that can help him, I just always find that to be an interesting tidbit of information.

Katoh broke out in a big way in his professional debut  with the Gulf Coast Yankees 1 team finishing the season with a .310/.402/.522/.924 slash line with six home runs and 25 runs batted in. Katoh got into 50 games and saw 215 plate appearances with 57 hits, 11 doubles, five triples and four stolen bases in six chances. Obviously he needs a little bit of polishing, but what High School draft pick doesn't, as is evident with his 44 strike outs and 27 walks in 2013. Katoh has a ligament injury that ended his season in the Instructional League but the injury is said to not be serious and will not prevent him from missing time next season. Katoh will look to build on a huge 2013 and mediocre 2014 season this season in 2015. Katoh may be the next big things in New York or he may be a bust and I truly think this will be the season we find out. 

Exclusive Interview W/ Yankees Gosuke Katoh

Today we are very excited to bring you an interview with Yankees second round pick in the 2013 MLB First Year Players Draft Gosuke Katoh! Katoh burst onto the scene in a big way with huge power numbers out of High School after signing quickly out of the draft. Without further rambling from me here is the interview with Mr. Katoh. Enjoy!

TGP:  How cool was it to meet Ichiro, among the other Yankees players, last season? Is he someone that you looked up to as a young baseball player?

Gosuke Katoh: Ichiro was definitely someone I looked up to as a kid and I became a lefty hitter because of him. I modeled my swing after him as well as his lifestyle and work ethic. I obviously grew up watching the bronx bombers on TV so I was extremely nervous when I met them at Angels Stadium after the draft. However as stupid as this might sound, they are all human. They are all very nice and treated me like I was one of their own. It made me want to play along with them.

TGP: Can you share some of your memories with Jerry Coleman? We saw your touching tweet about following in his footsteps.

GK: I met Mr. Coleman unexpectedly through my agent because they both reside in San Diego. Although our meeting was short, I learned many life lessons from his experiences both on and off the field. 

TGP: Do you have a girlfriend/wife waiting for you at home while you are on the road so much?

GK: No but my family and goldfish are waiting :)

TGP: What are you doing this offseason to improve on your 2013 season?

GK: I gained 20 pounds from the end of the season and I also worked on being more balanced and making consistent contact offensively

TGP: What do you do during the offseason to keep yourself occupied?

GK: During my free time I like to just relax, listen to music, and spend time with my family and friends.

TGP:  What were your thoughts when the Yankees lost out on the Robinson Cano sweepstakes?

GK: Contrary to what everyone believes, I was actually very saddened when Cano left the Yankees. I was always a fan of him because we had a lot in common; we were both second basemen that hit lefty. I took many notes from him both defensively and offensively and even wore his number through high school. When I met him in Anaheim he was the funniest and kindest player there. He had me laughing all the time at second base when we were taking ground balls together. He kept me relaxed in front of all the other players and spectators. Even though this scenario might have been impossible, I always dreamed of being his teammate and playing together. But now that he has left I would like to fill in that spot and take the Yankees to another World Series title. 

TGP: Favorite restaurant to eat at?

GK: Chipotle

TGP: Have you seen much of Masahiro Tanaka pitching in Japan?

GK: He was a high school sensation so I had always watched him on tv during his teen years. I also watched him play at USC when Team Japan played USA in a friendly high school classic. I don't remember much but I remember how explosive his fastball was. 

TGP:  As a recent draft pick I am curious as to your thoughts on the new draft rules, draft slots, and such?

GK: I was never too worried about money to begin with. I knew that I couldn't sign because I want the money; I had to sign I wanted to start my career out of high school. The slots definitely brought the pay stubs to some players but in my opinion it was a lot less stressful because I knew what I would get if I got picked. No negotiations and a lot less work for both the advisers, players, and organization. 

TGP: I think this answer may be obvious but in my time around social media I have noticed there are two kinds of fans when it comes to prospects. You have the "prospect humpers" (myself being a self professed prospect humper) and a name yet to be determined (due to my lack of creativity) describing those who want to sell all the prospects off for the 37 year old "sure thing." Which category do you think yourself as a fan falls into?

GK: I like both. When I think of prospects I think of young energetic players like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Yasiel Puig. However they are also obviously immature. These young prospects can learn from the veterans' experiences and wisdom so I think a good balance of both is a necessity for a championship team.

TGP: What current Major League player do you think you compare to the most?

GK: Orlando Hudson

TGP: I know you probably don't think of things like this but how long before you think we could see you in the Major Leagues? I have your ETA down as late 2016, is that accurate?

GK: Obviously the sooner the better but I will do what it takes to get to Yankee Stadium. I've been working hard to make my dream come true

TGP: If you could be the Yankees GM for a day what would you do? Don't have to really be realistic here. 

GK: Permanently change the team name to the Bronx Bombers and sign Mariano to a 1 day contract and put him in center field :)

TGP: Were you a Yankees fan growing up? If not what team did you root for?

GK: I was never a fan of one team; but I always followed all the Japanese players in the league. When Hideki Matsui was signed by the Yankees I quickly hopped on the bandwagon. Ichiro and Kuroda followed so I followed the Yanks even more. 

TGP: Where in the world did all that power come from in the GCL? 

GK: A lot of people assume that a larger frame translates to power but that is not always the case. As we all know, Force=Mass x Acceleration from newtons law of motion. From this we can see that force also comes from quickness or acceleration and not just mass or a large frame. Even though a combination of both is fantastic, I was not necessarily given the gift of mass therefore I try to be as quick as I can to the ball to put more force on the ball.

TGP: Most famous person in your cell phone?

GK: Joe Girardi (can we maybe get that Gosuke?)

TGP: Most embarrassing song in your iPod?

GK: I am proud of every song in my playlist 

TGP: We'll finish with this one, where do you see yourself in life and your career in five years?

GK: No one will ever know my future but I would definitely love to be playing at Yankee Stadium in the next couple years and bring home another World Series title. 

Thank you once again for taking the time Gosuke, there were some great answers here that the readers are sure to enjoy. We wish you nothing but luck this season and nothing but the best with your career and your life both on and off the field. You can follow Gosuke on Twitter by following @GosukeKatoh.  

Greedy Pinstripes Top 28 Prospects List: #25

Prospects Month is in full swing and we're already up to our 25th best prospect in the farm system, Gosuke Katoh

Here is the write up from Kyle McDaniel on Katoh:

Gosuke Katoh, 2B Video: Katoh was seen as an advanced lefty bat out of high school and early in pro ball, but really struggled in his first full season. He went in the 2nd round in 2013 as a plus runner that’s at least average at second base, has average raw power and advanced feel to hit, so the tools are still here for an everyday guy if the offensive numbers tick up next year. Yankees’ player development saw some progress in the 2nd half on 2014 and don’t seem too concerned that this will become an ongoing offensive struggle.

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25. Gosuke Katoh
26. Chasen Shreve
27. Taylor Dugas

28. Johnny Barbato

Prospects Month: Top 28 Yankees Prospects List #12

Continuing our look at The Greedy Pinstripes Top 28 prospects list as a part of Prospects Month we name our #12 prospect, Gosuke Katoh!

Here is the complete up to date list. Check back every day as the list fills out and we continue our look at the prospects in the New York Yankees system during Prospects Month here on TGP.

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12. Gosuke Katoh
13. Shane Greene
14. Jose Ramirez
15. Peter O'Brien
16. Aaron Judge
17. Ty Hensley
18. Luis Severino
19. Abiatal Avelino
20. Rob Refsnyder
21. Nik Turley
22. Cito Culver
23. Ramon Flores
24. Mark Montgomery
25. Rookie Davis
26. Jake Cave
27. Ben Gamel
28. Angelo Gumbs

Exclusive Interview W/ Yankees Gosuke Katoh

Today we are very excited to bring you an interview with Yankees second round pick in the 2013 MLB First Year Players Draft Gosuke Katoh! Katoh burst onto the scene in a big way with huge power numbers out of High School after signing quickly out of the draft. Without further rambling from me here is the interview with Mr. Katoh. Enjoy!

TGP:  How cool was it to meet Ichiro, among the other Yankees players, last season? Is he someone that you looked up to as a young baseball player?

Gosuke Katoh: Ichiro was definitely someone I looked up to as a kid and I became a lefty hitter because of him. I modeled my swing after him as well as his lifestyle and work ethic. I obviously grew up watching the bronx bombers on TV so I was extremely nervous when I met them at Angels Stadium after the draft. However as stupid as this might sound, they are all human. They are all very nice and treated me like I was one of their own. It made me want to play along with them.

TGP: Can you share some of your memories with Jerry Coleman? We saw your touching tweet about following in his footsteps.

GK: I met Mr. Coleman unexpectedly through my agent because they both reside in San Diego. Although our meeting was short, I learned many life lessons from his experiences both on and off the field. 

TGP: Do you have a girlfriend/wife waiting for you at home while you are on the road so much?

GK: No but my family and goldfish are waiting :)

TGP: What are you doing this offseason to improve on your 2013 season?

GK: I gained 20 pounds from the end of the season and I also worked on being more balanced and making consistent contact offensively

TGP: What do you do during the offseason to keep yourself occupied?

GK: During my free time I like to just relax, listen to music, and spend time with my family and friends.

TGP:  What were your thoughts when the Yankees lost out on the Robinson Cano sweepstakes?

GK: Contrary to what everyone believes, I was actually very saddened when Cano left the Yankees. I was always a fan of him because we had a lot in common; we were both second basemen that hit lefty. I took many notes from him both defensively and offensively and even wore his number through high school. When I met him in Anaheim he was the funniest and kindest player there. He had me laughing all the time at second base when we were taking ground balls together. He kept me relaxed in front of all the other players and spectators. Even though this scenario might have been impossible, I always dreamed of being his teammate and playing together. But now that he has left I would like to fill in that spot and take the Yankees to another World Series title. 

TGP: Favorite restaurant to eat at?

GK: Chipotle

TGP: Have you seen much of Masahiro Tanaka pitching in Japan?

GK: He was a high school sensation so I had always watched him on tv during his teen years. I also watched him play at USC when Team Japan played USA in a friendly high school classic. I don't remember much but I remember how explosive his fastball was. 

TGP:  As a recent draft pick I am curious as to your thoughts on the new draft rules, draft slots, and such?

GK: I was never too worried about money to begin with. I knew that I couldn't sign because I want the money; I had to sign I wanted to start my career out of high school. The slots definitely brought the pay stubs to some players but in my opinion it was a lot less stressful because I knew what I would get if I got picked. No negotiations and a lot less work for both the advisers, players, and organization. 

TGP: I think this answer may be obvious but in my time around social media I have noticed there are two kinds of fans when it comes to prospects. You have the "prospect humpers" (myself being a self professed prospect humper) and a name yet to be determined (due to my lack of creativity) describing those who want to sell all the prospects off for the 37 year old "sure thing." Which category do you think yourself as a fan falls into?

GK: I like both. When I think of prospects I think of young energetic players like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Yasiel Puig. However they are also obviously immature. These young prospects can learn from the veterans' experiences and wisdom so I think a good balance of both is a necessity for a championship team.

TGP: What current Major League player do you think you compare to the most?

GK: Orlando Hudson

TGP: I know you probably don't think of things like this but how long before you think we could see you in the Major Leagues? I have your ETA down as late 2016, is that accurate?

GK: Obviously the sooner the better but I will do what it takes to get to Yankee Stadium. I've been working hard to make my dream come true

TGP: If you could be the Yankees GM for a day what would you do? Don't have to really be realistic here. 

GK: Permanently change the team name to the Bronx Bombers and sign Mariano to a 1 day contract and put him in center field :)

TGP: Were you a Yankees fan growing up? If not what team did you root for?

GK: I was never a fan of one team; but I always followed all the Japanese players in the league. When Hideki Matsui was signed by the Yankees I quickly hopped on the bandwagon. Ichiro and Kuroda followed so I followed the Yanks even more. 

TGP: Where in the world did all that power come from in the GCL? 

GK: A lot of people assume that a larger frame translates to power but that is not always the case. As we all know, Force=Mass x Acceleration from newtons law of motion. From this we can see that force also comes from quickness or acceleration and not just mass or a large frame. Even though a combination of both is fantastic, I was not necessarily given the gift of mass therefore I try to be as quick as I can to the ball to put more force on the ball.

TGP: Most famous person in your cell phone?

GK: Joe Girardi (can we maybe get that Gosuke?)

TGP: Most embarrassing song in your iPod?

GK: I am proud of every song in my playlist 

TGP: We'll finish with this one, where do you see yourself in life and your career in five years?

GK: No one will ever know my future but I would definitely love to be playing at Yankee Stadium in the next couple years and bring home another World Series title. 

Thank you once again for taking the time Gosuke, there were some great answers here that the readers are sure to enjoy. We wish you nothing but luck this season and nothing but the best with your 2014 season, your career, and your life both on and off the field. You can follow Gosuke on Twitter by following @GosukeKatoh.