Searching for Minor League Depth: Rex Brothers

EDIT: The Chicago Cubs acquired Brothers from Colorado in a trade today

Yesterday when we searched for minor league depth for the New York Yankees this upcoming season we showcased a former Yankees farm hand and recently DFA’d pitcher by the Colorado Rockies, Mr. Tommy Kahnle. We mentioned in the article that Kahnle was designated for assignment alongside three of his teammates, John Axford, Wilin Rosario and Rex Brothers. Axford is not a great fit for the Yankees and there just isn’t the room on the Major League roster for Rosario but I believe that Brothers may be willing to accept a minor league deal and I believe it should be the Yankees that are offering him one. Now.

First and foremost Brothers is still just 27-years old and is a former first round pick as recently as the 2009 MLB First Year Players Draft. Brothers was drafted 34^th overall in that draft class by the Colorado Rockies and made his Major League debut just two years later on June 6, 2011. Brothers is still just first year arbitration eligible in 2016 and will not be eligible for free agency until the 2019 season.

Brothers has averaged, and keep in mind he pitches half his games inside Coors Field, a 3.42 ERA in his career while striking out 10.3 K/9 and walking just 5.2 BB/9, His walk rates are a little higher than you would like to see them but his home run numbers, again especially considering his home park has been Coors Field, are under 1.0 per nine innings pitched with a 0.8 HR/9. Brothers’ FIP, 3.89, suggests that he is the pitcher the stats say he is and on a minor league deal that would be a hell of a steal for the Yankees bullpen.

Brothers may go out and find a Major League deal making this post moot, and honestly at his age and with the relative risk in terms of contract, durability and age he should, but if he doesn’t then Brian Cashman better be making some phone calls. ASAP. 

Should New York Be Interested in John Axford?

John Axford was designated for assignment over the weekend and is now a free agent to be had by any team this winter. Axford was originally signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent during the 2006 season and could be on his way back to where his major league career all began. First and foremost let's take a look at Axford's career stats as a relief pitcher because they truly tell the story.

Year	Age	Tm	W	L	ERA	G	GF	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	HBP	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9
2009	26	MIL	0	0	3.52	7	6	1	7.2	5	3	3	0	6	9	0	122	3.10	1.435	5.9	0.0	7.0	10.6
2010	27	MIL	8	2	2.48	50	43	24	58.0	42	17	16	1	27	76	1	163	2.13	1.190	6.5	0.2	4.2	11.8
2011	28	MIL	2	2	1.95	74	63	46	73.2	59	19	16	4	25	86	0	202	2.41	1.140	7.2	0.5	3.1	10.5
2012	29	MIL	5	8	4.67	75	54	35	69.1	61	42	36	10	39	93	2	88	4.06	1.442	7.9	1.3	5.1	12.1
2013	30	TOT	7	7	4.02	75	16	0	65.0	73	32	29	10	26	65	2	97	4.34	1.523	10.1	1.4	3.6	9.0
2013	30	MIL	6	7	4.45	62	13	0	54.2	62	29	27	10	23	54	1	87	4.77	1.555	10.2	1.6	3.8	8.9
2013	30	STL	1	0	1.74	13	3	0	10.1	11	3	2	0	3	11	1	223	2.08	1.355	9.6	0.0	2.6	9.6
2014	31	TOT	2	4	3.95	62	28	10	54.2	43	26	24	6	36	63	2	94	4.34	1.445	7.1	1.0	5.9	10.4
2014	31	CLE	2	3	3.92	49	24	10	43.2	34	21	19	6	30	51	1	96	4.71	1.466	7.0	1.2	6.2	10.5
2014	31	PIT	0	1	4.09	13	4	0	11.0	9	5	5	0	6	12	1	90	2.86	1.364	7.4	0.0	4.9	9.8
162 Game Avg.			5	5	3.40	68	42	23	65	56	28	25	6	32	78	1	117	3.43	1.346	7.8	0.8	4.4	10.7

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table


As you can see Axford has had trouble with his command and his control and averages 4.4 walks per nine innings in his career. Axford makes up for that by missing a ton of bats with a 10.7 K/9 ratio which would fit well into the Yankees bullpen. Axford is far removed from his glory days in the Milwaukee bullpen in 2010, 2011, and 2012  but at this point would be no better than Shawn Kelley or Adam Warren. If the deal came on the cheap I would invest in Axford for the 7th inning and if not I may have to pass, the WHIP, ERA, and walk totals really scare me. 

All Home Grown Yankees Team - The Bullpen

Continuing our look at the Yankees all home grown team using players from our system over the last 20 years or so we will look at the bullpen pitchers today. The Yankees have had a plethora of home grown arms that have hit the system in recent memory so this was one of the toughest categories to fill out. Spoiler alert but I want to give honorable mentions right now to a few that I felt could have made the list but didn't in Adam Warren, Mike Dunn, and even John Axford who spent a few years in the Yankees system before finding success elsewhere. Enjoy!

CL: Mariano Rivera

RP: David Robertson

RP: Phil Coke

RP: Randy Choate

RP: Tyler Clippard

RP: Mark Melancon

LR: Ramiro Mendoza

Mariano Rivera and David Robertson have been staples in the Yankees bullpen since what feels like forever ago. Mariano has been around forever after a failed starting pitcher attempt in 1995 Mo has been shutting down guys in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings since 1996. The MLB all time leading saves leader and the greatest of all time, what else needs to be said. D Rob seems to be the new heir apparent to Mo after his retirement this season. D Rob has been a staple since the Yankees won the 2009 World Series and looks to be a staple for a long long time in the Yankees pen.

Randy Choate and Phil Coke have both enjoyed success in the major leagues throwing from the left side after leaving the Yankees. Choate was traded to the Montreal Expos for Javier Vazquez (the first time) and has spent time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami and Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the St. Louis Cardinals. Phil Coke has killed the Yankees, and a lot of teams, since being in the deal that brought the Yankees Curtis Granderson and sent Coke packing to Detroit. Coke especially killed us during the 2012 ALCS where the Tigers swept us after Coke was un-hittable in the closers role.

Tyler Clippard has enjoyed a few good seasons in Washington after being traded to the Nationals for Johnathan Albaladejo, remember him? Clippard has closed and been a set up man in Washington and while he has had more success in the latter role has enjoyed success in both roles. Former Yankees #1 prospect before a man named Phil Hughes came around.

Mark Melancon was once touted the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera before Joe Girardi ruined his arm, trade value, and reputation. Melancon would come up once a month, sit on the bench for two weeks, and struggle due to rust when he was used out of desperation. He was later traded to the Houston Astros and is now a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates where he was elected to the 2013 MLB All Star Game.

Ramiro Mendoza could do anything and everything for the Yankees after coming out of their farm system. Mendoza could start, set up, be a long man, or close and did all four well. If it weren't for Orlando Hernandez in 1999 I think Mendoza would have been the 99 ALCS MVP after shutting down the Red Sox in the middle of a rally in games two and game five. Mendoza also closed out the series in Fenway Park rather than Mariano Rivera, a tribute for Joe Torre to Mendoza in my opinion.