ICYMI: Rob Refsnyder Ranks 13th in International League Prospects

Baseball America released they're top 20 prospect in the International League, I was intrigued.

First of all, the International League is AAA, meaning players at that level could contribute to the big club very soon. It's not like we're seeing a high ranking for a guy that's still in single A ball, who likely won't even sniff MLB action for years.

Secondly, the player for Scranton that appeared on the list has been mentioned as somebody that could make the Yankees' 2015 Opening Day roster. That guy is Rob Refsnyder.

While the list itself (as well as lists for every league in the minors, at every level) is free to look at, you'd have to pay for the scouting reports. But since other places copy and paste the scouting reports, so will I...

“Refsnyder’s short, powerful stroke from the right side is polished, and when combined with a keen batting eye, he projects to hit for average and get on base at a high rate.”

The write-up also notes that Refsnyder “lacks fluidity and must improve his double-play pivot skills.” One scout said he is “a work in progress, but the bottom line is he can hit.”

All of that makes me believe that, while he probably shouldn't be a starter for the Yankees right away, Refnsyder should get a spot on the bench next season. That way he can learn from the best, be that coaches and players, and possibly take over a larger role in 2016 when a starting spot is likely available.

And finally, with his experience at both 2B and RF, Refsnyder would likely get plenty of playing time even in New York. He's almost a younger version of Martin Prado.

Yankees Release 2015 Spring Training Schedule

The New York Yankees 2015 Spring Training gets started with a road game on March, 3 in Clearwater, Florida as they take on the Philadelphia Phillies. On March, 4 the Yankees will host that same Phillies squad at George M. Steinbrenner Field at home in Tampa. This will be just two of a total of 33 exhibition spring training games in the Grapefruit League in 2015, 16 of them coming at home in GMS Field.

Yankees pitchers and catchers report to camp on February, 20 and will hold a workout the next day while positional players will report to camp on February, 25 and will hold their first workout the next day. The final game of Spring Training will be a day game at home against the Washington Nationals on April, 3 before the season gets started on April 6.

CLICK HERE for the full schedule. 

Greedy Pinstripes Top 28 Prospects List: #17

Prospects Month is in full swing and we're already up to our 18th best prospect in the farm system, Tyler Wade. Let's see what Jeff Levin has to say about this pick. Love you buddy! lol.

Here is the write up from Kyle McDaniel on Wade:

Tyler Wade, SS Video: Wade took a big step forward this year to scouts outside the organization, but was a Yankee favorite for some time after drafting him in the 4th round in 2013. Wade took the opportunity when the more hyped Abiatal Avelino was injured or struggling at Low-A last year and the lefty-hitting Wade performed very well for a 19-year-old in full season ball.  Wade is an above average to plus runner with the tools to stick at shortstop and the internal clock and instincts to get the most out of his tools. He’s more of a contact type hitter and power isn’t a big part of his game, but lefty hitting shortstops that hit when they’re young for the league aren’t easy to find.

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17. Tyler Wade
18. Juan DeLeon
19. Dante Bichette Jr. 
20. Domingo German
21. Slade Heathcott
22. Nick Rumbelow
23. Jose Ramirez
24. Ramon Flores
25. Gosuke Katoh
26. Chasen Shreve
27. Taylor Dugas

28. Johnny Barbato

Throw Back Thursday: Meet a Prospect Eury Perez

It's throwback Thursday so let's take a look at a former Yankee just for fun, Eury Perez.

Eury Perez was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees on Monday from the Washington Nationals and was immediately added to the 40 man roster. While Perez was officially a member of the Yankees on Monday you're REALLY not an official member until we do one of these for you so it's time for Perez to earn his first stripe right here. This is meet a prospect, the Eury Perez edition.

Eury Eduardo Perez was born on May 30, 1990 in San Luis, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Perez came up in the Washington Nationals organization and participated in the All Star Futures Game as recently as 2010. Eury was added to the 40 man roster for the Nationals after the 2011 season and was ultimately protected from the Rule 5 Draft.

Perez is a speedy type outfielder who is unlikely to hit for much power at all. In 2010 Perez stole 64 bases and followed that up with 45 in 2011, and 51 in 2012. Perez thanks to his speed is considered to be an above average defender and can play all three of the outfield positions. Perez's speed is ranked as an 80 on the normal 20-80 scale which is rare for any player to achieve.

Perez is adequate with the bat at least in Triple-A where he combined for a .301/.354/.411 triple slash in the Nats farm system in 2014. Perez was designated for assignment on September 18 of this year after the Nationals claimed Pedro Florimon from the Minnesota Twins. Perez fell all the way to the Yankees and is now a member of the greatest organization in the world after the team claimed him, designated Josh Outman for assignment, and added Perez to their 40 man roster.

Looking at the 2015 Draft: 17th Best Prospect

Continuing our look at the 2015 MLB First Year Players Draft we take a look at the #17 ranked prospect expected to enter the draft. As always we will include the mini scouting report from MLB.com as we introduce the #17 prospect, Phil Bickford. Bickford is a RHP from the Community College of Southern Nevada. 

Here is the write up from MLB.com:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55

As a California high school senior in 2013, Bickford took off late in the spring and vaulted not only into the first round, but all the way to the 10th overall pick. He declined to sign with the Blue Jays for reasons that never have been fully explained and made his way to Cal State Fullerton, where his stuff was more pedestrian during his freshman season. It kicked back up again in the Cape Cod League, where scouts voted him the summer circuit's best prospect, prompting him to abruptly transfer to Southern Nevada so he'd be eligible for the 2015 Draft.

After showing an explosive 90-96-mph fastball in 2013, Bickford pitched more at 88-92 last spring. The velocity and life on his heater returned when he pitched in relief in the Cape, as he worked from 93-98 mph and struck out 42 hitters in 27 2/3 innings.

Bickford's slider also improved in the Cape, showing signs of becoming a plus pitch, but he'll have to learn to improve and trust his changeup. He has an athletic delivery and fills the strike zone, so there's no reason not to project him as a starter -- provided he can maintain the stuff he displayed in the Cape when he pitches in a junior college rotation this spring.

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17. Phil Bickford
18. Mike Nikorak
19. Kyle Cody
20. Cody Ponce
21. Riley Ferrell 
22. Chris Betts
23. James Kaprielian
24. Jake Lemoine
25. Beau Burrows
26. Richie Martin
27. Kyle Tucker
28. D.J. Stewart

USA Top 100 Players You Need to Know: 26-50

Earlier in the week we brought you the USA Today’s Top 100 Players that you needed to know list showcasing the #76 - #100 slots. As a reminder this list is to gauge more of how much of an impact each player will have and their MLB readiness and less of a Top Prospects List per se. One member of the New York Yankees made the list on the #26 - #50 list and his name was Robert Refsnyder.

HERE is the write up from USA Today:

37. Rob Refsnyder, 2B, Yankees: Is Stephen Drew really the solution at second base? The Yankees seldom trust a rookie with a starting spot, but Refsnyder, 23, or even Jose Pirela could come out of the farm system to take over the job. Quite simply, Refsnyder can hit, with reasonable power for a middle infielder and a high contact rate. He's average defensively but also can play the outfield, which enhances his chances of nudging onto the roster initially in a bench role.

This Day in New York Yankees History 2/12: Bud Chastises A Rod

On this day in 2009, only three days after Alex Rodriguez shocked the world with his steroid use admission, Commissioner Bud Selig chastised the Yankees star, and all players who have used steroids, for bringing shame to the game. The same game that was revived by steroid users like Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa after the game was run into the ground by a salary cap wanting greedy Bud Selig that cancelled the season and the World Series because the Yankees were doing well.

Nova plans to throw off mound soon; Feels great after Tommy John surgery

Yankees' right-hander Ivan Nova still has a long way to go before he can pitch again, but the veteran is nonetheless feeling good after his recent Tommy John surgery.

"To be honest, I feel right now like nothing happened," Nova told The New York Post's Dan Martin Tuesday. "I don't feel any pain. I don't feel any tightness. I can do motions and lifting without any problem."

Nova underwent the operation after partially tearing his right UCL in a start against the Rays last April, and isn't expected to rejoin the Yankees' rotation until June. He does, however, plan to begin throwing off a mound soon -- a step up from his current flat-ground tossing of 120 feet.

Nova says he will also attempt to improve on his demeanor in the upcoming season after posting a cringeworthy 8.27 ERA in four outings in 2014. 

"Last year wasn't really a good beginning," Nova said. "I didn't really have a chance to heat up. The way I finished up 2013, I have to go with the same mindset: aggresive."

Nova's return to the Yankees will likely be welcomed by the team considering its numerous question marks heading into camp -- top club hurlers Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda included. Tanaka and Pineda suffered severe injuries to their elbow and back respectively last year, and it remains unknown how they will deal with them in the future. 

But they probably won't be able to rely on Nova to pick up the slack for them if they struggle, as even he acknowledges the sizable amount of rehab he has left.

"I know it's not time yet," the 28-year-old said. "I'm trying not to rush."

The Last Standing Brian Cashman Apologist

Ever since Brian Cashman took over as the General Manager of the New York Yankees in 1998 he has enjoyed success. While much of that success came early on in his tenure and in large part due to the late George Steinbrenner’s checkbook the Yankees GM has reinvented himself in recent years with his new found power and control over the personnel decisions for the team. Every once in a while we see shades of The Boss in owner Hal Steinbrenner while he is signing a Rafael Soriano or contributing to a second Alex Rodriguez contract, and honestly we probably always will see these types of moves from the higher ups, but we can now say with confidence that overall this is Cashman’s team. For better or worse.

New York Yankees fans are some of the most passionate, and subsequently some of the most emotional, fans in all the world and come with some of the harshest and toughest criticisms you will ever hear. Any fan can go on Twitter, Facebook, Yankees Lohud or your favorite social media site or blog to make a comment or ask a question about a trade or signing involving the Yankees and you are bound to get a flurry of responses. Some of those responses will generally be positive but for the most part those opinions have turned negative regarding Cashman and his decision making. Truth be told I’m not sure why. On a long enough timeline, and Cashman has had one of the longest timeline’s as a GM I have seen in my lifetime for a GM in Major League Baseball, every GM acquires Javier Vazquez twice and signs Carl Pavano for nine wins, four years and $40 million… right?

Cashman has not made those same mistakes this offseason as the Yankees GM has continued to stockpile young talent, hard throwing pitchers and depth at almost every position. Many fans expected Cashman to fold under the pressure and give ludicrous contracts to Brandon McCarthy or insane trade packages for broken Troy Tulowitzki's but instead he got creative and made some trades. Instead of yet another question mark and a ton of salary in Tulo New York acquired a young and promising shortstop in Didi Gregorius and a perfectly capable stopgap in the fifth starter slot in Chris Capuano. Instead of setting the team back even further with another asinine contract for Max Scherzer the Yankees instead stayed the course, stuck to the plan and showed a willingness to rebuild on the fly. There is a finish line, and it conveniently ends when his current contract does after the 2017 season, and for the first time in over 20 seasons the Yankees can see it. The team cannot see that because Randy Levine jumped in and demanded a $12 million AAV for a 7th inning pitcher, the team can see it because of the work Cashman has done since he was given full control over player decisions and personnel.  

Another common complaint against the Yankees GM is the lack of player development and a farm system. While for a long time that was an absolutely legitimate concern and gripe the tides are turning down on the farm finally and we may now be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. MLB Pipeline is releasing their Top 10 lists per position right before Spring Training and the Yankees have a Top 10 RHP in Luis Severino, a Top 10 2B in Robert Refsnyder, a Top 10 1B in Greg Bird and will presumably have a Top 10 outfielder in Aaron Judge. Also Kylie McDaniel, a former Yankees scout and current member of Fangraphs, even went as far as to name the Yankees the 10th best farm in all of baseball and possibly the "deepest in the game." The rankings and the write ups from McDaniels and others makes for a pretty good farm system without even mentioning the likes of Gary Sanchez, Ian Clarkin and the slew of International free agent signings the team has made in the last two or three seasons. 

For better or worse this is finally Cashman's team and in a couple seasons when the plan is complete and has come to fruition I may longer be the last standing apologist for the Yankees GM. 

2015 MLB Draft Order Set in Stone

Per MLB Trade Rumors:

1. Diamondbacks     [Protected First-Round Picks]
2. Astros
3. Rockies
4. Rangers
5. Astros
6. Twins
7. Red Sox
8. White Sox
9. Cubs
10. Phillies
11. Reds
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12. Marlins             [Unprotected First-Round Picks]
13. Rays
14. Braves
15. Brewers
16. Yankees
17. Indians
18. Giants
19. Pirates
20. Athletics
21. Royals
22. Tigers
23. Cardinals
24. Dodgers
25. Orioles
26. Angels
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27. Rockies            [Compensation Picks]
28. Braves
29. Blue Jays
30. Yankees
31. Giants
32. Pirates
33. Royals
34. Tigers
35. Dodgers
36. Orioles
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37. Astros              [Competitive Balance Round A]
38. Rockies
39. Cardinals
40. Brewers
41. Padres
42. Indians

And the amount of money the top six teams will have to spend this summer on the draft:

Astros – $17.98MM
Rockies – $14.55MM
D’backs – $14.18MM
Rangers – $9.47MM
Braves – $8.70MM
Yankees – $8.21MM