A Glimpse of Five Prospects
Frankie Piliere of AOL Fanhouse (formerly of Saber Scouting fame) took a look at a few notable names in the Yankee farm system. Even casual minor league followers will know Monterno, Jackson and Brackman, but Piliere points us to two more players who illustrate the depth of the Yanks' system.
On Montero:
At the catching position, which I believe he can stick at, few players are as valuable. You just don't find too many bats as potent as his behind the dish. He's shown offensive skills reminiscent of Miguel Cabrera on his way up.
On Jackson:
It's been his ability to hit consistent line drives and keep his swing under control at such an early stage that makes him special.
On Brackman:
I saw a pitcher who appeared tentative at times to let his fastball go as he lived around 89-92 mph. He was still able to produce some good downward sink on the fastball, and use his height, but the raw velocity was just not there.
As sleepers, Peliere picks southpaw Manny Banuelos and righty Hector Noesi.
Banuelos is an 18 year old with a David Robertson build (5'10" 155lbs), who signed with the Yanks out of Mexico. The last report I'd read on him put him at 87-91, but Peliere clocks him 90-92 and touching 94. In throwing 108 innings for the Tampa Yankees, he also showed two above average secondary pitches (curve and change).
All we can do is pray that Peliere's praise for Banuelos isn't hyperbolic:
The stuff is above average, but when you consider the advanced feel he has for pitching and the often pinpoint command he possesses it's amazing that he's still only 18. He pitches with such ease and attacks hitters with such a calm demeanor, that he can be a front-of-the-rotation pitcher in the majors a few years from now.
Finally is Noesi, whose previous claim to fame was a 50 game suspension for violating the minor league PED rules.
Noesi started the season with a long scoreless streak as he moved from the pen to the rotation and from A Charleston to A+ Tampa. He struck out a batter per inning while allowing less than a baserunner per inning.
Although he still likes to mostly to work of his well spotted 90-94 mph fastball, this year there was the curveball as well. With good 12-6 action, the curveball came out whenever Noesi seemed to need it this year.
These are part of the mix of players GMs will ask for when Brian Cashman picks up the phone. And Cash has know which guys fit into his plans for the team, which ones are worth trading and which ones could haunt the Yanks for decades.
The offseason is a good time to be a Yankee fan and a hard time to be the GM.
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Comments
What about Venditte?
Any news on him? Last I heard he was doing well and not just an “act” anymore. Would love to see him come up sometime……..
I told you we would beat Georgia!! Now, as for those 9 wins in '09......
Lane Kiffin owns lake-front property in Corch Urbie Meyers's head.
He pitched well in Tampa and Charleston. We’ll know a lot about what the Yankees think of him if he starts at AA next season, but he looks like a cup of coffee at best to me- he’ll be 25 next season.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Oh
I didn’t know he was already 25. We have a lot better options as far as developing relievers, but it would be cool if he turned it on and got the call in the next year or so though.
I told you we would beat Georgia!! Now, as for those 9 wins in '09......
Lane Kiffin owns lake-front property in Corch Urbie Meyers's head.
Eh
Yeah, he’s a guy who wouldn’t really be discussed if he wasn’t a switch-pitcher. In every system, there are guys with fringy stuff who are old for the low levels and put up dominant numbers. If he can pitch well in Trenton when he gets there, then he’ll enter the discussion.
Greg F.
http://pendingpinstripes.net
He's getting lit up by righties down in Venezuela right now.
They’re hitting like .400 off him. Hate to say it, but he’s just a novelty.
Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.
by CasanovaWong on Nov 14, 2009 4:06 PM EST up reply actions
Banuelos
As Frankie says, Banuelos isn’t much of a sleeper anymore. He’s been put in pretty much everyone’s top 10 list at this point. The guy is legit. I didn’t really have him pegged as a future #1, though.
Greg F.
http://pendingpinstripes.net
yea...
when you talk about LH pitchers throwing 90mph and touching 94, with 2 plus secondary pitches and lots of command…not to mention he’s 18?
Yea, if he’s not already, he’s gonna have to be mentioned in that untouchable list pretty soon.
"It ain't over till its over"---
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 14, 2009 12:34 PM EST up reply actions
One of the lessons I’ve learned from the last couple of seasons is that there are no untouchables, but there are tiers of players.
I would give up one of Ajax and Montero as the cornerstone of the right deal (starting pitching). I wouldn’t give up both, and giving up one means I’m probably skipping the second tier as we fill out the deal.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
I could see myself parting with AJAX
For Montero I would need to be blown away like I was J.P. Richardi.
This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.
I would trade Montero for Holliday. But I wouldn’t include much else in the deal, certainly nobody who I though could play in the majors for the Yankees this season. Maybe Kei Igawa (kidding… sort of).
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
??
Halladay right? We only gotta trade $$$$$ for Holliday.
Still, for Doc, I’d rather see if they can get away with keeping Montero…probably above all the others.
I know what your saying about “untoucables”, but even Halladay I’d say Montero is untouchable.
We have CC. An ace pitcher simply isn’t THAT much of a need to part with Montero, especially with Posada being a geezer.
"It ain't over till its over"---
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 14, 2009 4:44 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not saying that Montero is "untouchable"
because I think that baseball is littered with guys that were “sure things” to be the next superstar player and ended up being AAAA players. Also, I think that every player on the team and in the farm is an asset and should be treated as such. For the right price, anyone should be available.
But Montero for Halladay straight up I’d really have to consider. As great as Doc is, we are already an aging team, soon to be shackled by some back-heavy contracts on aging players.
With that said, I think a hugely underrated aspect of what Doc could bring to the Yankees is his knowledge of pitching. I would trade prospects just to get the rights to have Doc talk baseball and watch film with Hughes, Chamberlain, Kennedy, and any of our other young guys. So with that said, trading one prospect for Doc would probably be too tasty to turn down.
This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.
oh no doubt...
if there was the possibility of doing that trade…I’d do it.
…but there’s no possibility of doing it. Toronto’s gonna want the moon
"It ain't over till its over"---
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 14, 2009 6:35 PM EST up reply actions
Then they will get nothing and like it
and battle the Os for 4th for the next 10 years.
This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.
I read something
where they actually valued Montero right now as being worth more in a trade than Halladay. Points were that Halladay is at the age where he will likely start to decline, whereas Montero is a catcher with a potential MVP caliber bat. If the Yankees made that straight up trade, chances are that it would really backfire on them when Montero comes into his own playing for the Blue Jays instead of us.
oh come on......
Montero for Halladay straight up?!
Cashman would do that in a heartbeat. Montero won’t play until years later, and even then, it’s no sure thing that he’s as great with his bat in the major league level, compared to the AAA level. If Montero is all you need to give up to get an ace like Halladay…. you just got to do it.
by Vancouverguy on Nov 15, 2009 1:03 AM EST up reply actions
+ 1
I always feel pressure. What I don't have is fear. -- El Duque
by LateInningRelief on Nov 15, 2009 6:07 AM EST up reply actions
that's why the Blue Jays are not doing that...
As much as it would make sense for the Yankees…it would make no sense for the Jays.
Yes, they may do that trade. But as a last minute, if no one else is on the table type offer.
"It ain't over till its over"---
by FreeBradshaw on Nov 15, 2009 7:40 AM EST up reply actions
agreed..
Unless they are left with only that option… I refuse to believe that not one of the potential contending teams will not offer a package more enticing than Montero for 1 year of Halladay.
That is just too little to offer for the Jays.. and they most likely will keep Halladay for half a season if Montero-for-Halladay straight up is the only offer they have.
by Vancouverguy on Nov 15, 2009 4:39 PM EST up reply actions
I think
you guys are undervaluing Montero. Scouts say that if you put Montero in the majors right now, he would hit around .250 with power. Here is the article I was talking about that valued Halladay’s trade value as less than Montero right now:
http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2009/7/16/951321/whats-a-fair-return-in-a-roy























