The Rule V Selections: Analyzing Cesar Cabral And Brad Meyers

by Brandon C. on Mar 1, 2012 2:26 PM EST in New York Yankees Analysis

FT. MYERS FL - FEBRUARY 22: Cesar Cabral #59 of the Tampa Bay Rays poses for a portrait during the Tampa Bay Rays Photo Day on February 22 2011 at the Charlotte Sports Complex in Port Charlotte Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Cesar Cabral and Brad Meyers were the New York Yankees two selections in the Rule V draft this off-season. Cabral, a lefty reliever, was selected from the Boston Red Sox, and Meyers, a right handed pitcher, was taken from the Washington Nationals.

If the two do not make the 25 man roster out of Spring Training, they will be returned to their respective former teams, if the teams want them back.

Let's take a look at who the Yankees have in these two.

Cesar Cabral, 23, was originally signed by the Red Sox as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He was drafted in the Rule V draft by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010, then claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays, then claimed back by the Rays, then returned to the Red Sox. So he certainly knows the AL East.

John Sickels of Minor League Ball had this to say about Cabral:

Cabral posted a 1.62 ERA in 17 innings for High-A Salem with a 24/5 K/BB, then a 3.52 ERA with a 46/16 K/BB in 38 innings for Double-A Portland. He has pitched excellently in the Dominican Winter League this year, with a 12/2 K/BB in 10 innings and a 0.87 ERA. He has a 90-95 MPH fastball and a good changeup, but is still refining his breaking ball. He picks up a lot of ground balls.

To add to that, Cabral has suffered from high BABIP every season in the minors, with the exception of seventeen games in A ball in 2010. The high BABIP of .369 in 24 games in AA last season led to a .270 BAA.

Cabral held hitters to a .159 batting average against in Winter Ball this off-season.

Look for Cabral to be the leader in the clubhouse to get the last spot on the roster, as he will compete against Clay Rapada and Michael O'Connor to be the second lefty out of the pen.

Follow me after the jump for info on Brad Meyers.

Brad Meyers, 26, is a 6,6 righty drafted in 2007 by the Washington Nationals in the 5th round.

Meyers worked primarily as a starter in 2011, starting in sixteen games in AAA. Like Cabral, a problem for Meyers was his high BABIP, which was .343. The high BABIP led to a .290 BAA, but Meyers was able to keep his ERA down to 3.48.

Here's what John Sickles had to say about Meyers:

Age 26, Meyers posted an amazing 38/0 K/BB in 36 innings for Double-A Harrisburg this year with a 2.48 ERA, followed by a 3.48 ERA with a 74/15 K/BB in 96 innings for Triple-A Syracuse. His fastball is mediocre at 87-90 MPH, but his exquisite control helps play up the quality of his slider, curveball, and changeup. Like Lorin, he could be very useful as a fifth starter or long reliever, but might have an uphill battle to stick in New York.

As Sickels said, Meyers' best chance to stick with the Yankees will be as the long reliever, but that role seems to be filled by either Freddy Garcia or Phil Hughes.

The Yankees won't be so quick to lose either Cabral or Meyers, so look for both of the two to get a lot of pitching time in Spring Training.

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With Meyers, the question is how his stuff plays against major league hitters

It’s one thing to get inexperienced, overanxious minor leaguers out with marginal stuff well located – it’s harder against big leaguers. “Soft-tossing lefty” is an archtype, but you don’t hear the phrase “soft tossing righty” very often – particularly when applied to a 26yo. Even Greg Maddox, at 26, threw in the 90’s.

Because he’s left handed, it’s easier for me to see Cabral making it than Meyers. The Yankees’ picking up Pineda and Kuroda really put Meyers behind the 8 ball, even with Burnett shipped out. If you assume that the bullpen has seven slots, five already committed to Rivera, Robertson, Soriano, Logan (God help us) and Garcia/Hughes (whoever doesn’t win the #5 rotation spot). One spot is likely to go to a situational lefty, with (as noted in the post) Cabral a Rule 5 possibility there. So Meyers is duking it out for the last spot in the bullpen with at least five other guys (Kontos, Wade, Phelps, Mitchell, and Whelan). In what I’ve read, Wade and Phelps are generally regarded as having the inside track. No matter how you slice it, Meyers is going to have to be hella good to stay out of Syracuse … because if he’s offered back, the Nationals will take him. With Milone and Peacock moved to the A’s in the Gio Gonzalez deal, their AAA pitching depth took a hit.

by d_c_guy on Mar 1, 2012 5:08 PM EST reply actions

Wade is practically guaranteed a spot

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by Brandon C. on Mar 1, 2012 5:28 PM EST up reply actions

I agree

Which is why I doubt that the Yankees will hang onto Meyers; the math doesn’t work well for him.

by d_c_guy on Mar 1, 2012 5:52 PM EST up reply actions

If the Red Sox get Cabral back, he will find a way to bite the Yankees in the ass.

Count on it.

by designatedquitter on Mar 2, 2012 10:47 AM EST reply actions

Hughes

Why is it assumed that if Phil for some reason doesn’t win the 5th spot (unlikely) that he automatically becomes the long man? He was great as a setup man. Wouldn’t he move to that spot? One of Joe’s 7th inning guys? Or is the assumption that if he doesn’t win the 5th spot it will be because he’s not good enough and therefore not good enough to setup either?

"I understand (Vick's) frustration. Nobody wants to get hit that many times." ~Mathias Kiwanuka

by Jaybat on Mar 2, 2012 3:30 PM EST reply actions