Welcome to another edition of ESNY’s New York Yankees Prospect Profile where Miguel Andujar will get some time under the spotlight.
Miguel Andujar was handed the greatest bonus in the 2011 New York Yankees international class ($750,000) and has slowly but surely made his way up through the farm system.New York brought him into the organization as a 17-year old from the Dominican Republic and brought him straight to the Gulf Coast League Yankees to make his professional debut.
The third baseman struggled in his 50 games played in 2012 with a slashline of .232/.288/.299 with a .587 OPS, but flexed his muscle in 2013 by cranking four home runs and 11 doubles in just 34 games.
According to MLB pipeline, the third baseman struggled the next two years by recorded a .602 and .590 OPS in the first halves of 2014 and 2015 but improved to .823 and .725 in the second halves.
Here are the scouting grades for the Yankees number 15 ranked prospect:
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45
Scouts say that Andujar’s skill set features a ton of raw skill, which is expected in even the best of prospects, but the 21-year old has showcased a lightening quick bat and well above-average power from the right side. He also doesn’t strikeout much as his career K% sits at 17% through five seasons.
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Defensively, his plus-plus arm has scouts turning heads. According to pipeline, one scout projected that he’d have a 95-MPH fastball if he became a pitcher. He has the hands and range to make most plays at the hot corner, though he needs to settle down after making 26 errors in each of the past two seasons.
Although the .912 fielding percentage doesn’t do it justice, he has tremendous hands, reflexes, and range to be an average third baseman but he has made 26 errors in the last two seasons so the kid seems as though he’s having a rough time translating his skills to success on the diamond.
Like last season, Andujar will likely spend all of 2016 in High-A Tampa unless he can turn a corner defensively. The main obstacle for him is to cut down on the errors if he wants to ever make a case to become a standout third baseman. His skills are there, no it’s time to showcase them in live action.
