New York Yankees: Breakout Candidates For The 2017 Season

The following are the New York Yankees’ rising stars that can break through and make major league impacts on the 2017 season. 

If you could take one aspect of significance out of the 2016 New York Yankees‘ season, the rise of Gary Sanchez has to be it.

Becoming the fastest player in baseball history (45 games) to reach the 18 home run mark while also being a spark plug for his team surely fits the category of a “breakout.”

So, which baby bomber will break through and have a Kraken-like impact on the Yankees this upcoming campaign?

Surely we can’t, nor will, anticipate yet another historic rookie campaign but there are some budding prospects who can bloom into major league stardom very quickly.

In no particular order, ESNY breaks down which prospects could dictate whether or not the 2017 season is a successful one for the Bombers or if they simply make a significant stride in the system.

Blake Rutherford

You won’t see this kid until probably around 2020 but don’t worry, he’ll probably steamroll through the system and catch your eye at some point this year.

Blake Rutherford, a 19-year-old from West Hills, was drafted 18th overall in this year’s draft and it’s one of the best steals New York could have gotten, given that he was  top-rated college position player in the Draft.

Across two Rookie leagues (Pulaski and GCL), Rutherford slashed .351/.415/.570 with three home runs and found a level of comfortability in his first professional season — a rarity for such a young player.

According to MLB Pipeline, Rutherford packs a smooth left-handed swing with speed and power, though scouts presume he won’t thoroughly drill into his raw power until he adds some more strength to his stroke.

New York’s fifth-best prospect (yes, already) recognizes pitches adequately and uses the entirety of the field. Again, for a 19-year old, this is nothing but promising.

Assuming he continues this tear and doesn’t look overmatched by any means, one can see him finishing 2017 in Double-A while knocking on the door in Triple-A. Given how easily he handled his first go-around, he should be able to break through the minor league system in record time.

Clint Frazier

After seeing what Andrew Miller this latest postseason, the common Yankees’ fan must be begging that Clint Frazier will be worth it in the long run.

After being acquired at the deadline, the 19-year old was assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and didn’t exactly light it up.

In 25 games, Frazier slashed a mere .228/.278/.396 and struck out 29.7% of the time while hitting just three homers. Overall in 2016, he maintained an OPS of .782, a discouraging sign by the organization’s top prospect.

Nevertheless, his talent cannot and will not be denied.

According to MLB Pipeline, Frazier’s bat speed and raw power are among the best in the Minor Leagues and suggest the ceiling of an All-Star. He may not be that for the Yankees in 2017 but there’s an immense possibility that he makes his Bronx debut.

That possibility increases if a trade involving left fielder Brett Gardner occurs.

Last year, New York didn’t experience any production, power, or speed from Gardner or Jacoby Ellsbury and while Cashman instituted change in the infield and behind the dish, arguably their most ineffective players remained untouched.

It’s close to impossible to deal the contract of Ellsbury, yet Gardner may be on his way out. With that, you have to keep a close eye on Frazier who may put the pressure on the Yankees’ GM to deal him either this offseason or the deadline.

Perhaps Frazier plays that role of Sanchez in 2017. Coming up halfway through and really gives the team energy while perhaps sparking a run.

James Kaprielian

The Yankees had high hopes for their 2015 first round draft pick and there was even talk of James Kaprielian making his major league debut as soon as last year until an early season elbow flexor strain.

The 22-year old, who owns a 1.55 ERA in seven career minor league games, avoided surgery, is back, healthy, and currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League. Through three starts (9.1 innings), Kaprielian has struck out 12 and has yet to allow a home run while his fastball has been sitting in the 95-97 mile an hour range.

He controls and commands his stock of pitches extremely well thanks to the slight sink his fastball packs and he should advance quickly as a pro to the extent of possibly having an outside shot at earning a spot in 2017’s rotation.

There are a few things to look out for this upcoming season. First and foremost, can he make it through the AFL and Spring Training healthy? If so, you have to keep a close eye on if he comes with the same effectiveness he had before going down.

If both work out in the Yankees’ favor, there is no doubt Kaprielian can have a Chris Sale-like path to the Bronx. Sale pitched in a mere 12 games in the minors and was called up in the same year in which he was drafted.

Kaprielian, unlike many minor league pitchers, contains an MLB approach. He pitches rather than throws. Yes, there’s a distinction.

Of course, an injury crippled those chances, but thanks to the lack of depth and surplus of question marks behind Masahiro Tanaka, don’t be surprised to see the most major league ready hurler on the farm to make his debut in 2017.

Dietrich Enns

Dietrich Enns was absolutely incredible a year ago. His 14-4 record, 1.73 ERA, and 124 strikeouts speak for itself but control is a significant issue for the 25-year old kid and his arsenal is the kind that doesn’t usually translate to major league success.

His fastball sits at a mere 87-92 miles an hour and since his margin for error is so narrow with a velocity like that, his career walk rate is 3.6 BB/9 but his secondary pitches (like his slow-hooking curve) are phenomenal and there’s no arguing with results.

The Yankees got lucky that no team took him in last year’s Rule 5 Draft but they won’t get so fortunate this time around. Enns is currently not on the 40-man roster, which will have to be set by Friday.

Yes, last season was his first season back from Tommy John surgery but after fully recovering, he was downright nasty which had many people assuming he could break through and be used to help the big league club throughout 2017.

Thankfully, that prediction won’t change.

Enns has a significant chance of being selected if not protected. He has a major league approach to get hitters out and you simply cannot argue with his Triple-A success. Whichever team he enters camp with this February, barring any setbacks, Enns might make his MLB debut for that very team.

Kyle Higashioka

Just after the conclusion of the 2016 season, after slashing .276/.337/.511 with 21 homers between Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Kyle Higashioka needed protection from the Rule-5 Draft and was added to the 40-man roster.

That means that the 26-year old may start his rookie campaign in the Bronx following this year’s spring training.

Always showing superb defense behind the plate, Higashioka made strides with his bat by putting together his ninth season in the farm system was the best.

Will the seventh round pick of the 2008 June Amateur Draft take over as the starting catcher? I think we all know the answer to that (it’s no).

Yet, a solid camp by the righty can outduel Austin Romine for that third catcher’s spot New York is expected sustain in 2017, where his minor league coaches assume he can carry his Triple-A production into.

Aaron Judge

Getting a healthy Greg Bird in the lineup will help immensely, but a healthy Bird with Aaron Judge at his greatest potential makes the lineup inexhaustible.

The catch is, however, Judge is still a prospect and still has some proving to do.

Along with striking out in exactly half of his at-bats, the monstrous slugger set the Yankees’ record for the most strikeouts (42) within a player’s first 27 games. But my goodness gracious when he made contact…

Judge’s average exit velocity on batted balls, according to Statcast, was 96.82 m.p.h. MLB’s average for 2016 was 89.57. The average distance his batted balls traveled was 249.67 feet while the average in baseball was 218.08. His average generated velocity was 8.00 m.p.h. The league average was 1.45.

Judge’s power can be confused with the power of “The Incredible Hulk,” but rendering that into major league success is his contemporary obstacle.

Which is why this offseason is vital for him. Whatever transpires from now until he arrives in Tampa spring will have a tremendous bearing on the Yankees’ season.

If he takes this failure in his first go around in the show like he did in Triple-A, where he struggled in 2015 but adjusted flawlessly in 2016, then nothing but a candidate for the 2017 rookie of the year is expected.

Fans, which prospects/players do you expect to break through this season? Any significant ones we missed? Let us know in the comments below.