After seeing a promising wave of youth from the New York Yankees a year ago, a handful of prospects could be knocking on the door yet again.
Just about two weeks away from the start of New York Yankees spring training, we’ll get a sweet look at some of the prospects that could make their major league debuts at some point in 2017.After seeing the substantial impact the “baby bombers” made just over the last two years, there’s every reason to pay attention to those who are due up.
Some have flown completely under-the-radar and perhaps this is the first time you’re hearing about them, but every kid on this list has the potential to make a major league impact as soon as this season.
Without further adieu, ESNY breaks down those who could achieve the dream and become major league ballplayers in 2017:
Clint Frazier
Ever since being acquired in the deal that sent Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians, Clint Frazier has established up some ridiculous hype.
Seriously, from his Twitter personality to his “legendary” bat speed, he’s creating some noise across Yankee-land.
If you look at what the 22-year old did after his assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, however, you’ll see that he didn’t quite live up to that hype.
In 25 games, Frazier slashed a mere .228/.278/.396 and struck out 29.7% of the time with just three homers. Overall in 2016, he maintained an OPS of .782, a discouraging sign from one of the organization’s top prospects.
Yet, all the tools are there — lightning quick bat able to generate moonshots and athleticism that suggests the ceiling of an All-Star with an MLB ETA of 2017.
We’re only waiting for the results, and if Frazier ends up lighting up the Electric City this season, general manager Brian Cashman may be forced to make some room for him in the Bronx.
Chance Adams
22-year old righty Chance Adams has unmistakably made a name for himself after making his opposition look like little leaguers in 2016.
Between High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton, the righty went 13-1 in 25 games (24 starts) with a 2.33 ERA including 144 strikeouts in 127.1 innings.
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He went 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA in 11 starts at Tampa before posting an 8-1 record and a 2.09 ERA across 13 games (12 starts) in Jersey.
Adams’ strikeout per nine inning ratio also jumped from 10.2 to 11.2, while his opponent’s batting average dipped from a stellar .196 to an unimaginable .145 upon his promotion.
The fifth round pick of the 2015 MLB June Amateur Draft began his professional career as a reliever, but after perfecting his delivery, Adams climbed up the ladder to become one of the top pitching prospects in the organization — and he surely backed it up to the point where Cashman expects him to be on the verge of a call-up in 2017.
Considering the delicate rotation that is expected to remain unchanged, there truly is an outside shot for young guys like Adams to make an impact as soon as this season so don’t sleep on the young native of Scottsdale.
James Kaprielian
Like the young guys around him, James Kaprielian is another arm in New York’s system that could merit a promotion if the rotation completely falls apart.
Last year, the Yankees high hopes for its 2015 first round draft pick to the point where there was even talk about Kaprielian making his debut as soon as 2016.
Of course, an injury to the right elbow crippled those chances but if he looks as good as he did in the Arizona Fall League and remains healthy, don’t be surprised to see that call-up hype again.
In just his first seven minor league games, the 22-year old maintained a 1.55 ERA while striking out 36 batters.
Down in the AFL, his first taste of live action following his elbow flexor strain, his fastball sat between 94-96 mph and reached as high as 97 mph.
If an injury doesn’t shorten a second consecutive season filled with promise, there is some assumption that 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.
Like Chance Adams, though, the major league rotation could accelerate Kaprielian’s already swift ascension to the Bronx.
Giovanny Gallegos
Giovanny Gallegos opened up the 2016 season in Double-A Trenton coming off a year in which he dominated High-A Tampa (1.86 in 30 games) in his first go around as a full-time reliever.
Even with the enhanced opposition in Jersey, he did not miss a single beat.
In 17 appearances with the Thunder, the 25-year-old surrendered just four runs in 33 innings of work (1.09 ERA) while striking out 14.5 batters per nine innings and surrendered just 20 hits among the 124 batters faced (.171 BAA).
The righty then earned a promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre where he picked up right where he left off as he did following his call-up to Trenton.
Batters at the Triple-A level hit a mere .178 off Gallegos while he struck out 53 batters in 33 innings and recorded two saves — including the final out of the Governors’ Cup.
Interestingly enough, Gallegos maintained a 0.45 ERA vs left-handed batters — a rather unusual statistic for a right-hander — and finished his season strong with a 0.59 WHIP after the all-star break.
He’s not even a top-30 prospect in the organization but was able to earn a spot on the Yankees’ 40-man roster and has given himself a genuine opportunity to get a well-deserved ride on the Scranton Shuttle in 2017.
Gallegos’ packs a fastball that could touch as high as 95 mph along with three off-speed pitches in his arsenal which incorporates a slider that sits in the high-70’s, a curveball and changeup.
With that said, one of the major facets of his game that makes him engaging that he’s a reliever who doesn’t rely on two pitches and finds ways to get you out.
Given how badly he embarrassed hitters at Triple-A last season, it isn’t far-fetched to see Gallegos receiving a call to see how his stockpile of pitches translates to the majors.
Dustin Fowler
Outfielder Dustin Fowler is someone the Yankees have always been high on ever since they drafted him as an 18-year old.
Spending the entirety of 2016 at Double-A Trenton, Fowler slashed .281/.311/.458 with 12 home runs and 25 stolen bases in 36 attempts.
He also led the Eastern League with 15 triples — the highest regular season total since Brad Tyler legged out 17 triples for the Bowie Baysox in 1993.
A very impressive improvement at his highest level as a professional was his career-best 14.9 strikeout rate. In comparison, his overall K/PA rate sits at 17 percent.
Fowler is rated as New York’s ninth-best prospect and is set to open this coming season at Triple-A, where the massively athletic ballplayer will likely see time between left and center.
Although not on the 40-man, you’ll see him report to George M. Steinbrenner Field this spring and you shouldn’t be surprised to see him, along with Mason Williams, called upon if an injury to an outfielder occurs at any point.
Dietrich Enns
25-year old southpaw Dietrich Enns was thoroughly difficult to hit a year ago during his time in Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
In 26 games between the two levels (22 starts), Enns posted a 14-4 record with a 1.73 ERA and racked up 124 strikeouts in 135 innings of work.
Last year at approximately this point, the Yankees got blessed that no team took him in last year’s Rule 5-Draft and after protecting him this year, Enns has a genuine possibility of making his first major league start at some point in 2017.
The numbers may speak for itself but control is a notable concern for the 25-year old kid and his stuff is the kind that customarily doesn’t translate to major league success.
His fastball sits at an insignificant 87-92 miles an hour and since his margin for error is so narrow, his career walk rate is 3.6 BB/9 which is a matter of concern moving forward.
Now, 2016 was his first full season back from Tommy John surgery and, as expected, the Yankees are going to keep a close eye on his development throughout his second season removed from operation.
Realistically, though, he’ll more than likely not make the team out of Tampa but be used to help the big league club throughout 2017.
Kyle Higashioka
After slashing .276/.337/.511 with 21 homers between Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2016, catching prospect Kyle Higashioka needed protection from the Rule-5 Draft and was added to the 40-man roster.
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That means that the 26-year old may start his rookie campaign in the Bronx following this year’s spring training, but the fact that Austin Romine is out of options may prevent that from happening.
Nevertheless, Higashioka has made strides with his bat and has always packed an above average glove making him the theoretical “third string catcher.”
If anything were to happen to Romine or Gary Sanchez, expect New York’s seventh-round pick from the 2008 June Amateur Draft to step in as the backup catcher for a brief major league assignment.
Jordan Montgomery
Before being an underrated prospect in the Yankees’ system, Jordan Montgomery was a big-time ace during his collegiate days at South Carolina.
In five career NCAA tournament starts, the lefty went 5-0 with a 0.93 ERA and since being drafted in 2014, he has flown under-the-radar until now.
Between Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season, Montgomery registered a 14-5 record featuring a 2.13 ERA and 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings en route to earning a spring training invite.
Montgomery’s ERA dipped to 0.97 in his six Triple-A starts and he’s now obtained massive attention from the organization, and rightfully so as he’s a southpaw who has demonstrated the ability to be a workhorse (273.2 IP in last two seasons) — and boy the Yankees could use one of those.
He’ll enter big league camp as a non-roster invitee this spring, and while, like Enns, I don’t presume he’ll win an Opening Day roster spot, it’s all but guaranteed he’ll make his debut at some point in 2017.