Top 20 New York Yankees PRE-SEASON Prospects in Review

This is the PRE-SEASON list. That means it was generated BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED and that the grades were PRE-SEASON. Anyone complaining about the grades based on 2006 performance will be smacked up the side of the head with a Hensley Meulens autographed bat.

1) Phil Hughes, RHP, Grade B+
    4-3, 3.18 in 10 starts since being promoted to Double-A, 64/20 K/BB in 62 innings, 49 hits allowed. Not much to complain about here: he's doing just fine and remains a top prospect.

2) Jose Tabata, OF, B+
     Hitting .315/.376/.452 with 11 steals in 63 games for Class A Charleston in the Sally League. Remember, he is just 17 years old and doing this in full-season ball. An outstanding prospect.

3) J. Brent Cox, RHP, B
    3-2, 2.01 for Double-A Trenton with a 32/13 K/BB in 45 innings. I'd like to see a higher strikeout rate but overall he is pitching well and there is little to complain about.

4) Eric Duncan, 3B-1B, B-
     Hitting a combined .215/.294/.335 between Triple-A Columbus and Double-A Trenton. He's shown more pop since being demoted to Trenton, hitting three homers, but it sure looks like his skills are stagnating. His status has certainly slipped in my view.

5) Tyler Clippard, RHP, B-
    3-9, 5.16 in 14 starts for Trenton, 68/28 K/BB in 75 innings with 63 hits allowed. His component ratios aren't terrible but he has given up 10 homers, as his fly ball tendencies are coming back to haunt him against better hitters.

6) C.J. Henry, SS, B-
    Hitting .235/.324/.369 with 10 steals for Class A Charleston. Showing speed but has otherwise been overmatched in his first shot against full-season pitching. Certainly young enough to rebound in time.

7) Eduardo Nunez, SS, B-
    Hitting a combined .212/.257/.332 between Charleston and Tampa. Has swiped 11 bases, but lack of power and little patience have inhibited his production.

8) Austin Jackson, OF, C+
     Hitting .262/.350/.358 with 24 steals in 70 games for Charleston. Holding his own, stealing bases, drawing walks, not much power yet but doing better that Henry or Nunez.

9) Christian Garcia, RHP, C+
    Hasn't pitched this year that I can find; not sure what has happened to him. Anyone know? I seem to have missed it.

10) Matt DeSalvo, RHP, C+
    Got hammered in Triple-A, 7.68 ERA in 39 innings, 30/34 K/BB ratio as his command collapsed. Very disappointing! Even his Double-A numbers (7/9 K/BB in 14 innings) are below his previous standards. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was hiding an injury or something like that.    

11) Jeff Marquez, RHP, C+
      4.13 ERA, 54/21 K/BB in 61 innings for Class A Tampa, 72 hits allowed. Numbers are mediocre and I would not be in a hurry to promote him to Double-A.

12) Sean Henn, LHP, C+
      4.84 ERA in five starts for Columbus, 15/8 K/BB in 22 innings, 22 hits allowed. Numbers are undistinguished and sample size is too small to draw conclusions. Health and command are still questions.

13) Darrell Rasner, RHP, C+
     4-0, 2.56 ERA in nine starts for Columbus, 42/11 K/BB in 53 innings, 53 hits allowed. Nice numbers. Think the Nationals would like to have him back?

14) Brett Gardner, OF, C+
      Hitting .325/.430/.413 with 33 steals in 68 games combined between Tampa and Trenton, 44 walks. Not a lot of power, but speed and patience look excellent, giving him potential as a leadoff guy.

15) Garrett Patterson, LHP, C+
     4.68 ERA with 18/18 K/BB in 25 innings for Class A Charleston. Not a very good ratio set, K/BB, K/IP, and H/IP are all quite mediocre leading to a mediocre ERA. Disappointing for a college pitcher who looked like a potential sleeper.

16) Marcos Vechionacci, 3B, C+
     Hitting a combined .215/.295/.294 between Tampa And Charleston. No power, disappointing batting average, worse-than-expected on-base skills. Another Yankee hitter not developing as hoped.

17) Lance Pendleton, RHP, C+
      Hasn't pitched this year.

18) Kevin Howard, 2B, C
      Hitting .238/.292/.359 for Trenton. Another disappointing hitter, and this is well below the standards he established in Double-A last season in the Reds system.

19) T.J. Beam, RHP, C
      1.39 ERA with 47/14 K/BB combined between Trenton and Columbus in 52 innings, 33 hits allowed. Still a definite sleeper who could be an effective middle reliever if given the chance.

20) Colter Bean, RHP, C
     As usual, pitching great for Columbus: 2.08 ERA in 39 innings, 51/24 K/BB. His control isn't great....his walk rate is too high....but he's tough to hit. Scouts still don't like him but the numbers still say he deserves a chance.

Comment:
    Some of the pitching is OK.....I still love Hughes, Cox is doing well, Rasner, Beam, Bean. . .but what of the hitting? Duncan is really slipping. I do like Gardner though it remains to be seen if he fits into the Yankees plans. Tabata is a stud and looks like he could live up to expectations. The bottom line is that it takes time to rebuild a weak system.