Systems Audit: NY Yankees
September 02, 2006
Systems Audit:
New York Yankees
1. Philip Hughes, RHP, AA. Hughes is one of the most highly touted pitching prospects in baseball. Know wny? He's good and he plays for the Yankees. He's got a fairly high ceiling but also has more risk associated with him than most of his peers.
2. Jose Tabata, RF, A. Tabata is a young phenom in the Yanks system. While most see him as a CF, I think he fits better at one of the corners. He is a very gifted five tool player, and his speed and agility are only topped by his eye. However, all that talent hasn't translated into defensive prowess just yet and with several other CFs in the system, Tabata might be better suited at RF.
3. Jeff Marquez, RHP, A+. Marquez has the potential to be a major league pitcher but needs some refinement yet. In an ordinary year he'd be more publicized, but the Florida State League was loaded with pitchers this year so it's easy to see a guy like Marquez overlooked. He's a little too hittable as is, but promising in his ability to keep the ball in the park and limit walks.
4. Eric Duncan, CIF, AAA. Decent power hitter. Strikes out way too much to be considered anything more than an average prospect.
5. CJ Henry, SS, A. Henry is an above average defensive SS but has struggled to make contact. Very little power, but he's athletic and agile. His natural ability should carry him beyond his mishaps this year but again, he's nothing more than an average prospect and a very raw one at that.
6. Tyler Clippard, RHP, AA. I keep wanting to put him higher on my list but he keeps giving me reasons not to. He definitely doesn't have a real high upside, but he ought to be a decent 4/5 pitcher. He's got pretty good control and decent stuff. He projects as a strikeout pitcher but he is a flyball pitcher and that could spell trouble in the bigs.
7. JB Cox, RHP, AA. Chien-meng Wang, but has the ability to strike batters out. 'Nuff said.
8. Austin Jackson, CF, A. Jackson is a bit overrated by some publications but has flashes of brilliance at the plate complimented by solid defense. Nothing too special here. He won't project in the Yankees lineup because he'll be shipped off for someone.
9. Darrell Rasner, RHP, AAA. Rasner is a bit old to be a prospect, but has had a resurgance of late. Groundball pitcher whose control has improved dramatically at each level he's been at.
10. Christian Garcia, RHP, A. Does not give up homeruns. See a trend? His problem is injury. He's in his second full season, at 21, and is still in A ball. He needs to get healthy, stay healthy and start making his way up the ladder soon.
Flier (and I'm digging here) Eduardo Nunez, 2B/SS, A+. Defense will carry him which is good because he carries a light stick.
I'm not going to project the Yankees lineup because very few of these players even project as servicable major leaguers and we all know that if a player isn't servicable (or have a big price tag) the Yanks want nothing to do with him.
It's all about Tabata and Hughes here. Both will make an impact and both will likely do it with the Yankees.
System Grade: D+
(That grade is entirely on the strength of Tabata and Hughes, so you know how weak the rest of the system is)
Posted by Koby Schellenger: Sep 2 at 8:57 PM
Fantasy Baseball 
I'm serious
Here are my updated rankings of Yankees prospects
1. Philip Hughes, RHP, AA
2. Jose Tabata, RF, A
3. Humberto Sanchez, RHP, AAA.
4. Kevin Whelan, RHP (relief), A+
5. Jeff Marquez, RHP, A+
6. Ian Kennedy, RHP, HWL. **Kennedy has moved up after seeing some video of him in Hawaii**
7. Eric Duncan, CIF, AAA
8. CJ Henry, SS, A
9. Tyler Clippard, RHP, AA
10. JB Cox, RHP, AA.
Flier. Eduardo Nunez, 2B/SS, A+.
I haven't ranked Joba Chamberlain and Dellin Betances because I haven't seen them play yet.