1.LUIS SEVERINO, RHP
SCOUTING GRADES
FASTBALL: 75 CHANGEUP: 70 SLIDER: 50 CONTROL: 60
BACKGROUND: Signed out of the Dominican Republic as a 17-year-old, Severino
commanded a $225,000 signing bonus and spent a fairly anonymous debut season
in the Dominican Summer League. He surrendered just 46 hits and 17 walks in
64 innings that year, and worked to a 0.98 WHIP. The strong performance
continued in 2013, when he dazzled in six appearances in the Rookie-level
Gulf Coast League with nearly 11 strikeouts per nine innings. The performance
prompted the Yankees to jump him over short-season ball and instead send
him to low Class A Charleston to close the year. Severino got hit a little
harder with the RiverDogs, but positioned himself for a breakout 2014 season
that arrived, as he finished in Double-A. He further enhanced his star this
summer with an inning in the Futures Game that featured a strikeout of
Joey Gallo, one of the minors’ premier power brokers. Only a strained
oblique muscle that sidelined him for three weeks slowed his progress.
SCOUTING REPORT: Severino’s build, fastball-changeup combo, Dominican
heritage and dominance have earned him comparisons to Pedro Martinez. Short
but not skinny, Severino utilizes a drop-and-drive delivery to bring his
94-97 fastball, which has above-average life. He touched 98 and 99 plenty of
times throughout the course of the season as well. He couples the fastball
with a changeup that features plenty of late fade.
He’s confident enough to double and triple up on the pitch at times and
use it to get strikeouts against both lefthanders and righthanders. His third
pitch is a mid-80s slider thrown with power, which still takes a back seat
to his fastball and changeup but projects as solid-average when he’s
finished developing. While his size and delivery limit the amount of downward
plane he can impart to his pitches, he pitches to all four quadrants of the
strike zone, helping him keep the ball in the ballpark. He surrendered just
three home runs on the season—one after May 25, and none at either of his
stops in high Class A or Double-A. Severino presents an air of confidence in
both himself and his repertoire at all times, and his demeanor helps keep
him from getting fl ustered when breaks don’t go his way behind him.
THE FUTURE: Severino is clearly on the fast track to New York. He’s likely
to start 2015 at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a shot at moving into
the mix of the big league staff by the end of the season if everything goes
as planned.
2.AARON JUDGE, OF
BACKGROUND: A baseball, football and basketball star in high school, Judge
focused on baseball at Fresno State. His raw power didn’t translate in
games until his junior year, when he hit 12 home runs and slugged .655. The
Yankees gave him $1.8 million with the 32nd overall pick in the draft. A
torn right quad delayed his pro debut until this season.
SCOUTING REPORT: Armed with 80 raw power on the 20-80 scale, Judge takes an
impressive batting practice. But unlike most players his size, Judge’s
in-game approach is geared to hit over power. He’s just as comfortable
lining pitches to the opposite power alley as he is turning on a fastball on
the inner-half. His swing is shorter than most players his size.
As would be expected of someone with his build, there are holes in his swing
as pitchers will force him to prove he can handle pitches in. Blessed with
an advanced approach, he would have led either the Sally or Florida State
League in walk rate if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. He moved
off of center field immediately in pro ball and is an average defender in
right field with an above-average throwing arm. He’s an average runner.
THE FUTURE: Judge was getting extra polish in the Arizona Fall League, which
should help him jump to Double-A Trenton in 2015. His tools are what scouts
look for in a right fielder.
3.JORGE MATEO, SS
BACKGROUND: Signed by the Yankees for $225,000 out of the Dominican Republic,
Mateo has impressed when he’s not sidelined in the training room, something
that has slowed him in two of his three pro seasons. He missed time with a
hairline fracture in his left arm in 2012. This year he missed all but 15
games after he was hit by a pitch that broke his left wrist.
SCOUTING REPORT: A top-of-the-scale 80 runner, Mateo owns a rare and enticing
combination of power and speed, and has an excellent chance to stick at
shortstop in the long term. His body and quick-twitch athletic abilities led
one evaluator to compare him to NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Before
the injury, Mateo had been more than playing up to lofty expectations.
He’s an aggressive hitter and basestealer, and the ball jumps off his bat
with pop to the gaps. He’s a bit of a free swinger who needs development
time to refine his plate approach and baserunning. He’s got the range to
stick at shortstop with a plus arm as well, and the total package evokes
comparisons to Jose Reyes.
THE FUTURE: Mateo has played just 93 career games, so a return to extended
spring training seems likely. The Yankees then could send him to either
their new Rookie-level Pulaski affiliate in the Appalachian League or
short-season Staten Island.
4.GREG BIRD, 1B
BACKGROUND: The high school catcher for Orioles righthander Kevin Gausman, the
Yankees signed Bird away from an Arkansas commitment for a $1.1 million
bonus. He moved off of catcher in pro ball and shifted to first base, where
his recurring back spasms—which affected him this past year as well—
would be far less likely to come into play. He worked hard to strengthen
his core but still deals with recurring back issues.
SCOUTING REPORT: Like a lot of the Yankees’ better prospects, Bird is a
slow-twitch player with little athleticism to speak of. What Bird does do
well, however, is hit. He’s one of the purest hitters in the system,
with the ability to pepper the field from line to line. He’s got the most
advanced approach in the system, knows the strike zone and knows his own
swing well. He also generates plenty of power from a short swing, and
projects to hit 18-20 homers in the big leagues, a figure that could
be boosted by the short porch in Yankee Stadium if he starts pulling the ball
more often. He’s average around the bag at first base and is a well
below-average runner.
THE FUTURE: After making up for the month or so he lost this season with time
in the Arizona Fall League, Bird has a good shot to start next season in
Triple-A.
5.GARY SANCHEZ, C
BACKGROUND: Signed for $3 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2009,
Sanchez tore through the low minors over his first four professional seasons
and established himself as not only one of the best minors’ best catchers,
but one of the best overall prospects in the game. He’s still a key member
of the Yankees’farm, but middling production and repeated disciplinary
issues have chipped away some of his sheen.
SCOUTING REPORT: Very little has changed in terms of Sanchez’s overall
tools. If everything clicks, he’s a frontline catcher with the
potential for a .280 average and 20-25 home runs annually. His throwing arm
remains an impressive tool as well, one that ranks between 70-80 on the
scouting scale, and he threw out 39 percent of basestealers. But the warts
are still there, too. He’s still working to become more adept as a receiver
and a blocker—he led the Eastern League with 17 errors and 10 passed balls—
and some scouts felt he struggled to establish a proper rapport with his staff.
He also was benched for five games in the middle of the season for issues
away from the field.
THE FUTURE: After a combined 587 plate appearances at Double-A, Sanchez is
ready to be tested at Triple-A and move toward the precipice of helping
the big club if he can prove he’s reliable.
6.IAN CLARKIN, LHP
BACKGROUND: A star on the 2012 USA Baseball 18-and-under team that won the
gold medal at the IBAF World Championship, Clarkin had a strong senior
high school season, and the Yankees draft him 33rd overall in 2013. After
saying he “couldn’t stand” the Yankees growing up, he signed with
New York for $1,650,100. His pro debut was delayed by an ankle injury that
happened when he slipped on a baseball at the Yankees complex in Florida.
SCOUTING REPORT: A three-pitch lefthander, Clarkin does an excellent job
of getting downhill from a high release point, generating groundball outs
with his fastball, which clocks in at 90-92 mph and features modest life.
Some scouts saw the need for Clarkin to add a cutter as he climbed the
ladder. Under the guidance of pitching coordinator Gil Patterson,
he did just that this season. With the new weapon in tow, he’ll be able to
coax even more groundballs. His best secondary pitch is a changeup, which
scouts rank as plus. He also throws a big-breaking curveball in the 70-72
mph range. His delivery is clean, has some deception to it and looks a bit
like the one Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw employs.
THE FUTURE: After a brief dip of his toe into the waters at high Class A
Tampa, Clarkin will head back to that level to begin the year with a chance
at the upper levels in the second half.
7.ROB REFSNYDER, 2B/OF
BACKGROUND: Refsnyder was the Most Outstanding Player in the 2012 College World
Series while playing right field for Arizona. The Yankees signed him for
$205,900, then moved him to second base.
SCOUTING REPORT: A short swing and excellent plate discipline help make
Refsnyder a strong hitter. He’s balanced at the plate, has good hand-eye
coordination and has quick hands that help him catch up to good velocity.
He sprays line drives all over the diamond. He’s got power enough for
double-digit home runs, but he’s a pure hitter first before a power hitter.
He’s an average runner underway but a little slower out of the box.
Refsnyder’s bat profiles better if he can handle second base, where
his lack of experience shows in his inconsistent actions, footwork and poor
angles to balls. He has made strides turning double plays and reading
hitters’ swings, and some evaluators see him as a future
fringe-average-to-average defender whose bat will help him play there.
THE FUTURE: Multiple evaluators have compared Refsnyder to the Mets’ Daniel
Murphy, though he’s a righthanded hitter. Barring a big move in free
agency, he’ll have a chance to win the big league second-base job out of
spring training, but it’s more likely he heads back to Triple-A for
more seasoning.
8.JACOB LINDGREN, LHP
BACKGROUND: A starter at Mississippi State in 2013, Lindgren converted to
the bullpen in the Cape Cod League after his sophomore season and remained
there in his junior year. He lost his changeup and curveball when in relief,
but found less was more, leading the nation with 16.3 strikeouts per nine
innings as a junior.
SCOUTING REPORT: It didn’t take long for Lindgren to get back in the groove.
He ran through the lower minors with ease and ended his season at Double-A
Trenton, his fourth level of the year. Lindgren couples a 92-94 mph fastball
with deception and tremendous armside run and sink. He couples the pitch
with a tight, power slider thrown in the mid-80s that already ranks as
the best in the system. His control can wander a little at times, which may
make the difference of whether he’s a future setup man or closer.
THE FUTURE: Lindgren will have a good chance to make the Yankees’ big league
bullpen in 2014, perhaps after a short stint in Triple-A. He’s expected to
eventually pitch high-leverage innings.
9.LUIS TORRENS, C
BACKGROUND: Torrens played in the infield in Panama’s winter league on a
team operated by former Yankees international scouting director Carlos Rios,
who was his trainer. Torrens signed for $1.3 million and opened eyes last
season with his work behind the plate and willingness to learn despite the
rigors of a new position and a long season.
SCOUTING REPORT: Managers and scouts alike rave about Torrens’ defensive
skills, noting how advanced he is as a receiver and a blocker for someone
his age and with his limited experience. He turns in 1.85-1.9-second pop
times, showing a quick release and accurate throws. The Yankees aggressively
moved him to low Class A Charleston to begin the year, but had to
cut his time there short because a shoulder strain hindered his ability to
throw. He hit better after dropping down to short-season Staten Island,
where he was still young for the league. Scouts believe in his ability
to hit for average in the long term, and think he’ll grow into
power once his body finishes developing. His swing has some loft and he’s
shown gap power.
THE FUTURE: After a quick trip to Charleston in 2014, Torrens is likely to
return there for a much longer engagement in 2015.
10.MIGUEL ANDUJAR, 3B
BACKGROUND: Andujar signed for $750,000 in 2011, but with the Yankees’
third-base depth, he didn’t make his full-season debut until this season.
Thanks to his slow start and the fact that past top picks Dante Bichette
and Eric Jagielo were a level ahead of him at high Class A Tampa,
Andujar played the entire season at low Class A Charleston.
SCOUTING REPORT: After an unimpressive first half, Andujar grinded his way
though and had a big second half, showing his ability to adjust. He’s an
aggressive hitter, especially on fastballs early in the count, and shows
above-average bat speed that translates to at least average power. He showed
an ability to adjust to offspeed pitches well for his age, though his
inexperience showed in struggles with lefthanded pitchers (.461 OPS) and
his struggles to hit at night (.924 OPS during the day, .682 OPS at night).
Andujar’s best tool is his 70 throwing arm, and he’s athletic enough to
throw from various angles. He needs to sharpen his reads on grounders and
slow down the game, but he has the tools to be a tick above-average
defender at third if he continues to work at improvement.
THE FUTURE: If everything clicks, Andujar has a future of an everyday third
baseman whose bat profiles for the position. He’ll move to high Class A
Tampa for 2015.