- OF Clint Frazier (post-concussion migraines) is expected to be cleared for on-field activity by Spring Training, Brian Cashman told Bryan Hoch. “I’ve been slowly hitting, throwing, working out. For the most part, I’m ramping up to start doing some overhand BP, just trying to get the timing right, get the facility work out. I’m pretty much full tilt whenever I’m ready to go,” said Frazier during a recent YES Network interview (video link).
- Baseball America (subs. req’d) named ten players who could have a breakout 2019 season if they stay healthy. OF Estevan Florial is among them. “The strikeouts and pitch recognition issues are red flags for Florial, but he also broke the hamate bone in his right wrist in May—a possible mitigating factor in Florial’s season, especially given the lack of game power despite above-average raw power. Being a year removed from that injury and facing Double-A pitching for the first time will make 2019 a pivotal year for Florial,” says the write-up.
- The MLB.com crew listed one breakout prospect for each team in 2019. RHP Albert Abreu got the nod for the Yankees. “If healthy in ’19, Abreu has three pitches — a fastball, breaking ball and changeup — that all grade out as plus and could help him quickly climb through the Yankees’ system,” says the write-up.
- Jonathan Mayo ranked the top 15 prospects traded this offseason. LHP Justus Sheffield (No. 1), RHP Erik Swanson (No. 4), OF Dom Thompson-Williams (No. 7) all made the list. The Yankees sent those three to the Mariners in the James Paxton trade.
Arizona Fall League
- IF Thairo Estrada: 19 G, 19-for-80 (.238), 9 R, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 15 K, 1 CS, 1 HBP (.238/.282/.263)
- OF Estevan Florial: 21 G, 13-for-73 (.178), 10 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 8 RBI, 12 BB, 29 K, 2 SB, 1 CS (.178/.294/.260)
- 1B Steven Sensley: 21 G, 15-for-76 (.197), 4 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 26 K, 1 CS, 2 HBP (.197/.256/.263)
- RHP Jordan Foley: 7 G, 7 GS, 19.2 IP, 20 H, 20 R, 20 ER, 19 BB, 20 K, 2 HR, 1 HB, 2 WP (9.15 ERA and 1.98 WHIP) — the Yankees traded him to the Rockies soon after the AzFL season ended
- RHP Hobie Harris: 9 G, 15 IP, 14 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 16 K, 1 HR, 2 WP (4.20 ERA and 1.40 WHIP)
- RHP Matt Wivinis: 11 G, 12 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 14 K, 1 HB, 1 WP (1.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP)
- RHP Kyle Zurak: 9 G, 9.1 IP, 16 H, 15 R, 12 ER, 10 BB, 3 K, 3 HR, 3 WP (11.57 ERA and 2.79 WHIP)
Dominican Winter League
- IF Hanser Alberto: 43 G, 55-for-171 (.322), 16 R, 9 2B, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 10 BB, 15 K, 2 SB, 1 CS, 2 HBP (.322/.366/.392) — this dude has been playing winter ball since he was 19 years old in 2012 … his winter ball OPS by year from 2012-18: .501, .406, .945, .854, .913, .788, .758
- IF Gio Urshela: 26 G, 22-for-96 (.229), 11 R, 9 2B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 4 BB, 12 K (.229/.260/.354) — not a good winter ball showing but I’m still glad the Yankees will have him stashed in Triple-A this coming season
- RHP Albert Abreu: 6 G, 6 GS, 20 IP, 13 R, 7 ER, 11 B, 15 K, 1 HB, 2 WP (1.80 ERA and 1.20 WHIP) — finished the year with 92.2 innings
- LHP Nestor Cortes: 8 G, 8 GS, 42 IP, 26 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 10 BB, 45 K, 3 HR, 2 WP (1.71 ERA and 0.86 WHIP) — kinda surprised he didn’t get popped in the Rule 5 Draft again … seems to me his hometown Marlins could’ve found some use for him in 2019
- RHP Carlos Espinal: 7 G, 9.2 IP, 14 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 H, 1 HR, 1 WP (4.66 ERA and 1.86 WHIP)
- RHP Raynel Espinal: 11 G, 15.1 IP, 13 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 11 K, 1 HB, 2 WP (2.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP)
- RHP Joe Harvey: 4 G, 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (0.00 ERA and 0.55 WHIP) — what’s greater, his number of winter ball appearances or his number of MLB appearances in 2019? guessing it’s the latter but that’s hardly a lock
- RHP Adonis Rosa: 11 G, 18 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 14 K (3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP)
- LHP Anderson Severino: 1 G, 0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HB
Mexican Pacific League
- 1B Ryan McBroom: 28 G, 24-for-106 (.226), 8 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 10 BB, 28 K, 3 SB, 1 HBP (.226/.294/.321)
Roberto Clemente Profession Baseball League (Puerto Rico)
- LHP Reiver Sanmartin: 4 G, 3 GS, 11 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 6 BB, 4 K, 1 HB, 1 WP (6.55 ERA and 1.55 WHIP) — ugly winter ball stint, but Sanmartin seems like a safe bet to be the next “great stats, okay-ish scouting report” prospect who gets overrated by the masses
Venezuelan Winter League
- IF Angel Aguilar: 35 G, 27-for-94 (.287), 13 R, 6 2B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 6 BB, 21 K, 5 SB, 1 CS (.287/.320/.447)
- C Francisco Diaz: 47 G, 39-for-146 (.267), 14 R, 4 2B, 3 3B, 10 RBI, 20 BB, 16 K, 3 HBP (.267/.365/.322) — he caught games from mid-February straight though late-December … his legs must be begging for mercy
- F Wilkerman Garcia: 14 G, 11-for-42 (.262), 9 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 CS (.262/.279/.381)
- C Eduardo Navas: 1 G, 0-1 (.000) — I wonder if he was added to the roster as an emergency catcher at some point because he was local, hence the one at-bat winter ball stint
- C Jerry Seitz: 4 G, 1-for-9 (.111), 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K (.111/.182/.111)
- RHP Daniel Alvarez: 14 G, 17.2 IP, 18 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 19 K, 4 HR, 1 WP (3.57 ERA and 1.42 WHIP)
- RHP Alex Mejias: 1 G, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (0.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP)
- RHP Anderson Munoz: 15 G, 19 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 9 BB, 17 K, 1 HR, 2 WP (2.37 ERA and 1.05 WHIP)