The second half of the minor league season has begun and now every single Yankees minor league affiliate has begun play. Mark Teixeira even made an appearance down in the minors this past week, playing out his rehab assignment at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This week, as usual, we will highlight a few hot hands in the Yankees farm system, but this week’s Yankees minor league update will also include a profile of one of the Yankees’ youngest top prospects. Let’s get started then.
Miguel Andujar– 3B- Trenton (AA)- The 21 year-old third baseman has been on a roll since being called up to Trenton, hitting .408 with five extra base hits and nine RBI in his first 12 games at AA. Andujar has 11 hits in 20 at bats over the past five games, including a banner day at the plate Saturday, when he went 4-4 with a double and two RBI. He earned his call-up after hitting .283 with a .343 OBP, 10 HRs, and 41 RBI in 230 at-bats for Tampa earlier this season. He still has issues with his plate discipline, as he had just 18 walks over that span and has added only two more in AA, but he also keeps the strikeouts down, with 35 total this season. Andujar also has improved a bit defensively, with 10 errors in 61 games at the hot corner this season, compared to his 2015 campaign where he made 26 errors in 115 games. He has the arm to stick at third, but will need to improve his overall defense to stick there. Nevertheless, he is still a young prospect who has plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments.
Devyn Bolasky– CF- Tampa (A-Advanced)- Bolasky has split his time between Tampa and extended spring training, but has hit fairly well in his time in organized ball, hitting .305 with a .333 OBP and a .711 OPS. He does not hit for much power, with just one home run in 495 career minor league at-bats, but has stolen 22 bases in his professional career, including two this season. He has succeeded in finding some gap power at the very least, as he has already hit for six doubles in his brief stints in Tampa. The 23 year-old has five hits in his last two games and may be able to stick near the top of Tampa’s order if he holds onto regular playing time. The clock may be ticking for him, and any 23 year-old prospect doing time in extended spring training has a rough road ahead of him, but Bolasky is taking advantage of his opportunity right now.
Yefrey Ramirez– SP- Charleston (A)- In 61 innings this season, Ramirez has had the upper hand against South Atlantic League hitters, striking out 66 of them while posting a 2.80 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. In his last four starts, he has improved even further on those numbers, with a 1.80 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts in 21 innings. The 22 year-old Dominican came to the Yankees last winter from Arizona in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft and was initially signed to be a corner infielder. His fastball sits in the low 90s and he also throws in a breaking ball that looks a bit like a slurve. He has a tendency to avoid walking too many batters, and if he can continue to throw strikes, he has the potential to move up another level before the end of the season.
Wilkerman Garcia– SS- Pulaski (Advanced Rookie)- Garcia, ranked as the #5 Yankees prospect by MLB.com, impressed at the plate in 2015, hitting .299 with a .414 OBP, 19 RBI, 11 SBs, and 25 walks in 127 at-bats while showing an ability to spray the ball across all fields. The Venezuelan, who is all of 18 years old, made his 2016 debut this weekend for Pulaski, and although he has started just 1-12 and struck out five times, he still demonstrates all the tools to become one of the Yankees’ top prospects. He has plus speed and defensive skills and may be able to stick at shortstop long term. Garcia also could provide average power as he finishes growing and bulks up a bit. Garcia is at least three or four years away from the major leagues, but he is one of a handful of very young guys in the Yankees system who looks like a possibility to make it there.
