The New York Yankees organization will be well-represented at this year’s Arizona Fall League.
#AFL17-bound #Yankees prospects: IF Estrada, OF Florial, IF Gittens, IF Holder, LHP Sheffield, RHP Tate.
— Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) August 29, 2017
Six Yankees prospects will be participating in this year’s fall league, as they were named to the preliminary roster for the Scottsdale Scorpions.
Four of the six Baby Bombers are ranked among the organization’s top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com. Even after parting ways with some valuable prospects prior to the non-waiver trade deadline, the Yankees farm system is still considered one of the best in all of baseball.
Here’s a closer look at the six players participating in the Arizona Fall League:
Thairo Estrada- Infielder
Estrada is currently ranked No. 18 on the team’s top prospect list. The Venezuela native is a versatile infielder who has the ability to play shortstop, second base and third base.
The 21-year-old is in the midst of a very good season for Double-A Trenton. In 118 games, Estrada has posted a slash line of .300/.354/.394, including six home runs and 45 RBIs. Over his five seasons in the minor leagues, Estrada has posted a slash line of .287/.347/.387.
Estevan Florial- Outfielder
At just 19-years-old, Florial is already one of the organization’s top prospects.
Florial has spent three seasons in the Yankees organization, and is currently playing for Class-A Advanced Tampa. In 91 games between between Class-A Advanced and Single-A, the Haiti native has posted a slash line of .294/.371/.469.
The club’s No. 4 ranked prospect drew a lot of interest prior to this year’s non-waiver trade deadline. As the Yankees explored possible trade options, multiple teams showed interest in Florial. However, the 19-year-old was one of the prospects the club’s deemed to be “untouchable.”
Chris Gittens- First Baseman
Gittens was drafted by the Yankees in the 12th round of the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft. The 23-year-old is not ranked among the team’s top 30 prospects, but has impressed during his time in the minor leagues.
One of Gittens’ strength is his ability to hit for power. Over his past two seasons, his power has really shown, as he’s slugged 32 homers over his last 174 games. In his four minor league seasons, the first baseman has posted a slash line of .273/.377/.489.
He is currently playing for Class-A Advanced Tampa.
Kyle Holder- Infielder
The Yankees drafted Holder with the 30th overall pick in the 2015 MLB Amateur Draft. He’s a versatile infielder who the Yankees believe has a lot of potential.
Holder has been in the Yankees minor league system over the past three seasons, reaching as high as Class-A Advanced Tampa. In 243 games played, the 23-year-old has posted a slash line of .263/.307/.321.
Justus Sheffield- Pitcher
When the Yankees traded relief ace Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians, Justus Sheffield was one of the prospects included in the trade package.
Sheffield, the 31st overall pick in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft, is currently ranked as the Yankees No. 5 prospect. The organization believes that the left-hander will be a quality starter at the big league level, and could arrive in the Bronx sooner than anticipated.
In 17 starts this season, Sheffield is 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA. He has struck out 83 batters in just 92.1 innings of work.
Dillon Tate- Pitcher
Tate was acquired in the trade that sent Carlos Beltran to the Texas Rangers. Although the Rangers took Tate with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, it appeared as if the organization lost hope in the young right-hander.
Since joining the Yankees, it looks like the 23-year-old has gotten back on track. In 13 starts this season, Tate has posted a 7-2 record with a 2.81 ERA. He is currently pitching for Double-A Trenton, and ranks No. 14 on the organization’s top prospect list.
The Yankees took a risk when they acquired Tate, but it could reap high rewards for the Yankees in the future. If Tate can continue to get back to his top prospect status, the trade would be considered yet another steal for the Bronx Bombers.
The Arizona Fall League is scheduled to begin on October 10. The six-week league provides some of the game’s top prospects the opportunity to gain valuable playing experience. Rosters are not set in stone at this time, and are subject to change leading up to the start of the league.
