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Photo Credit: Chris Robertson MILB.com

Report: Blake Rutherford out with hamstring injury

Photo Credit: Chris Robertson MILB.com
Photo Credit: Chris Robertson MILB.com

Late on Saturday, the New York Yankees‘ advanced rookie level team the Pulaski Yankees issued the following statement in regards to outfielder Blake Rutherford.  The tweet was taken down roughly a half hour after it was posted.

pulaski-tweet

On Sunday morning, word came out that Yankees Vice President of Player Development Gary Denbo stated Rutherford was dealing with a “minor injury, nothing serious,” but would not make any further statements on the matter.  This afternoon, in a conversation on social media, MLB.com’s draft and minor league expert Jonathan Mayo indicated what the issue with the Yankees outfielder is.  The report was also noted in a tweet by Bryan Hoch.

The Yankees selected Rutherford with the No. 18 overall pick this year’s MLB draft and is slated as the Yankees‘ No. 6 overall prospect by MLB.com.  Below is a part of their scouting report on him:

“Rutherford has everything he needs to hit for significant average and power.  He has a smooth left-handed swing, bat speed and power, though he won’t fully tap into his raw pop until he adds some more loft to his stroke.  He recognizes pitches well, shows signs of promising plate discipline and generally uses the entire field.  Presently a solid runner who broke into pro ball as a center fielder, Rutherford could lose a step as he matures physically and wind up on an outfield corner.  His arm draws average to solid grades from evaluators, so right field could be his ultimate destination.  Some scouts liken him to a more athletic version of David Justice, who won a World Series ring with the 2000 Yankees.”

So far, Rutherford has looked great since joining the Yankees organization.  He is hitting .382 with with an OPS of 1.058, has two home-runs, seven doubles and nine RBI in 25 games.

Hopefully he can return for the instructional league this fall.  Stay tuned to Bronx Pinstripes for the latest news on Rutherford and the Yankees.