To the casual fan, this might seem like a potentially dismal season for the New York Yankees. The Yankees made relatively few offseason moves and most of their key players are getting older.
Meanwhile, Toronto has loaded up big time, and Baltimore and Tampa aren’t going anywhere. However, whatever this season may hold, the Yanks’ farm system will give fans a reason to believe in the future. If you are a Yankees fan, familiarize yourself with the following five players; they are part of the key to the future of pinstripe glory.
Gary Sanchez
The top prospect spot in the Yankees’ farm system goes to catcher Gary Sanchez. Catcher is definitely a position the Yanks will need help at soon, and Gary Sanchez should be able to provide that help. Sanchez will likely start the year out in Class A Tampa, and although his fielding numbers aren’t stellar, they show a steady trend of improvement which is a good sign for his future. In 2012 he hit .290 with 18 homeruns and 85 RBIs in 116 games last year for Class A Charleston and Class A Tampa (baseball-reference.com).
Tyler Austin
Taking the second spot on this list is outfielder Tyler Austin. Austin was drafted as a catcher, has played some first and third base, but has found his home at right field (newyork.yankees.mlb.com). Austin somehow fell to the 13thround of the 2010 draft, and the Yankees were very lucky to end up with him. Last season he hit .322 with 17 home runs and had 80 RBIs in 110 games at four different levels in the Yankees’ farm system (baseball-reference.com), but he spent most of his time at Class A Charleston and Class A Tampa.
Coming in at third is outfielder Mason Williams. Williams’ 2012 campaign was cut short by a dislocated shoulder in July, but he had an impressive year nonetheless. Williams hit .298 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 91 games for Class A Charleston and Class A Tampa last year (baseball-reference.com), and his speed and defense are slightly better than Austin’s.
Jose Campos
The fourth spot on this list goes to right-handed pitcher Jose Campos. Campos has a 95-98 mph fastball (scoutingbook.com) and brags a tremendous strikeout to walk ratio, along with a career cumulative average 1.168 WHIP (baseball-reference.com). The downside is he only went five starts before going down to elbow injury last year. The injury is a concern but if Campos can bounce back and maintain his strikeout to walk ratio he should reach AA this year.
Slade Heathcott
Rounding out the final spot in the top five is another outfielder in Slade Heathcott. Heathcott has been a promising offensive player for a few years now, but his development has been impeded by shoulder injuries that have required two surgeries. In 2012, he hit .302 with 5 HR and 29 RBIs in 65 games (baseball-reference.com). He is a great base-runner and an above-average fielder, and he would fit best in left field.
