Prospects of the Week:
Jake Cave (Double-A Trenton)
Considered by some to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the Yankees farm system, Cave is again producing without much fanfare in 2015. Cave’s seen an encouraging cut in strikeout rate from 22.3 percent last season to 16 percent this year as he adjusts to Double-A pitchers. He is running more as well, already tying his 2014 SB total of 12. Cave is also making more contact at the plate, and has seen his average climb to .280 on the season with a .346 OBP. With a reasonable walk rate and very solid K-rate, there’s really only one big weakness with Cave: he has just two home runs this season. Cave’s not making enough hard contact at the plate, shown in a paltry .356 SLG.
Considering that he does everything decently, but lacks a carrying tool, if Cave doesn’t hit for more power, he’s not going to be a major league regular. Should more power come along though (and this is certainly possible, his frame is conducive for a weight and power increase), Cave stands a chance at being a second-division starting center fielder. Without more power, Cave is probably a very useful fourth-outfielder, and for a late sixth round pick, that’s certainly nothing to sneeze at.
Brady Lail (Double-A Trenton)
It’s not often that an 18th round (577th overall) pick in the rule-4 draft amounts to much, but Brady Lail certainly looks like he could be an outlier. Lail has a 2.21 ERA this season at Double-A. The 21-year old has an awfully interesting arsenal as well. His best pitch is a cutter that has 55/60 potential, with Lail also utilizing two other solid fastballs, a two-seamer and four-seamer. If three different fastballs weren’t enough, Lail’s also got a slightly below average, but usable, changeup, and a 50+ curveball. He’s not a pitcher with much upside—his K/9 is just 5.70 this season—but Lail has a unique arm and, as with Jake Cave, you can’t argue with the results. The 6’ 2” righty has the look of a very solid innings-eater out of the back of the rotation, think Mike Leake, if he can develop his secondary pitches just a bit more.
Tyler Wade (High-A Tampa)
Last year, when Derek Jeter retired, Yankee fans made a mad dash to name a prospect the “Next Great Yankee Shortstop.” Ignoring the fact that this kind of search would only work if the Yankees had a player named Carlos Correa, New Yorkers settled on the speedy Jorge Mateo as the Yankees shortstop of the future. Mateo is pretty awesome, but what if he has to move off of the position? Or what if his speed can’t make up for his lack of power? Believe it or not, Mateo isn’t the only potential starting shortstop in the Yankees system. Tyler Wade is also a “guy,” as scouts say.
To start, Wade has as good a chance as any shortstop in High-A to stick at the position. He has plus speed too, evidenced by his 29 stolen bases this season. Wade’s not going to hit for power, but he has gap power and isn’t exactly a pushover at 6’1”. Wade also has a good feel for hitting, with an impressive .297 average and a .363 OBP as a 20 year old in High-A. He doesn’t have as much upside as Mateo, but Wade is the safer play and has the tools to be an average starting shortstop at the major league level.
Scranton Wilkes/Barre RailRiders
Friday:
RailRiders 4, Bisons 5
Saturday:
RailRiders 4, Bisons 5
Sunday:
RailRiders 8, Bisons 1
Thursday:
RailRiders 8, Bats 7
Notable Performances from the Week:
CF Ben Gamel: 6-18 (.333), 2 2B, 6 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 5 K
RF Aaron Judge: 2-8 (.250), HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
1B Greg Bird: 4-15 (.267), 2 HR, 3 R, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Luis Severino: 5.0 IP, 0 R/ER, H, BB, 4 K, 64 pitches
Trenton Thunder
Friday:
Flying Squirrels 2, Thunder 3
Saturday:
Flying Squirrels 5, Thunder 4
Sunday:
Flying Squirrels 1, Thunder 2
Monday:
Flying Squirrels 1, Thunder 7
Thursday:
Thunder 3, Mets 2
Notable Performances from the Week:
SS Ali Castillo: 6-22 (.273), R, 3 RBI, 4 SB, 5 K
CF Jake Cave: 2-20 (.100), R, RBI, SB, 2 BB, 3 K
C Gary Sanchez: 2-9 (.222), 2B, R, K
2B Tony Renda: 9-19 (.474), 2 2B, 6 R, RBI, 2 SB, BB, K
RHP Brady Lail: 7.2 IP, 0 R/ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 93 pitches
RHP Jaron Long: 6.0 IP, 4 R, 1 ER, 6 H, BB, 3 K, 93 pitches
LHP Matt Tracy: 6.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 4 H, BB, 3 K, 70 pitches
LHP Caleb Smith: 6.0 IP, 0 R/ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K, 75 pitches
Tampa Yankees
Friday:
Yankees 4, Cardinals 5
Saturday:
Yankees 3, Cardinals 1
Sunday:
Yankees 3, Cardinals 2
Monday:
Yankees 2, Cardinals 5
Wednesday:
Stone Crabs 4, Yankees 6
Thursday:
Stone Crabs 1, Yankees 5
Notable Performances from the Week:
SS Tyler Wade: 8-22 (.364), 2B, 4 R, RBI, SB, BB, 3 K
SS Abiatal Avelino: 4-17 (.235), 2B, 3B, 5 R, 2 RBI, BB, K
3B Miguel Andujar: 5-19 (.263), 3 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Rookie Davis: 7.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 6 K
LHP Dietrich Enns: 4.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 2 H, BB, 4 K
RHP Vicente (Apparently Jose goes by his middle name now?) Campos: 4.0 IP, 4 R/ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K
RHP Gabriel Encinas: 0.2 IP, 3 R/ER, H, 5 BB, K—7.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 2 H, BB, 6 K, 94 pitches
RHP Cale Coshow: 5.2 IP, 1 R/ER, 3 H, BB, 5 K, 85 pitches
Charleston RiverDogs
Friday:
Intimidators 12, RiverDogs 6
Saturday:
Intimidators 4, RiverDogs 7
Sunday:
Intimidators 12, RiverDogs 2
Wednesday:
RiverDogs 10, Braves 5
Thursday:
RiverDogs 0, Braves 3
Notable Performances from the Week:
SS Jorge Mateo: 5-13 (.385), 7 R, 2 RBI, 4 SB, 5 BB, 0 K
1B Leonard Thompson: 4-17, 2B, R, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 3 BB, 2 K
LHP Justin Kamplain: 6.0 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 92 pitches
Staten Island Yankees
Friday:
Yankees 3, IronBirds 6
Saturday:
Yankees 3, Doubledays 1
Sunday:
Yankees 7, Doubledays 3
Monday:
Yankees 7, Doubledays 10
Wednesday:
Cyclones 2, Yankees 3
Thursday:
Yankees 1, Cyclones 0
Notable Performances from the Week:
SS Kyle Holder: 7-26 (.269), 2 R, BB, CS, 5 K
RHP Luis Cedeno: 6.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K, 61 pitches
RHP Yoel Espinal: 4.0 IP, 0 R/ER, H, 5 BB, 2 K, 70 pitches
RHP Kolten Mahoney: 6.0 IP, 0 R/ER, 4 H, BB, 7 K, 80 pitches
Pulaski Yankees
Friday:
Rays 4, Yankees 6
Saturday:
Yankees 9, Astros 3
Sunday:
Yankees 2, Astros 5
Monday:
Yankees 0, Astros 5
Wednesday:
Royals 3, Yankees 5
Thursday:
Royals 3, Yankees 10
Notable Performances from the Week:
SS Hoy Jun Park: 5-21 (.238), 2 2B, HR, 6 R, 3 RBI, 3 SB, 5 BB, 5 K
LHP Nestor Cortes: 6.0 IP, 0 R/ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K
RHP Simon De la Rosa: 5.0 IP, 2 R/ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K
(Photo: Jonathan Dyer-USA Today Sports)