Prospects of the Week:
Gosuke Katoh, 2B:
At the end of 2013, second round pick Gosuke Katoh was the talk of the Yankees farm system. After being drafted that same year, he had an impressive performance in Rookie-Ball, hitting .310/.402/.522 in 50 games. With an advanced bat, average power, plus speed, and good second base defense, Katoh was even being called Robinson Cano’s replacement by some. The next year, Katoh’s hype was all but gone. He hit just .222 with three home runs in 121 games while striking out 30.5 percent of the time. On the bright side, the Yankees were encouraged by his second half improvements, and felt he could rebound in 2015.
Katoh started this season at Low-A, hoping for a bounce back season. Unfortunately, he performed even worse than last season, hitting .161/.264/.202, also striking out more and walking less. After 39 games of this, he was demoted to his old stomping grounds of Rookie-Ball. He’s currently hitting .297 with a great 145 wRC+ and an improved strikeout rate.
It’s hard to figure out why Katoh, a seemingly advanced bat, was struggling so much in his second go-around at Low-A. His raw tools are still there, yet he can’t touch Low-A pitching. As with many prospects, it is too soon to write him off as another early-round bust, but other than keep Katoh to Rookie-Ball for the third time in four years, there isn’t much for the Yankees to do here. Maybe something clicks, or maybe this stint in Rookie-Ball helps his confidence, but it’s hard to imagine Katoh ever becoming the player the Yankees once hoped he could be.
James Kaprielian, SP
The Yankees took Kaprielian with the highest first round pick they’ve had since 1993. (here’s to hoping he doesn’t turn out like Matt Drews!) Kaprielian took a while to sign, and made his professional debut on Saturday, August 22nd, 75 days after being drafted by the Yankees 16th overall. The 21-year old threw three perfect innings, striking out 4 and throwing 35 pitches. Kaprielian is likely to make two or three more starts this season at Short-Season Staten Island before the season is over.
Kaprielian stayed true to his scouting report, sitting at around 92 mph and topping out at 95. Kaprielian also throws a plus curveball, his best pitch, and an average changeup that could turn into an above average pitch. Kaprielian’s pitches don’t look like the typical first round arsenal, but his advanced presence and knowledge on the mound has impressed scouts; he “knows how to pitch”.
He isn’t the flashiest of first rounders, and certainly has less upside than others, but Kaprielian still belongs as a top pick. The pitcher’s floor is one of the highest in the draft, and he may have a better chance of sticking as a starter than anyone else. Kaprielian’s advanced repertoire and pitchability also gives him an ETA of either late-2016 or 2017, making him quite close to the big leagues for a draft pick. Kaprielian is likely to start next season either in Low-A Charleston or High-A-Tampa, where he will work towards reaching his mid-rotation upside.
Scranton Wilkes/Barre RailRiders
Tuesday:
IronPigs 3, RailRiders 1
Wednesday:
IronPigs 1, RailRiders 2
Thursday:
Red Wings 2, RailRiders 3
Friday:
Red Wings 2, RailRiders 3
Saturday:
Red Wings 5, RailRiders 11
Sunday:
Red Wings 2, RailRiders 4
Monday:
Red Sox 5, RailRiders 1
Notable Performances From The Week:
C Gary Sanchez: 7-26, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 7 K
RF Aaron Judge: 5-23, 2B, 2 HR, 5 R, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K, SB
2B Rob Refsnyder: 3-24, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K, SB
RHP Brady Lail: 6.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 4 H, 2 BB 1 K
RHP Kyle Haynes: 7.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Trenton Thunder
Tuesday:
Thunder 3, Baysox 4
Wednesday:
Thunder 6, Baysox 4
Thursday:
Thunder 3, Baysox 7
Friday:
Flying Squirrels 0, Thunder 6
Saturday:
Flying Squirrels 4, Thunder 2
Sunday:
Flying Squirrels 2, Thunder 0
Monday:
RubberDucks 1, Thunder 3
Notable Performances From The Week:
CF Jake Cave: 4-24, 2B, R, BB, 5 K, SB
SS Tyler Wade: 2-16, 2B, 2 R, SB, BB, 4 K
LHP Caleb Smith: 6.0 IP, 0 R/ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 11 K
RHP Cale Coshow: 5.1 IP, 0 R/ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K
RHP Eric Ruth: 5.2 IP, 0 R/ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K
Tampa Yankees
Wednesday:
Flying Tigers 3, Yankees 2
Flying Tigers 3, Yankees 1
Thursday:
Tortugas 7, Yankees 4
Friday:
Tortugas 8, Yankees 4
Saturday:
Tortugas 1, Yankees 4
Sunday:
Blue Jays 8, Yankees 5
Monday:
Blue Jays 2, Yankees 3
Notable Performances From The Week:
SS Jorge Mateo: 6-25, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, 3 SB, CS, BB, 4 K
3B Miguel Andujar: 7-23, 2B, 2 HR, 4 R, 6 RBI, 2 SB, BB, 4 K
LHP Chaz Hebert: 6.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 8 K
LHP Dietrich Enns: 6.0 IP, 0 R/ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 8 K
Charleston RiverDogs
Wednesday:
Braves 0, RiverDogs 1
Braves 1, RiverDogs 5
Thursday:
GreenJackets 1, RiverDogs 5
Friday:
GreenJackets 3, RiverDogs 9
Saturday:
GreenJackets 5, RiverDogs 10
Sunday:
GreenJackets 3, RiverDogs 7
Notable Performances From The Week:
OF Austin Aune: 6-24, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 5 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 8 K
LHP Justin Kamplain: 7.0 IP, 0 R/ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K
RHP Matt Wotherspoon: 7.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 9 K
RHP Jordan Foley: 5.0 IP, 1 R/ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 K
Staten Island Yankees
Wednesday:
Yankees 1, IronBirds 2
Saturday:
Yankees 3, Spinners 2
Yankees 3, Spinners 2
Sunday:
Yankees 4, Spinners 0
Monday:
Yankees 4, IronBirds 3
Notable Performances From The Week:
RHP James Kaprielian: 3.0 IP, 0 R/ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K
RHP Domingo Acevedo: 6.0 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 10 K
Pulaski Yankees
Tuesday:
Yankees 10, Royals 1
Thursday:
Twins 2, Yankees 4
Friday:
Twins 5, Yankees 4
Saturday:
Twins 3, Yankees 4
Sunday:
Blue Jays 1, Yankees 0
Monday:
Blue Jays 3, Yankees 12
Notable Performances From The Week:
CF Carlos Vidal: 4-19, 2B, 2 HR, 5 R, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K
SS Hoy Jun Park: 3-20, 2B, HR, 5 R, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K
2B Gosuke Katoh: 7-18, 3B, 3 R, SB, 4 BB, 6 K
LHP Nestor Cortes: 5.1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 9 K
(Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA Today Sports)