New York Yankees: James Kaprielian to Undergo Tommy John Surgery

James Kaprielian, regarded as the New York Yankees’ top pitching prospect, will undergo Tommy John surgery after another bout of elbow trouble.

The New York Yankees are riding a three-game win streak, but they received some bad news on Thursday about one of their top prospects. The team announced that 23-year-old right-hander James Kaprielian will undergo Tommy John surgery.

Kaprielian, who is currently ranked as the Yankees’ #6 prospect by MLB Pipeline, will miss all of the 2017 season and likely a sizable chunk of 2018 as well. It’s a disappointing turn of events for a young pitcher the Yankees envisioned playing a role for them at some point this year.

Injuries have hampered Kaprielian since the Yanks drafted him in the first round (16th overall) in 2015 out of UCLA. At the time, he was considered a relatively polished product and a fair bet to reach the majors sooner rather than later. The Yankees have seen frustratingly little of him in game action since then, however.

A flexor tendon strain in his right elbow, the first sign of potential trouble for Kaprielian, limited him to only three minor league starts in 2016. The Yankees elected not to push the youngster, taking a gradual approach to his recovery. Overall, Kaprielian owns a 1.55 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 7.20 K/BB ratio in 29 innings between the Rookie, Low-A and High-A levels, providing a tantalizing glimpse of his capabilities.

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Kaprielian got back to work in last November’s Arizona Fall League, posting a 5.33 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 3.25 K/BB over 27 innings. The Yankees hoped it would set the stage for a healthy, productive season for him in 2017. They continued to use him carefully during the spring, but a recurrence of his elbow woes sidelined him before he could get underway in the minors.

It was clear the situation was serious when it was reported last week that Kaprielian would see Dr. Neal ElAttrache after receiving the results of an MRI scan. Yesterday, general manager Brian Cashman acknowledged that surgery was an option for the young righty. He’s decided to take that step.

Considering the suspect makeup of the Yankees’ starting rotation this year, the possibility of Kaprielian emerging and claiming a spot on the staff was something the club had at the back of its mind for later in the season. They will now have to wait even longer for a chance to see what Kaprielian can do above the Class A level.

In the short term, the injury puts more pressure on the Yankees’ other young hurlers to provide quality innings at the back end of the rotation in 2017. Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery occupy the fourth and fifth slots at the moment, but Chad Green and Luis Cessa could get the call from Triple-A if needed. Aside from a first-inning home run, Montgomery looked solid in his big league debut yesterday against the Rays.

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Having just turned 23 last month, it’s much too early to declare Kaprielian a lost cause. However, the fast track to the majors some once imagined for him is no longer in the cards. The Yankees will need to keep showing patience and faith that the former first-rounder will one day make good on his lofty prospect status.