2017 Acquisition: Clarke Schmidt, RHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 2/20/96 (22)
2017 teams/levels played for: none
2017 Stats: none
Info: Considered one of the most dominant arms of the college crop coming into the 2017 collegiate season, Schmidt was rocketing up draft boards after a 1.34 over his first 9 starts, striking out 70 in 60 1/3 innings. Then his elbow popped.
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The New York Yankees were willing to take a chance on a player that may not throw a pitch for their until mid-2018 because of his pure upside. In the meantime, the team is working with Schmidt to build up his frame, which is on the “slight” side at just 6’1″.
The Yankees have worked with guys with similar stature and seen them have tremendous success. In fact, the top New York Yankees pitching prospect currently has nearly an identical build, and the Yankees have shown an ability to develop the type of both build and arsenal that Schmidt utilizes.
While the younger brother of Tigers prospect Clate Schmidt didn’t have the same high school shine his brother did, he certainly rose even higher while in college, developing into a guy who can touch upper 90s, sitting more in the 91-93 range with his fastball, touching 97. His two-seamer is his primary fastball and is extremely heavy and hard to square and drive for hitters, but he has shown an ability to locate his four-seamer well to get a swing, especially up in the zone.
He started his college career using mostly his two fastballs and spotting in his slider as it developed, but the slider is now a plus pitch, a pitch that gets plenty of swing and miss. The change has shown some above-average movement, but currently the best attribute of the pitch is his ability to control it.
Coming back from Tommy John is never a sure thing, but Schmidt is one of those arms in the 2017 draft that had a floor of an elite reliever and the upside of a frontline starter. He’ll be handled carefully in 2018, but the Yankees could have a big win in their system here down the line.
Next: Severino should lead rotation
That’s the New York Yankees top 10 prospects going into the 2018 season. Who was too high? Who was too low? Who was missing? Let us know in the comments below!!