4. Taylor Widener, RHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 10/24/1994 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: high-A Tampa Yankees
2017 Stats: 27 GS, 119 1/3 IP, 3.39 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 10.2% BB, 26.4% K
Info: Widener bounced around in his role during college between rotation and bullpen, never really settling at one or the other, primarily due to a collection of injuries during his college career. The Yankees snagged him in the 12th round of the 2016 draft, liking his raw arm.
Widener benefited from the Yankees throwing program, seeing his fastball sit 92-94, touching 97 with incredible life on the pitch. His best secondary pitch is a slider that works well in the low-80s with tremendous late break that gets a ton of swing and miss.
His change is a pitch that has taken a big step forward, with Widener able to manipulate the pitch’s velocity and movement. He also uses a curve, but that works more as a “show me” fourth pitch right now.
While his future role is tough to determine, Widener could be a solid #3 starter or be a very good option as a multi-inning reliever. The Arizona Diamondbacks got him from the Yankees in the three-way Steven Souza deal, and they will likely open him at AA in 2018 to see what they have in him for future role.
3. Jasrado Chisholm, SS
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 2/1/1998 (20)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A Kane County Cougars
2017 Stats: .248/.325/.358, 125 PA, 1 HR, 3 SB, 10/39 BB/K
Info: The Arizona Diamondbacks signed Chisholm out of the Bahamas in 2015 for $200K. He’s shown very well since coming into the Diamondbacks system, with a ton of praise from scouts who have had to face him.
Chisholm battled through a major knee injury in 2017, which limited his time on the field, but even then he showed enough to excite those who saw him from 2016, showing physical growth and improved pitch recognition that impressed those in attendance.
For a guy who maybe weighs 180 pounds at 5’11”, Chisholm swings with the veracity of a guy who is trying to destroy every baseball near him. When he connects, he generates big power, but he can get too locked into trying to drive balls and end up swinging and missing on stuff out of the zone.
Chisholm has average speed, but above-average quickness, and as he physically develops, he could build his speed as he shows excellent athletic movements at short and good hands at the position.
Like any teenager (now 20 year-old), Chisholm has maturity/discipline things to work on at the plate and in the field that will allow him to take leaps forward as he figures them out. Whether the Arizona Diamondbacks have him work on that back at low-A after missing so much time in 2017 or bump him up to high-A will depend a lot on what he shows in spring.
Next: #1 and #2