CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 07: Deivi Garcia #45 of the American League Futures Team pitches during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on July 7, 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
New York Yankees pitching prospect Deivi Garcia (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
These three New York Yankees prospects may not see playing time this season. However, if the opportunity arises, they’re poised to make an impact.
As an organization, up until very recently, the New York Yankees weren’t known for their farm system. Over the last few seasons, however, a slew of prospects have climbed through the ranks, reaching the big leagues and immediately making an impact.
So, today, I’d like to highlight three more prospects that could eventually reach the Bronx and refuse to look back at MiLB. Two of these prospects could, if the opportunity arises, have an impact on the big league team as soon as this season, especially…
Deivi Garcia
At times last season, Deivi Garcia was drawing comparisons to Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez. Perhaps it’s that Garcia is of Dominican descent. Perhaps it’s that the kid is small in stature. Who knows?
What we do know is that he rose through the minor league ranks rather quickly, raising eyebrows around the league in one dominant start last July. While playing for the Double-A Trenton Thunder, Garcia punched out 15 batters in six one-hit innings. The performance resulted in the team clinching a playoff spot at season’s end.
From there, experts and analysts began to follow the kid closely as he stuck out 87 batters in 53.2 Double-A innings. His dominance resulted in a promotion to the Triple-A Scranton-Wilks Barre RailRiders.
In Scranton, Garcia struggled to find the dominance he had in the lower levels. He still, however, maintained a high strikeout rate and assured that he’d begin the 2020 season just one step away from the “show.”
If Garcia can keep the ball in the park and walk fewer batters, he’ll be donning New York Yankees pinstripes as soon as the 2020 MLB season.
3 Yankees prospects poised to make an impact
Luis Medina
At 20-years-old, Luis Medina has caught the attention of the New York Yankees and could potentially see time in the big leagues sometime this season. It’s not his stats that have impressed the team. In fact, his MiLB numbers are rather pedestrian and have resulted in him not being promoted beyond A-ball.
His stuff, on the other hand, shows great potential, and with the Yankees upgrading their pitching coaches, we could see a much-improved secret weapon in Medina.
According to Baseball America, on a 20-80 scale, Medina has an 80-grade fastball. That is, he can touch 100 mph with ease throughout an entire game. The rest of his pitching repertoire consists of an excellent curveball and an average-grade curveball.
This type of stuff, under the right coaching, can result in elite pitching. Medina’s problems arise in control. In 4-seasons, across all levels, Medina averages a 7.1 BB9. This has resulted in a 1.650 WHIP in his career in MiLB.
This isn’t unlike someone like Dellin Betances, who faced similar struggles at the start of his career. Eventually, Betances rose up to become arguably the best middle reliever in the game. Medina could face a similar fate.
Don’t be surprised if you see Medina coming out of the bullpen at some point this season.
3 Yankees prospects poised to make an impact
Jasson Dominguez
Finally, we reach one of the most exciting prospects the New York Yankees have ever had in their system, Jasson Dominguez. At just 16-years-old, the number one international prospect has already drawn comparisons to Mike Trout.
At 5’10” and 190-pounds, the switch-hitting Dominguez (shown above) already appears to be built for the big-leagues. On a 20-80 scale, according to MLB.COM, here are his rankings:
Hit: 55
Power: 55
Run: 60
Arm: 60
Field: 55
These rankings already put Dominguez in above-average status earning him the nickname “El Marciano” or “The Martian” in English. The Yankees have so much confidence in this kid that they gave him a record-setting $5.1M contract, a record for an international free agent.
He regularly recorded exit velos over 110 mph as a righ-handed hitter and a left-handed-hitter. His reported 6.3-second 60-yard-dash is almost equal to the fastest man in baseball, Billy Hamilton, who ran a 6.2-second 60-year dash. He is named after former Yankees slugger Jason Giambi.
What’s more, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, an international signing director said of Dominguez, “It’s like Mickey Mantle… he’s not 6-foot, he’s a switch-hitter, he’s got crazy power, and he’s fast as s—.”
Next. MLB free agents: 3 OF that could make an impact. dark
Jasson Dominguez isn’t likely to see big-league playing time this season, but if he continues to progress at this rate, don’t be shocked to see him debut at the age of 18
