New York Yankees former top prospect signs in CPBL

Former New York Yankees top prospect Manny Banuelos has found a new team, reportedly signing with the Fubon Guardians in the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Once upon a time, Manny Banuelos was a former top prospect for the New York Yankees. He was a consensus top 30 prospect prior to the 2012 season, expected to be a top of the rotation arm in New York. Injuries cost him most of two seasons in the minors, and when he finally reached the majors, Banuelos was unable to recapture the form that made him a top prospect.

Those days as a top prospect have long since passed. Banuelos has bounced around, spending time in the Braves, Angels, Dodgers, White Sox, and Mariners organizations since the start of 2015. His stay in Seattle never resulted in a regular season outing, as he was one of the minor league players released on May 28.

However, Banuelos has managed to latch on to another team. While roster freezes are in place for major league options, he has signed with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Banuelos struggled in his brief time in the majors. Over his 23 games spanning 77 innings, he has posted a 6.31 ERA and a 1.743 WHiP, striking out 63 batters with 45 walks. Banuelos struggled to keep the ball in the year, allowing 16 homers, while the opposition posted a .296/.392/.503 batting average against in 356 plate appearances.

That inconsistency followed him in AAA as well. Over parts of eight years at the highest minor league level, he has posted a 3.98 ERA and a 1.490 WHiP. While he struck out 370 batters in 396 innings, Banuelos also issued 193 walks, that lack of command a major part of his struggles.

Yet, Banuelos is just 29 years old. There is still plenty of time left for him to become a viable major league option, especially if he can turn his fortunes around overseas. Leagues such as the CPBL are improving in quality, making those moves overseas far more than a move of borne of desperation.

For Banuelos, this move comes with another advantage. While Major League Baseball is still in a holding pattern, he can continue to pitch and stay in shape. If he can show improvement with his command in the CPBL, another chance may come stateside.

For now, this was the best avenue for former New York Yankees top prospect Manny Banuelos. For that matter, it may have been the only avenue left.