FanGraphs Top 15 Yankees Prospects

February 24, 2012 by Mike Axisa 31 Comments

Marc Hulet of FanGraphs posted his list of the Yankees’ top 15 prospects today, with Manny Banuelos claiming the top spot as expected. The number two prospect may surprise you however, at least with regards to all the other prospect lists out there. The familiar names round out the rest of the top five. While you’re at it, check out Mike Newman’s somewhat unflattering profile of Ramon Flores. The kid can hit, but there is some ‘tweener potential. Make sure you check out both pieces, they’re well worth your time.

thenamestsam

Love seeing Campos so high. Hulet sounds like he really likes the system overall which is always a good thing.
CS Yankee

Campos likely deserves that high a rating as he can throw 98, has 3 offerings, great FIP and almost never walks anyone. The league was mostly against HS kids (or late signings) but he basically was (at 18) as well.

I liked where he had Murphy, I am off the Slade bandwagon (seems like a cross between Milton and Xavier…the bad parts that is), but most of these guys seem to highly value him.
- Doug
  
  Rare to see someone who’s 3+ years away from the bigs this high, though
Steve (different one)

What is Hulet’s rep as a prospect guy? He said he thought Bichette was a top 20 talent in the draft, yet everyone seemed to think this was the worst pick ever. Just curious if he has the same rep as some of the other guys.
JW

Ahh — “Mike” Newman. Less damning than a bad report from Mark Newman.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  Yikes, that’s a pretty bad typo. My bad.
- Steve (different one)
  
  But it’s better than a report from Randy Newman, since he thinks Flores is 5′ 10″ and short people have no reason to smile
fin

I’ve read in a few places that Flores is much bigger now than 5’10 150. I saw a poster under the article say the same thing, that hes now in the 6’2 200 range. If that is the case, have to throw out the worries about him and being a tweener. The minor league hitting coach raved about Flores, so I’ve been intersted since I saw that article.
- Mr. RSU
  
  was just going to say this. He is more towards 6’2 these days right? In that case, Newman has to re-think his approach for a 20 year old with that frame
STONE COLD Austin Romine

I’ve read that he’s 5’11 185.
- kenthadley
  
  To Mike A…do you have some confirmation of Flores since it seems all over the board?
dean

I love acquiring pitchers that don’t walk people. Pineda and Campos both throw and hard and don’t walk people….thumbs up.
- Steve (different one)
  
  They are also both huge. Imagine a rotation with CC, Pineda, Campos, and Dellin? Yikes. And wee little ManBan….
  - RetroRob
    
    Phil Hughes at 6’5″ feels small.
J.R.

Campos for prospect watch…
- Steve (different one)
  
  Seconded
  - Havok9120
    
    I’ve been saying it since we got him.
- Jesse
  
  Have a feeling he’ll be the guy too.
JMK

As others said, Hulet’s take on Flores seems centered on the notion he’s 5’10, 150 lbs. If he’s not, the piece is really a throwaway. Hulet said in the comments that Flores looked roughly that size last summer – I’m not an endocrinologist but I can’t think of many cases where someone gained four inches in height and 50 lbs. of weight in a few months, especially at 19.

Some confirmation would be good to have.
- fin
  
  I went from 6’2 170lbs to 6’2 205 in about 6 months my freshman year in college. I doubt that FLores is on my strict regimine of beer and sleeping late though.
  - JMK
    
    He also apparently grew four inches, too.
Manny’s Banwagon

Where’s that guy who insisted that Noesi was a better prospect than Campos now?
- fin
  
  I wonder how exactly the Noessi/campos part of the trade worked out. Was it becasue Pineda was worth more than Montero so the Yankees had to include Noessi to make up the diff, and then the scales were tipped the other way requiring Campos to even it out.
  Or, with the Mariners loosing a starting pitcher they were left short and needed another MLB ready pitcher, so they traded Campos for Noessi. Campos who had more upside but alot further from MLB for a MLB ready pitcher. Maybe the Yankees knew they were signing Kuroda before the trade, leaving Noessi no spot. Maybe the Yankees dont sign Kuroda if they didnt have to trade Noessi. IT would be cool to know how these things go down.
  - DM
    
    I think the Mariners wanted more than Montero for Pineda –i.e., an arm to replace Pineda in the rotation included in the deal as well. They wanted Nova I believe. Cashman said no, offered Noesi instead but demanded a prospect arm to replace the arm they were giving up.
- Brain Dead Ted
  
  I’m still here! I’ve just been busy wiping the egg off my face for various other uninformed assertions I made.
  - Manny’s Banwagon
    
    You got that right.
DM

Mark Montgomery doesn’t get much love on these lists, huh? That’s ok. I liked David Robertson when no one was paying attention to him either.
- fin
  
  The Yankees seem to do very well with guys not on these lists.
  - DM
    
    Yeah, I take them with a big grain of salt. They tend to include big names from the draft regardless of how they’re actually performing in the minors — or guys who perform well but are too old for their level to mean much. Brackman was never on my Top 10 but he was always depicted as a major prospect. Also, I remember guys like Eric Duncan and Drew Henson were listed way beyond their logical right to be included.
- vinny-b
  
  I had David Robertson in my top 20, when he got back from the Cape.
  
  we’re in select company.
Rod

Not a comp by any stretch but Flores’ swing from set to follow through reminds me of Mattingly.