(Photo via Mike Ashmore)

Phil Wetherell | RHP

Background
A graduate of Stewardson-Strasburg High School outside of Champaign, Illinois, Wetherell starred as both a pitcher and position player for the Comets. He lettered all four years and was thrice named to the All-Conference Team, plus he played basketball and made the honor roll all four years. Wetherell wasn’t much of a pro prospect however, so he went undrafted in 2008 and ended up at Kaskaskia College, a two-year school. He threw 55.2 IP and led the Hilltoppers to the Great Rivers Athletic Conference Championship, posting a 4.04 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 18 walks. After again going undrafted, he transferred to Western Kentucky.

Wetherell pitched sparingly as a sophomore, throwing 29.1 IP with 23 strikeouts, 12 walks, and a 4.91 ERA in 21 appearances. He took on more responsibility as a junior, making a team-high 30 appearances and leading the club with five saves. He struck out 44 and walked 19 in 59.1 IP, posting a 4.10 ERA. Wetherell gained exposure and benefited from being on the same team as Kes Carter, a top-50 draft prospect that lured scouts out to Bowling Green. Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked Wetherell as the eighth best prospect in the state before the draft, and the Yankees drafted him with their eighth round pick last June, the 269th overall selection. He signed quickly for $122,500.

Pro Debut
The Yankees assigned Wetherell to the Short Season Staten Island Yankees after signing, where he served as Branden Pinder’s primary setup man. He pitched to a 2.40 ERA and a 3.03 FIP, striking out 41 batters (12.3 K/9 and 31.1 K%) and walking 15 (4.50 BB/9 and 11.4 BB%) with 52% ground ball rate in 30 IP. The Baby Bombers won the league title as Wetherell threw five scoreless innings across four appearances in the club’s five playoff games.

Scouting Report
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 225 lbs., Wetherell is one of those rare pitchers that came into pro ball with a splitter. It’s a legitimate strikeout pitch that falls off the table, offsetting his 91-95 mph fastball well. There is some herky-jerkiness in his delivery, which hinders his control and makes him prone to leaving pitches up in the zone. He’s not homer-prone though, just hit-prone at the moment — six homers and 120 hits allowed in 118.1 IP since transferring to Western Kentucky.

Wetherell has the makings of a slider but lacks a true breaking ball, though the fastball-splitter combo is enough to succeed out of the bullpen long-term. His arm is relatively fresh compared to most college relievers, and he hasn’t dealt with any kind of injury problem since graduating high school. Like most players the Yankees draft these days, his makeup and work ethic are considered pluses. You can see some video from last September on Mike Ashmore’s YouTube channel.

2012 Outlook
Wetherell is ticketed for the Low-A Charleston bullpen to open the season, though as is always the case with relievers, he could be in line for a quick promotion if he shows overwhelming stuff at that level.

My Take
This is the ninth Prospect Profile I’ve written this offseason, and five of them have featured relievers. That wasn’t in any way intentional, but it says a little something about the quality bullpen depth the Yankees have down in the minors. Wetherell stands out from the crowd a bit as a fastball-splitter guy, which is intriguing only because there are so few relievers with that repertoire compared to fastball-slider and fastball-curveball. The Yankees have relatively little invested in him given his draft slot and bonus, but the upside is a strikeout reliever that doesn’t figure to have much of a platoon split. Wetherell needs to work on keeping the ball down though, and that’s much easier said than done.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Phil Wetherell

(Photo Credit: William Brooks via Examiner.com)

Zach Nuding | RHP

Background
A Texas kid from Haltom City — just outside of Dallas — Nuding wasn’t much of a pro prospect coming out of high school. He went undrafted after graduating in 2008, then joining the upstart baseball program at Weatherford College, a two-year school. Nuding served as the Coyotes closer as a freshman, then played in the Texas Collegiate League during the summer. He was drafted by the Pirates in the 37th round of the 2009 draft, but did not sign and returned to school for another year.

As a sophomore in 2010, Nuding established himself as the best pro prospect on the staff. He moved into the rotation and appeared in 16 games, striking out 65 with 35 walks in 78 IP. He led all starters with a 2.19 ERA, then again pitched in the Texas Collegiate League after the season. Baseball America (subs. req’d) considered Nuding the 37th best prospect in Texas prior to the 2010 draft, and the Yankees made him their 30th round pick, the 925th overall selection. He signed relatively late for $265k — after the Yankees got a longer look at him in summer ball — foregoing his commitment to Texas Tech.

Pro Career
Nuding appeared in just one game after signing in 2010, allowing two run in two innings with the rookie level Gulf Coast League Yankees. He was assigned to Low-A Charleston to open last season, and he pitched to a 4.48 ERA (4.26 FIP) with 82 strikeouts (7.51 K/9 and 19.5 K%) and 44 walks (4.03 BB/9 and 10.5 BB%) in 98.1 IP spread across 20 starts. He suffered an unknown but minor injury in late-July, and he was back on the mound in early-August. He made three rehab appearances in the GCL, then finished the season with one start for High-A Tampa. All told, Nuding struck out 91 batters (7.56 K/9and 19.7 K%) and walked 45 (3.74 BB/9 and 9.8 BB%) in 108.1 IP in 2011.

Scouting Report
The only player in the organization more physically imposing than Nuding is Dellin Betances. The right-hander is listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 lbs., but he’s probably an inch or two taller and 10-20 lbs heavier. His fastball can cash the check his frame writes, living in the 93-96 range with big time boring action in on righties. He’s been clocked as high as 98. Neither of Nuding’s offspeed pitches — a low-80′s slider and changeup — are consistent yet, but both have shown put-away potential at times.

Nuding’s delivery is a bit herky jerky and rough around the edges, leading to occasional control problems. He does pitch aggressively though, with a willingness to pound the zone when he’s in sync. The Yankees have used him as a starter so far in his career, but Nuding is likely to wind up a power reliever unless both the slider and changeup make some big strides. He could end up touching triple-digits as a one-inning bullpen guy. Here’s the only video I could find, though it doesn’t appear to be working at the moment.

2012 Outlook
The Yankees will send Nuding back to High-A Tampa to open the season, where he will continue to take the ball every five days as a starter. He’ll get another year before shifting to the bullpen permanently, at the very least.

My Take
The Yankees have built up this hilariously deep cache of power relievers with their late-round picks, and Nuding fits the bill perfectly. He isn’t the best prospect of the bunch, but he has the best fastball and arguably the most upside. I do love these big hard-throwing relief types even if they have less than stellar control and underwhelming secondary pitches because you can be an effective big league reliever with a huge fastball and just a show-me breaking ball. Grant Balfour, Matt Thornton, and Joel Hanrahan are doing it right now. Nuding has some movement on his fastball, and that will help a little. I don’t expect him to be all that great this coming season as a starter, but it’s all about getting experience and working on things. He’s a little too good for a sleeper, but don’t be surprised if he’s getting much more attention in like, 18 months.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Zach Nuding

(Photo via SeattleSportsInsider.com)

Jose Campos | RHP

Background
The cousin of former big leaguer Kelvim Escobar and current big leaguer Alcides Escobar, Campos grew up in the Venezuelan port town of La Guaira. The Cardinals tried to sign him in late-2008/early-2009, but his parents refused to sign the contract. When the Mariners stepped in and offered a slightly larger bonus — $115k — he joined Seattle in January of ’09.

Pro Career
The Mariners assigned Campos to the Venezuelan Summer League in both 2009 and 2010, where he pitched to a 4.10 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 35 walks in 90 total innings. They brought him stateside in 2011, holding him back in Extended Spring Training before shuffling him off to their short season Northwest League affiliate. The 19-year-old Campos was the best right-handed pitcher in the circuit, posting a 2.32 ERA with 85 strikeouts (9.4 K/9 and 25.7 K%) and 13 walks (1.4 BB/9 and 3.9 BB%) in 81.1 IP across 14 starts. After the season, Baseball America ranked him as the third best prospect in the league.

The Yankees officially acquired Campos and Michael Pineda from the Mariners in exchange for Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi earlier this week.

Scouting Report
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 195 lbs., Campos is all about the fastball. He routinely sits 93-95 with life on the pitch and has run it up as high as 98 in the past. His breaking ball is still trying to decide if it wants to be a slider or a curveball, and a nascent changeup rounds out his repertoire. Both offspeed offerings have flashed swing-and-missability and have a chance to develop into above-average pitches down the road. Campos is an extreme strike thrower, filling up the zone with his fastball.

Like many of the prospects the Yankees have targeted in recent years, Campos has drawn praise for his makeup and poise. The Mariners tweaked his delivery just a bit in ExST last year, allowing him to get better extension and throw with his entire body, not just his arm. Here’s some video.

2012 Outlook
After dominating a short season league last year, Campos will join what figures to be a prospect-heavy Low-A Charleston roster this coming season. He’ll start the year at 19 and won’t turn 20 until late-July.

My Take
I didn’t even know Campos existed until the trade went down, and everything I know about the kid is in this post. He’s obviously years away from the big leagues and far from perfect, but a 19-year-old with command of a heavy fastball is already a strong prospect. Add in a big projectable frame and the makings of two very good offspeed pitches, and you’ve got a special prospect. I’m interested to see him in full season ball next year, particularly in the second half when he gets up there in innings and we can get some decent reports on the breaking ball and change. Campos immediately became the Yankees’ third best pitching prospect with the trade, ahead of the MLB-ready Triple-A guys because of upside.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Jose Campos

(Photo via Robert Pimpsner)

Branden Pinder | RHP

Background
A Southern California kid born in Torrance and raised on Corona, Pinder lettered in baseball all four years at Centennial High School. He earned All-Division honors his final two years in school, was named league Pitcher of the Year as a junior, and helped the Huskies to the league title as a senior. Despite all that, Pinder wasn’t much of a pro prospect and he went undrafted after graduating in 2007. Oregon tried to woo him to their re-instated program, but he instead opted to attend Santa Ana College.

Pinder stepped right into the rotation as a freshman in 2008, going 8-2 with a 4.23 ERA in 17 starts. That earned him All-Orange Empire honors, and he helped the Dons to the league championship. Pinder got the nod on Opening Day as a sophomore, but his season ended after just four starts due to an unknown injury. He took a medical redshirt, allowing him to retain a year of college eligibility. Pinder was eligible to be drafted after both his freshman and sophomore seasons since Santa Ana is a two-year school, but no team bit. He instead transferred to Long Beach State.

The Dirtbags used Pinder as their primary Sunday starter in 2010, and he pitched to a 4.85 ERA in 85.1 IP. He was again draft-eligible after the season, but again went undrafted. Pinder posted a 5.29 ERA in 63 IP as a redshirt junior in 2011, making eleven starts and seven relief appearances. Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked him as the 68th best prospect in Southern California after the season, and the Yankees selected in the 16th round with the 509th overall pick. He signed quickly for an unknown bonus.

Pro Debut
The Yankees assigned Pinder to Short Season Staten Island after signing, where he served as the Baby Bombers’ closer. He didn’t walk his first batter until his 14th appearance, and finished the year with an 11.03 K/9 (32.8 K%) and 1.45 BB/9 (4.3 BB%) in 31 IP. His 1.16 ERA and 1.94 FIP earned him a place on the All-Star Team, and contributed to Baseball America ranking him as the 19th best prospect in the circuit.

Scouting Report
A starter with an 89-91 mph fastball and a sweepy, high-70′s slider when drafted, the Yankees shifted Pinder to the bullpen and streamlined both his delivery and his repertoire. Just like that, he started sitting 94-95 with his fastball and occasionally touched 97. He added some bite to his slider and at times it was a legitimate strikeout pitch, though the pitch needs work because it tends to flatten out on occasion. The fosh changeup he threw in college has been pushed aside thanks to his new role.

Big and strong at 6-foot-3 and 210 lbs., Pinder has a low arm slot and throws across his body a bit, so it remains to be seen if he can be as successful at limiting walks as he was with Staten Island long-term. Here are two clips of him from this past summer.

2012 Outlook
The Yankees figure to send Pinder to High-A Tampa to start the season since he was drafted as what amounts to a college senior thanks to the medical redshirt. He turns 23 in less than two weeks, and as a reliever they can be a little more aggressive with him.

My Take
The Yankees have done a fine job of turning late draft picks into viable relief options in recent years, and Pinder continues the tradition. I want to see him show that heavy fastball over a full season and gain some more consistency with the slider before I declare him the next great relief prospect, but he is off to a really awesome start. The big strong frame and deceptive delivery are pluses as well. Power relievers out of college should dominate the low minors, so we won’t know too much about Pinder’s long-term value until he gets to Double-A. If all goes right, that could happen in the second half of this coming season.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Branden Pinder

(Jamie Scott Lytle/The North County Times)

Daniel Camarena | LHP

Background
A Southern California kid from just south of San Diego in Bonita, Camarena grew up a fan of the Yankees and Andy Pettitte. He starred both on the mound and in the outfield for Cathedral Catholic High School, pitching the Dons to the California Interscholastic Federation title this spring. Camarena struck out 76 and walked just six in 49 IP as a senior, and four of those walks came in one outing. He took home a ton of hardware in high school, including Rawlings First Team All-American and California All-Region in 2011. He was also named First Team All-CIF and an AFLAC All-American in 2010.

Camarena was strongly committed to The University of San Diego, where he would have both pitched and played the field. Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked him as the 15th best prospect in SoCal and 138th best prospect overall prior to the draft, but the USD commitment caused him to slide to the Yankees in the 20th round, the 629th overall pick. He agreed to an above-slot $335k bonus about a week before the signing deadline, but did not appear in a game after signing.

Scouting Report
Standing 6-foot-1 and 200 lbs., Camarena is a three-pitch lefty that sits anywhere from 85-91 with the fastball. His best secondary pitch is an average changeup that is light years ahead of the typical high school draftee’s. He turns the pitch over well and it fades away from righties. Camarena’s curveball is also a solid pitch that generates swings and misses at its best. All of his stuff plays up because of aptitude and control, which is advanced for a teenager thanks in part to his simple delivery.

Camarena also has legitimate pro ability as an outfielder, using a sweet line drive swing to spray the ball to all fields from the left side. He has more long-term potential on the mound however, so that’s where the Yankees will keep him. Here is Camarena’s MLB.com draft video, and there are a number of clips of him both pitching and hitting on YouTube.

2012 Outlook
Camarena is a little more advanced than some of the other high school arms the Yankees have drafted in recent years, but he’s still likely to held back in Extended Spring Training before debuting in the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League next June. An assignment to Short Season Staten Island instead isn’t out of the question, but I wouldn’t count on it.

My Take
I’ve always preferred high school pitchers to their college counterparts because they haven’t had a chance to be run into the ground or develop bad habits at the hands of their college coach, and Camarena is no different. He’s a legit three-pitch lefty with decent size and an idea of how to pitch, and I think he’s the best pitching prospect the Yankees drafted this summer. I can see an argument for Jordan Cote, but I’ll take the polished lefty over the raw righty in this case. I’m excited to see what he’ll do during his pro debut this year, and whether or not the Yankees bump him up to Staten Island before the end of the season if he’s pitching well. I wouldn’t say Camarena’s upside is significant, but he has the tools to pitch in a big league rotation down the line.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Daniel Camarena

(Photo via The Orlando Sentinel)

Dante Bichette Jr. | 3B

Background
The son of former big leaguer Dante Bichette Sr., Dante Jr. first popped up on the radar in 2005, when he helped his Maitland, Florida team to the Little League World Series. He went on to star at Orangewood Christian High School just outside of Orlando, twice being named the All-Central Florida Baseball Player of the Year. He also led the Rams to the state tournament his junior and senior years.

Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked Bichette as 15th best prospect in Florida and 108th best prospect overall heading into the 2011 draft, so it was somewhat surprising when the Yankees drafted him with their first selection, the 51st overall pick. They’d received that pick as compensation for the loss of Javy Vazquez to the Marlins. Bichette signed quickly for a $750k, passing on his commitment to Georgia for roughly $55k over slot.

Pro Debut
The Yankees assigned Bichette to the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League after signing, though he got off to a pretty slow start. He was hitting just .151 about three weeks into the season, but then went on a 16-game hitting streak and didn’t stop hitting the rest of the year. Bichette led the GCL Yankees to the league title thanks in part to his game-tying homer in the title game, then was named the GCL MVP after the season. He finished second in the league in AVG (.342), second in OBP (.446), eighth in SLG (.505), fourth in OPS (.951), first in hits (67), first in doubles (17), first in RBI (47), second in total bases (99), and third in walks (30). That earned him the top spot on Baseball America’s list of the top 20 GCL prospects as well as a late season promotion to Short Season Staten Island, where homered and walked in eight plate appearances across two games.

Scouting Report
Like his father, Bichette is a bat first player. He generates big raw power and bat speed from his 6-foot-1, 215 lb. frame, using a discerning eye to work deep counts and take walks when he doesn’t get anything to hit. He also makes a surprising amount of contact for a power hitter. The Yankees cleaned up some extraneous movement in his setup and swing after signing, changes he took to pretty quickly. Bichette has worked hard to improve his defense at the hot corner, specifically his arm angle and throwing. There’s a still a chance he’ll end up in a corner outfield spot or first base down the road. He’s pretty much an average runner at this point.

The Yankees seem to have focused on makeup and work ethic lately, and Bichette is the prospect poster boy for intangibles. George King (subs. req’d) wrote that he took on a leadership role with the GCL club this year, helping unite the young American and Latin American players on the team and making sure no cliques formed. He also takes extra rounds of batting practice regularly. Here’s some video.

2012 Outlook
The Yankees rave about Bichette’s worth ethic and leadership qualities, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they get a little agressive and jump him into full season ball with Low-A Charleston next season. The Yankees have generally hold their best high school draftees back in Extended Spring Training before assigning them to Short Season Staten Island during their first full pro season, at least over the last few years.

My Take
I’m not Bichette’s biggest fan, but the kid can hit, there’s little doubt about that. He fits right into the Yankees’ mold of patience and power, and right-handed pop is a little more valuable to the team since they can sign pretty much any lefty hitter and watch him hit double-digit homers to right field. Can’t do that with righties, they need legit pop to hit one out in the Bronx. The questions about Bichette’s long-term position and defensive value are real, but it’s a good sign that he’s already shown some improvement. The microscope will be on Bichette though, just because he was a surprise high pick.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Dante Bichette Jr.

(Photo Credit: www.longwoodlancers.com)

Mark Montgomery | RHP

Background
A standout player at Bruton High School in Williamsburg, Virginia, Montgomery set a school record by striking out 107 batters in 60 IP as a senior. He was named to the All-District Team his final three years with the Panthers, and was also named to the All-State and All-Region Teams as a senior. Team MVP and Player of the Year honors from the Virginia Gazette and All-Daily Press followed his final year. He also ran track. Montgomery wasn’t much of a pro prospect at the time though, so he went undrafted in 2009 and headed to Longwood University.

Before heading to school, Montgomery pitched for the Fairfax Nationals of the Clark Griffith League (a wood bat collegiate summer league) after graduating. He earned a spot on the league’s All-Star Team by striking out 28 batters in 15 IP. Once at school, Montgomery started three games and came out of the bullpen in 17 others as a freshman with the Lancers. He pitched to a 5.57 ERA with 64 strikeouts and 24 walks in 63 IP, and he didn’t allow a single homer. Although he was recruited as a shortstop, he ended up on the mound.

Montgomery was installed as Longwood’s closer his sophomore year, saving six games in 22 appearances. He improved his slider and used it to strike out 45 batters in 35 IP. After the season, he headed to the Coastal Plain League (another wood bat summer league) and pitched for the Edenton Steamers. Montgomery struck out 33 and allowed just seven hits in 18 IP, prompting Baseball America (subs. req’d) to rank him as the eighth best prospect in the circuit.

Again serving as the Lancers’ closer, Montgomery allowed just a dozen hits and three earned runs in 30.1 IP as a junior. He struck out 48, and finished his career at Longwood as the school’s all-time leader in saves (16). Montgomery made a pair of appearances for the Peninsula Pilots of the Coastal Plain League after the season, striking out five of the seven men he faced. Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked him as the 18th best prospect in Virginia prior to the 2011 draft, and the Yankees selected him in the 11th round, the 359th overall pick. He signed quickly for an unknown bonus.

Pro Debut
Assigned to Short Season Staten Island after signing, Montgomery was not long for the NY-Penn League. He struck out ten of the 19 men he faced across four appearances, then was promoted to Low-A Charleston. Montgomery made 22 appearances with the River Dogs, saving 14 games and striking out 41 batters in 24.1 IP. On July 1st, his first appearance with Charleston, he struck out five Rome Braves in one inning thanks to a pair of wild pitches. All told, he struck out 51 batters in 28.1 IP after turning pro (16.20 K/9).

Scouting Report
Short and sturdy at 5-foot-11 and 205 lbs., Montgomery has a classic reliever’s profile. He’s a two-pitch pitcher, sitting 91-92 mph with the fastball and running it up to 95 on occasion. His bread-and-butter offering is a wipe-out slider that is just allergic to bats. In their draft report card, Baseball America (subs. req’d) said the pitch “grades as major league plus already.” There aren’t many kids out there touting an above-average big slider just a few weeks after their 21st birthday.

Montgomery’s biggest flaw his control, as he walked 13 batters in his pro debut (4.13 BB/9). His college walk rate was much better though (3.09 BB/9). The Yankees have made an effort to acquire players with strong makeup and work ethic in recent years, and Montgomery is no different. Earlier this summer he told Adam Himmelsbach that he’s a fan of 1am workouts, and he drinks a Red Bull in the seventh inning to get amped up for his appearance in the ninth inning.

2012 Outlook
It was only 24.1 IP, but Montgomery manhandled the Sally League and should move up to High-A Tampa to open next season. He’ll be in line for a midseason promotion if he does well there. The Yankees have little reason to hold him back; relievers should move quickly and they won’t get a real read on how his stuff plays until he gets to Double-A. Single-A kids don’t have much of a chance against a big league slider.

My Take
I think it’s impossible to not like Montgomery. He’s got the gaudy performance with the knockout pitch and scouting report to back up the stats. The Yankees have done a nice job of turning their middle-of-the-draft picks into useful players under scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, none better than David Robertson. Montgomery is cut from a similar cloth — a slightly undersized, high-strikeout right-handed reliever with a dominant breaking pitch — though he’ll probably have more of a platoon split than Robertson because of the slider. Either way, Montgomery is exactly the kind of guy that could shoot up the minor league ladder and force his way into big league consideration by 2013.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Mark Montgomery

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

George Kontos | RHP

Background
A Chicago-area kid from Lincolnwood, Illinois, Kontos was a three-sport star at Niles West High School. He played varsity baseball and golf for three years, and also lettered in basketball. Kontos pitched to a 1.02 ERA and hit .480 as a senior, earning him Central Suburban Player of the Year, Team MVP, and First-Team Illinois Coaches Association honors. He was also named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state. Despite his success, Kontos was not considered much of a pro prospect at the time, so he went undrafted out of high school in 2003 and followed through on his commitment to Northwestern.

As a freshman, Kontos emerged as the team’s fourth starter midway through the season, finishing the year with a 5.16 ERA in 52.1 IP. He threw 17 wild pitches to go along with his 38 walks and 39 strikeouts. He finished second on the team with a 5.43 ERA as a sophomore, improving his K/BB numbers to 55/31 with ten wild pitches in 68 IP. Kontos was the team’s best starter as a junior in 2006, leading the staff in starts (16), innings (95.1), strikeouts (84, second in the Big Ten), and complete games (nine). He did walk 53 and uncork 23 wild pitches, though.

Despite the control issues, Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked Kontos as the third best prospect in Illinois and 132nd best draft prospect overall because of a dominant showing with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League in 2005. The Yankees selected him with their fifth round pick, the 164th overall selection, and signed him quickly to a slightly above-slot $158k bonus.

Pro Career
Kontos was assigned to the Short Season Staten Island Yankees after signing, where he and fellow 2006 draft Tim Norton developed into a devastating one-two punch atop the rotation. The duo led the Baby Bombers to the league title, with Kontos pitching to a 2.41 FIP in 78.1 IP. After struggling with his control in school, he struck out 9.42 men per nine innings while walking just 2.18 per nine with Staten Island. He only threw three wild pitches as well.

The Yankees bumped Kontos up to High-A Tampa to start the 2007 season, but after three solid starts to open the year, he was arrested  for his part in an altercation outside a Tampa bar. A minor shoulder problem kept him on the shelf a little longer than expected, but Kontos did return to the mound in mid-June and was able to finish the season without incident (4.08 FIP in 94 IP). In order to makeup for the lost innings, he was assigned to the Honolulu Sharks of the now defunct Hawaii Winter Baseball League, where he struck out 42 against ten walks in 34 IP.

Sent to Double-A Trenton the next year, Kontos stayed on the mound all season and was able to post a 3.60 FIP in 151.2 IP. He was originally part of the Xavier Nady-Damaso Marte trade package (along with Phil Coke), but the Pirates opted for Dan McCutchen and Jeff Karstens instead. The Yankees sent Kontos back to Trenton to start 2009, in part due to overcrowding at the Triple-A level. He made just four starts (2.46 FIP) for the Thunder before being promoted to Scranton, with whom he managed to make nine starts (4.55 FIP) before his elbow gave out. Kontos had Tommy John surgery in mid-June, which effectively ended his career as a starting pitcher.

After a pair of rehab starts in the low minors in the middle of the 2010 campaign, Kontos moved to the bullpen and threw 45 IP across three levels in the second half of the season. He added another 12.2 IP on top of that with the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League. The Yankees declined to add Kontos to the 40-man roster after the season, leaving him exposed in the Rule 5 Draft. The Padres took a shot at him, but returned him to New York in the middle of Spring Training after three ugly outings.

Kontos opened this season in the Triple-A bullpen, quickly establishing himself as the team’s top relief arm. He pitched to a 3.85 FIP in 89.1 IP, striking out 9.17 batters per nine while walking just 2.62 per nine. That earned Kontos his first call-up in September. In six innings for the big league team, he allowed a pair of runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out six.

Scouting Report
The move to the bullpen allowed Kontos to scrap his weak changeup and attack hitters with his two best pitches: a fastball with some arm-side run in the 91-93 mph range, and a swing-and-miss slider in the mid-80′s. There’s a chance the 26-year-old, 6-foot-3, 215 pounder will add some velocity as he gets further away from surgery and gets more experience in the bullpen. His control has improved since college, but it’s still not stellar.

Kontos profiles as a middle reliever in the long-term because of two glaring flaws. For one, he’s always had trouble against left-handed batters because he lacks a changeup. The tagged him for a .281/.345/.484 batting line with six homers in 142 plate appearances in Triple-A this year, and he’s shown a similar split throughout his minor league career. On the bright side, he does crush righties. Secondly, Kontos is homer prone, giving up a dozen dingers in 89.1 IP for Scranton this year (career 1.0 HR/9 in full season minor leagues). First Inning has his minor league ground ball rates consistently below the 45-47% range, which is pretty low. Fifty percent and above is the norm for most pitching prospects.

2012 Outlook
Kontos won’t have to worry about the Rule 5 Draft this season, he’s on the 40-man roster and figures to get a long look in Spring Training. He could open the year as the last guy in the big league bullpen, or he could open the year back in Scranton, neither would really surprise me. Either way, he figures to be one of the first in line for call-up whenever bullpen reinforcements are needed.

My Take
I was never much of a Kontos fan, mostly because I just didn’t see it working out for him as a starter without a better changeup and/or improved control. He’s much more interesting in a relief role, where he could air it out for an inning at a time and not have to worry about the lineup turning over. I was impressed with his brief September showing, mostly because his fastball was running all over the place, and I’m curious to see more next season. If nothing else, he’s a player development success story; a guy with big time control problems in college that improved as a pro and was able to reach the big leagues.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: George Kontos

(Kevin Pataky/MiLB.com)

Tyler Austin | 1B, 3B

Background
A Georgia kid, Christopher Tyler Austin attended Heritage High School in Conyers, about a half-hour outside Atlanta. He was a fixture at showcase events and in various travel leagues, and was a high-end recruit for Kennesaw State. Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked him as the 24th best prospect in the state prior to the 2010 draft, but noted that he could come off the board as early as the fourth round. The Yankees were patient and able to nab Austin with their 13th round pick, the 415th overall selection. He signed for $130k close to the signing deadline, over-slot but actually a bit of a bargain.

Pro Career
Austin signed rather quickly in 2010, but his season was cut short after a pitch broke his wrist in his second professional game with the Rookie Level GCL Yankees. The Yankees held Austin back in Extended Spring Training to begin the 2011 season, then reassigned him to the GCL Yanks when the season started in late-June. He wasn’t long for that league though; after posting a .390/.438/.622 batting line with three homers and eleven steals in 20 games, the Yankees bumped him up to Short Season Staten Island for the remainder of the season. Austin battled a minor wrist problem, but he still managed to hit .323/.402/.542 in 27 games while helping the Baby Bombers to the league title.

All told, Austin hit .354/.418/.579 with 18 doubles, two triples, six homers, and 18 steals (in 18 chances) in 201 plate appearances in 2011. Baseball America subsequently ranked him as the eight best prospect in the NY-Penn League. The Yankees sent him to Instructional League after the season.

Scouting Report
Listing at 6-foot-2 and 200 lbs., Austin is a bat-first prospect. He was drafted as a right-handed hitter with big power to the pull side, but the Yankees have done a good job of getting him to use his strength to drive the ball to all fields. An advanced approach and the ability to not only recognize, but turn on offspeed pitches makes Austin a dangerous middle-of-the-order type of bat. He’s athletic and surprisingly quick, but the gaudy stolen base total this season has more to do with instincts than raw speed. Chances are he’ll slow down as he gets older.

The Yankees drafted Austin as a catcher, but quickly put an end to that experiment and have used him at both first and third bases as a pro. He’s got the arm for third, but he must get more experience at the position and work on his footwork to avoid letting the ball play him. The corner outfield could also be an option since he runs well. Here is Austin’s MLB.com draft video, and here’s another clip from YouTube.

2012 Outlook
With the short season leagues sufficiently dominated, the Yankees will move Austin up to Low-A Charleston to start next season. He’ll likely play third base full-time, unless the Yankees get aggressive with 2011 first rounder Dante Bichette Jr. and send him to Charleston as well. Either way, it’s time for Austin to deal with the grind of a full season league.

My Take
The Yankees have done a really nice job of finding high school players with at least one standout tool in recent years, and Austin fits the bill as a power hitter with plate discipline. He’s not a zero with the glove either. I’m a fan because he fits the Yankee mold of power and patience, especially at such a young age, and the big performance is always nice to see as well. He’s probably too good to be considered a sleeper, but I definitely don’t think he’s generating as much buzz as he should. I’m excited to see what Austin will do with a full season’s worth of at-bats next year.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Tyler Austin

(Photo Credit: Flickr user paul.hadsall)

Dan Brewer | OF

Background
Raised just outside of Chicago in Brookfield, Illinois, Brewer comes from an athletic family and has three siblings that played sports at the collegiate level. He starred in three sports at Lyons Township High School, playing both baseball and football all four years while wrestling for the first three. Named to the All-Conference First Team three times and twice receiving All-State honors (once First Team, once honorable mention), Brewer helped the Lions to IHSA Class AA State Championship as a sophomore, and hit .460 with 13 homers and 57 runs driven in as a senior.

Brewer was not considered much of a prospect at the time and failed to crack Baseball America’s list of the top 30 draft prospects in the state before the 2005 draft. He went undrafted and instead followed through on his commitment to Bradley, where he immediately became an impact player. As a true freshman in 2006, Brewer played second base and led the Braves in batting average (.347), on-base percentage (.405), slugging percentage (.556), hits (68), runs (42), doubles (20), triples (three), homers (five), stolen bases (eight), and multi-hit games (20). He was named All-Conference and finally put himself on the prospect map with a strong showing in the Central Illinois Collegiate League after the season. Baseball America ranked him as the seventh best prospect in the circuit that summer.

Moved over to shortstop as a sophomore, Brewer again led the team in homers (ten) and steals (20) while finishing third on the club in AVG (.313) and OBP (.393) while placing second in SLG (.540). He again took him All-Conference honors, then headed to the prestigious Cape Cod League after the season. Brewer spent the summer with the Hyannis Mets, earning a place on the All-Star Team by hitting .297 (12th best in the pitcher friendly circuit) with a team high 11 doubles and 30 RBI. He was second on the team with seven homers, and was named the 30th best prospect in the league by Baseball America.

Brewer changed positions again as a junior, this time moving to the outfield. He again took home All-Conference honors (that’s three years at three different positions, if you’re keeping score at home), leading the Braves in homers (six), steals (19), and SLG (.551). He finished second in AVG (.341), OBP (.436), and doubles (15), and for the first time in his career he drew more walks (28) than strikeouts (26). Brewer became the first player in school history with 20 career homers and 40 career steals, and by the end of the season he had climbed into Bradley’s career top ten in triples (nine, 4th), hit by pitches (19, 4th), stolen bases (47th, 7th), runs (142, 7th), doubles (47, 7th), and total bases (325, 9th).

Baseball America named Brewer the sixth best prospect in Illinois for the 2008 draft, and the Yankees happily selected him with their eighth round pick, number 260 overall. He signed almost immediately for $125,000.

Pro Career
Assigned to Short Season Staten Island after signing, Brewer posted a .378 wOBA in 230 plate appearances for the Baby Bombers and helped them to the best record in the league at 49-26. The Yankees moved him to Low-A Charleston to begin the 2009 season, though he wasn’t there for long. He put up a .415 wOBA in 241 trips to the plate and was bumped up to High-A Tampa, where he finished the season with a .358 wOBA in 253 plate appearances.

Brewer spent the entire 2010 season with Double-A Trenton, posting a .345 wOBA that doesn’t tell the whole story. He stumbled into the All-Star break hitting just .239/.328/.384, bottoming out at .223/.328/.369 during the month of July, but then rebounded to hit .321/.377/.447 after the break. Brewer led the Thunder in games played (136), at-bats (508), runs (83), hits (137), doubles (34), and steals (29) while placing second in RBI (84) and total bases (207). His ten homers were third most on the club.

Scouting Report
A solid all-around player, Brewer’s tools all play up because he’s a smart and instinctual. His right-handed swing generates good bat speed and allows him to hit for surprising pop, though he will occasionally sell-out and starting using an uppercut to try to hit more homers. He’ll strikeout in bunches when that happens. Baserunning savvy makes Brewer a stolen base threat (76.3% success rate in 80 attempts as a pro) even though his speed is characterized as good rather than blinding.

Brewer played all over the field in college and has manned all three outfield spots as well as first and third base as a pro, though he’s considered an outfielder going forward. He handled center with aplomb last season when injury forced him to the position for a few weeks. Brewer plays the game hard but not recklessly, and he’s been incredibly durable dating back to high school.

Here’s video of Brewer ripping an RBI single from last September. You can see some more on Mike Ashmore’s YouTube channel.

2011 Outlook
The Yankees don’t have much outfield depth at the Triple-A level, and Brewer is expected to head there this summer. Depending on what happens with the big league team’s final bench spot, he could find himself playing centerfield on an everyday basis. Otherwise he’s slated for right.

My Take
I’ve liked Brewer since the day they drafted him, though he lacks a standout tool and could end up being pigeon-holed as a ‘tweener. He’s not much more than a spare outfielder for the Yankees, though he’s a better bet than someone like Jordan Parraz (or Chad Huffman was last year) because he also offers speed and enough defense to handle center. Brewer will be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft after the season and is playing for a 40-man roster spot, though he could end up as trade bait if he produces at Triple-A. Either way, I’m a fan and the Yankees need guys like this for depth. They’ve gotten a great return for their money and draft pick so far.

Post from: River Ave. Blues A New York Yankees blog

Prospect Profile: Dan Brewer