Posted on 11 March 2009
H/W: 5-10 180 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 8/24/83
Brett Gardner got a chance to prove that he was ready to step into the role of leadoff hitter for the Yankees during a 42 game audition. Unfortunately for Gardner, it didn't go very well. He struggled mightily, hitting a paltry .228 with 0 HR 16 RBI and 13 SB in 127 AB. This came on the heels of an immensely successful AAA campaign where he hit .296 with 37 SB and 11 triples in 94 games. Gardner has game changing speed and could steal 40-50 bases per season at the major league level. He is an immensely disciplined hitter who plays at full tilt at the plate and in the field. His power production has been marginal throughout his career as he is more content to slap balls through holes and in gaps for extra bases, but his early returns during spring training has already resulted in 3 HR in just 7 games. Defensively, his excellent speed makes him a very good CF, though his arm is more appropriate in LF. Gardner has all the makings of a solid top of the order hitter but, as expected, the competition in Yankee Stadium is unrelenting. Gardner currently has the inside track at the starting spot and he should perform much at a much better clip than last year's numbers.
2009 Projection: Brett will be in the opening day lineup for the Yankees and has all the makings of a fan favorite. Melky Caberera has all but exhausted his opportunities to start, but his presence, as well as the anticipation for top prospect Austin Jackson, should provide consistent pressure on Gardner to perform. The power uptick he has demonstrated this spring has been a pleasant surprise, but his power ceiling should be in the 8-12 HR range. Keep an eye out for his first MLB autos, as they will likely be quite popular. Until then, his 2005 Bowman Chrome Draft cards are the best (and most valuable) cards on the market.
Key Brett Gardner Baseball Cards:
- 2005 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Bowman Sterling
- 2008 Topps Heritage
- 2008 Topps Chrome Update
- 2008 eTopps
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Posted on 06 March 2009
H/W: 6-3 215 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 3/28/85
Tabbed by many as the Yankees' closer of the future, the former Arizona Wildcat did his part to confirm that honored distinction by breezing through three separate minor league stops from High-A Tampa to AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre. Melancon went 8-1 with a 2.27 ERA and 22 BB/89 K in 95 IP. His fastball sits at 92-95 MPH and his hammer-like curveball is quite effective at inducing groundball outs (1.54/FO in '08). Melancon has an intensely competitive demeanor on the mound which goes a long way towards intimidating hitters. He is a hard worker on and off the field and has all of the intangibles to be a highly successful closer. Team officials have been concerned about Melancon's strenuous delivery and continue to tinker with it to take some of the effort and stress out of it in order to diminish his risk of injuries in the future. Mariano Rivera is on the finishing rounds of his legendary career and Melancon is the top candidate to fill a very big pair of shoes.
2009 Projection: While Melancon seems to be ready for a definitive role in the Yankees' bullpen, it is more likely that he will be back at AAA to await his opportunity. The Yankees seem to be well stocked with good power arms in their bullpen, but a solid spring turned in by Melancon should open some eyes for opportunities later in the season. His predecessor, Super Mariano, shows no signs of slowing down and the Yankees have him under contract through the 2010 season. That should give Melancon plenty of time to nestle into a regular relief role with New York, increasing his odds of being the closer for the Bronx Bombers in 2011.
Key Mark Melancon Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2008 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2008 Donruss Elite Collegiate Patches Auto #/240
- 2008 Donruss Threads Diamond Kings
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Posted on 21 February 2009
H/W: 6-2 205 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 5/15/87
Adams' numbers experienced a slight dip in 2008, but the Yankees liked the Virginia alum enough to select him in the 3rd round. Adams performed decently at short season Low-A Staten Island, hitting .257 with 4 HR 31 RBI and 45 runs scored. Adams is a hard nosed and intelligent player who makes the most of his average tools on both offense and defense. He didn't hit for much power in college, yet his thick frame and the fact that Virginia's home park is one of the toughest hitters park in Division-I baseball gives optimism that more should come. Adams is a savvy and agressive baserunner who is always looking to take extra bases to get himself into scoring position. He showed advanced plate discipline having earned a respectible 32 BB/57 K last season. The rub on players like Adams is that his lack of projectivity or standout tools limits his potential ceiling. He will work tirelessly to scratch his way to Yankee Stadium, but he will always have to look over his shoulder to fend off younger, more talented prospects.
2009 Projection: Adams should move to full season Low-A Charleston to start the season. Given his collegiate polish, there is a good chance that a promotion to Tampa will also be in the cards. Keep an eye out for the power progression. He has the potential to bang out 12-18 HR per season once he becomes more aggressive with balls inner part of the plate. Also, keep tabs on his K rate this year. He is a patient hitter, but sometimes this can serve as a detriment as pitchers will exploit them with fastballs early in the count and breaking pitches with two strikes. The Yankees organization is quite thin throughout their middle infield and the swirling trade rumors involving current 2B Robinson Cano should bode well for Adams' future opportunities.
Key David Adams Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Exclusive Auto
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1199
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Posted on 14 February 2009
H/W: 6-5 230 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 12/8/87
The monolithic righty took a bold leap forward as one of New York's top pitching prospects in '08 after going 14-9 with a 2.09 ERA and a stellar 21 BB/115 K ratio in 151 IP. McAllister throws a four seam and two seam fastball that reaches 93 MPH with heavy sink. His slider and change are potential plus pitches that he mixes quite well to induce groundball outs (1.48 GO/FO). His control has made impeccable improvements as Zach cut his walk rate to just 1.3 BB/9 IP. Zach has demonstrated himself to be very strong and durable at a young age, giving the Yankees reason to believe that there is room for him to increase velocity in the near future. Despite his laundry list of positive attributes, McAllister seems to pitch to contact more than he needs to, resulting in lower strikeout numbers and, while his BAA was a respectible .233, more disciplined hitters could have more success against him.
2009 Projection: A trip to AA Trenton should provide a sound indicator of just how good McAllister's stuff is against advanced hitters. If he is able to boost his velocity by a few ticks while still maintaining similar amounts of control, McAllister will rapidly ascend not only to the upper echelon of pinstriped prospects, but to the top tier of young pitching prospects as well. The Yankees have a host of good arms in their system (Dellin Betances, Mark Melancon, Andrew Brackman, Jario Heredia), but McAllister has the potential to surpass them all and be a mainstay in the Bronx within the next two seasons.
Key Zach McAllister Baseball Cards:
- 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto
- 2007 Bowman's Best
- 2007 Bowman Heritage
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra
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Posted on 11 January 2009
H/W: 6-0 200 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 3/22/90
If his brief audition with the Yankees' GCL affiliate is any indicator, the Bronx Bombers seem to have found a nice value pick in the fireballing Texan. Marshall's heater sits between 94-96 MPH and his 84-88 MPH slider has a sharp bite to it and should become a knockout pitch at the MLB level. Although he is small in stature, Marshall's thick build should be able to handle a decent workload as a starting pitcher. He is a gritty competitor on the mound and is not afraid to go after hitters with his two plus pitches. A former shortstop, Marshall is still pretty raw on the mound as testified by his struggles to repeat his mechanics and arm slot. Also, though he is tinkering with a changeup, it is far from being a major league pitch at this point. The Yankees have gone ahead to develop him as a starter, though his size and two power pitches may make him more valuable as a late inning reliever in the future.
2009 Projection: Marshall has only 6 professional innings under his belt which, given his youth and considerable rawness, should relegate him to short season Staten Island for the '09 campaign. Watch to see if he can dominate hitters at this level while keeping his walk totals down. There is quite a bit of potential in Marshall's young arm but he has quite a ways to go before being able to don the pinstripes in Yankee Stadium.
Key Brett Marshall Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1499
- 2008 Razor Exclusive Auto
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Brett Gardner got a chance to prove that he was ready to step into the role of leadoff hitter for the Yankees during a 42 game audition. Unfortunately for Gardner, it didn't go very well. He struggled mightily, hitting a paltry .228 with 0 HR 16 RBI and 13 SB in 127 AB. This came on the heels of an immensely successful AAA campaign where he hit .296 with 37 SB and 11 triples in 94 games. Gardner has game changing speed and could steal 40-50 bases per season at the major league level. He is an immensely disciplined hitter who plays at full tilt at the plate and in the field. His power production has been marginal throughout his career as he is more content to slap balls through holes and in gaps for extra bases, but his early returns during spring training has already resulted in 3 HR in just 7 games. Defensively, his excellent speed makes him a very good CF, though his arm is more appropriate in LF. Gardner has all the makings of a solid top of the order hitter but, as expected, the competition in Yankee Stadium is unrelenting. Gardner currently has the inside track at the starting spot and he should perform much at a much better clip than last year's numbers.
