New York Yankees Top-15 Prospects of 2010, No’s 1 – 5

ALSO SEE – Yankees Top Prospects, No’s 6 – 15

Grades are based on a prospect’s projected value over the course of his career and how likely it is that prospect will fulfill his projected value. Various factors are accounted for including upside, red flags, actual performance, and closeness to the majors. See the 2010 Prospect Primer for more information as it relates to prospect grading and philosophy.

Hitters must have 100 or fewer Major League ABs to qualify for this list. Starting pitchers must have 50 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Relief pitchers must have 25 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Ages are listed as of May 1st, 2010. Levels are based on the highest level in which a prospect played in 2009. All grades are subject to change based on any new information I receive before the season starts.

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Player Grades
Contact – 55 Now | 65 Future
Power – 60 | 70
Discipline – 50 | 60
Speed – 30 | 25
Defense – 35 | 40
Arm – 60 | 60
Instincts – 50 | 55
ETA – 2010
Final Grade – A-

Body Type – Very big, very strong

Scouting Report

There is one reason why Jesus Montero rates so highly as a prospect: his bat.

He’s a massive figure that most scouts feel will have to move off the catcher position and to first base or more likely to DH, considering Mark Texeira occupies that spot now. Granted, Montero has improved as a catcher and put in a ton of work at the position. He’s also not a bad athlete for his size, but the problem is that he’s going to get bigger and he’s already rather stiff behind the plate. In addition, teams tested him a lot last year and he threw out just 13% of all runners.

Watching Montero during Spring Training, he did a solid job of keeping balls in the dirt in front of him. But he’s a below average receiver. He doesn’t frame pitches well. He’s still learning the subtleties of catcher. For instance, he would set up in the location the pitch was supposed to located very early and he did this even with runners on second base. His game calling is also suspect at this point. As an example, with a hitter fouling off three or four fastballs on the outside corner of the plate, it would be a good idea to come inside, but he continued to call for fastballs away.

But as for Montero’s bat, it’s extremely impressive. His raw power rates as plus-plus and it has slowly been manifesting itself into games over the last couple of years. He put up an ISO-power of .225 across two levels last year and he’s capable of better.

What really sets Montero apart from other prospects is his ability to consistently make contact, which isn’t something you typically don’t see in prospects that hit for the power he does. Montero had a K% of 14.6 in 2007 playing the Gulf Coast League and matched that percentage in 2008 with Single-A Charleston. He lowered that percentage to 13.2% in A+ Tampa and to 11.6% in Double-A Trenton.

Montero does it with a short swing, excellent hand-eye coordination and pitch recognition, as well as the ability to adjust his swing in mid-swing and still make hard contact.

I’d like to see Montero walk more, but that should come with experience. Plus, it’s not like he’s swinging at bad pitches. It’s more that Montero is making contact at a rate where it becomes difficult to get into counts deep enough to where he could walk.

Montero will likely spend most if not all of 2010 in Triple-A, splitting time at catcher, DH, and first base.

Best Case Outcome – All Star DH/1b and maybe a little spot duty at catcher

More Likely Outcome – Borderline all star 1b/DH…remember you really have to hit at that position

Player Grades
Contact – 45 Now | 55 Future
Power – 40 | 45/50
Discipline – 45 | 50
Speed – 40 | 35
Defense – 45/50 | 55
Arm – 60 | 60
Instincts – 45 | 55
ETA – 2012
Final Grade – B-

Body Type – Has some projection remain…a solid athlete for a catcher

Scouting Report

Austin Romine’s 2009 season in Tampa was a lot like his 2008 season in Charleston. The big difference was that he went a long way toward solidifying his place as a true catcher.

Romine improved defensively across the board. He increased his CS% from 17.6% to 33%. He allowed 38 wild pitches and 11 passed balls in 701.2 innings compared to 32 wild pitches and 18 passed balls in just 444 innings in 2008. That’s not to say he doesn’t have much to work on. He does. The amount of wild pitches and passed balls are still too high as are the eight errors he had at the position in last year.

Offensively, Romine enters 2010 looking to work on the same things he had to work on in 09′. He still doesn’t walk enough even though he has good strike zone judgement. His hand-eye coordination allows him to make consistent, hard contact, but it also makes him think he can hit pitches he probably shouldn’t be swinging at.

Romine has done a good job of adjusting his swing since being drafted out of high school. In fact, you could say he overhauled it. The two swings below are from different angles, but the differences are still noticeable. I needed to synchronize the clips to contact, so you can’t see the start of Romine’s draft stance where he’s very upright and open. He then steps forward and stretches the front leg out, which is where the clip below picks up at.

*Credit to the MLB Scouting Bureau

You can see how Romine used to hit off his front foot and how he now he has a medium-high leg kick. The big difference, however, is that he’s less handsy than he was in high school. Notice how the draft version of Romine would throw his hands at the ball, which is something not conducive to power.

The current version of Romine does a better job of letting the ball travel and turning the hips aggressively. He’ll still get handsy at times, but his overall swing is much more conducive to hitting for power than it was before. Romine still needs to get stronger for him to truly maximize his power output.

Romine should start the season in Double-A Trenton. While many see Montero as the premier catching prospect in the organization, it’s Romine who is most likely the Yankee’s catcher of the future.

Best Case Outcome – Above average everyday catcher

More Likely Outcome – Average everyday catcher

Brief Rundown on Prospects 3 – 5

3. Zach McAllister | RHP | Grade – B- – Solid, but unspectacular pitching prospect…better chance to stay a starter than Banuelos, but it’s hard to see where he fits in with the Yankees

4. Manny Banuelos | LHP | Grade – B- – Outstanding as a reliever at the end of last year, which is where I ultimately think he’ll end up last

5. Slade Heathcott | OF | Grade – B- – Athletic and muscular outfielder as yet to play a game yet, but scouts like him a lot

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UP NEXT – New York Yankees Top Prospects, No’s 6 – 15

Other References and Resources Used for This Article – First Inning and Minor League Splits