New York Yankees Prospect Check Up: August 21, 2010

• Jesus Montero (C) : .287 BA, 15 home runs, 15 RBI, 109 games for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
• Brandon Laird (3B): .288 BA, 25 home runs, 99 RBI, 122 games combined with AA Trenton and AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
• Ivan Nova (SP): 12-3, 2.86 ERA, 23 starts, 145 innings pitched, 115 strikeouts with AAA Scranton.
• Austin Romine (C): .264 BA, seven home runs, 56 RBI, 100 games for AA Trenton.
• Dellin Betances (SP): 8-1, 1.77 ERA, 14 starts, 71 innings pitched, 88 strikeouts with A Tampa.
• Manuel Banuelos (SP): 0-3, 2.19 ERA, 12 starts, 49.1 innings pitched, 62 strikeouts combined with GCL Yankees and A Tampa.
• JR Murphy (C): .261 BA, seven home runs, 53 RBI, 79 games with Charleston.
• Gary Sanchez (C): .344 BA, six home runs, 37 RBI, 33 games combined with GCL Yankees and Staten Island.
• Slade Heathcott (OF): .272 BA, one home run, 24 RBI, 13 stolen bases, 61 games with Charleston.
• Cito Culver (SS): .264 BA, two home runs, 18 RBI, 42 games with Staten Island.

Expect to see highly touted pitching prospect Ivan Nova with the Yankees at some point in the near future.  He is almost too good to keep down in AAA, especially with the recent struggles of Javier Vazquez and AJ Burnett.  Who knows, maybe they can catch lightning in a bottle and run with it.

The Yankees are deepest at catcher with four top catching prospects, notably Montero.  Everyone around the Yankees knows his name.  His bat is his best tool, but many are skeptical about his future behind the plate because of his defense.  He may be better suited as a DH/1B.  Nonetheless, the Yankees are very high on Montero, and they expect him to be a staple in their lineup down the road.

More and more lately, many have been hearing about Manuel Banuelos.  He is a short, but stocky left-handed pitcher who is having himself a season.  Only 19-years-old, his fastball sits in the mid 90’s, touching the upper 90’s.  He also possesses a plus curve ball, and a devastating change up.  Hopefully we will see Banuelos in the Yankees’ rotation in a few years.

Another name that isn’t as well known is Dellin Betances.  Dellin is a tall, hard throwing right-hander from New York.  Imposing size Standing at 6′ 8,”  He has some kinks to work out like many raw and talented pitchers, but one may say that he has a chance to be something special.

Hopefully, all of the above players can continue to be top prospects as they get older.  Many of these players are at the lower levels of the minor league system, with minimal professional experience, so it is a small sample to work with.

Steve Henn is the author of the Yankee blog Section 401.

Follow Steve Henn on Twitter @steve_henn.

1. jack on July 31st, 2014 3:29 am

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