Yankee Centerfielders

Most of the baseball executives who make things happen are in transit to Indianapolis for the start of Winter Meetings tomorrow. Of course, we could have some hotel lobby rumors starting tonight, but until then, let's look at the Yankee Centerfielders.


Austin Jackson is one of the most interesting prospects in the system, and I'd say even in baseball. As most of you know back in 2005 the Yanks chose Austin in the 8th round and gave him around 800K to forego a basketball scholarship to Georgia Tech. The Yanks had actually been following Austin Jackson since he was 12 years old. Jackson is possibly even more athletic than Jeter was coming up, but his time playing basketball as a kid, took away from his baseball development so even at 22 he's not a finished product and will start the season back at AAA. In his career, Jackson has alternated between looking like he had a slightly above average future, and looking like a future all-star. His all star flashes came in High A two seasons ago and in the Hawaiian Baseball league. He's looked just good in AA, the 2008 AFL (though he got top prospect recognition) and this past year in AAA. Austin is a superb defender. Not quite as fast as Brett Gardner but plenty fast and far more natural out there and has a better arm. He's also an outstanding baserunner. Austin's problems are at the plate. Blessed with plus bat speed he has too many moving parts, especially with his feet, that his bat speed disguised in the lower levels. This year they spent the season trying to calm him down and shorten his swing and perhaps as a result, he walked less, hit for less power and struck out more than he did in AA. Because of the bat speed, the Yanks believe he will eventually have 20 plus homer power, but they think it won't come till he adjusts to his shorter swing and fills out his frame a bit. The interesting thing about Austin, though is that when he has improved, it's been by great leaps, not incremental progress, so maybe he will surprise this coming season.


Austim Krum had a pretty good season in Tampa before going up and struggling in AA. He's a fast guy who makes a lot of great plays, and a sort of scrappier Gardy type. He's probably no more than a back-up if he ever makes it. This year in Tampa, Damon Sublett was converted from a 2B to CF. Sublett has had injury problems that have foiled his numbers, but he really had a strong second half and his .270 avg was only part of a .376 OBP. And he came a long way to finish at those numbers. He's a lefty hitter with some pop, and will be in AA this year. He's one to watch because as he gets healthier he could turn into something useful for the Yanks.


Abraham Almonte also had a big second half. When Abe was signed he was a shortish, switch hitting 2b. Now he's an average sized, switch hitting CF. In the lower minors, Abe showed patience and pop as a 2b. In his two season oddyssey through Charleston, he went from a hot hitting, bad fielding CF, to a better fielding, struggling at the plate CF, and finally to a terrific fielding, 5 tool prospect. Almonte really made progress this year, he started out terribly, but the last few months of the season he took his walks, started to show some of the old power, played a great CF and stole bases at will. He is a true switch hitter and now he is also a true CF prospect. If he keeps it up in Tampa everyone will know his name.


Melky Mesa was also in Charletson and is a 5 tool prospect. Mesa is older than Abe, and was old for Charleston, but he's got crazy talent. He's a naturally great OF who can go get it and throw it from any of the three OF spots. At the plate, he finally looked like he had figured it out mid season, only to slump terribly at the end of the season as he tried to get to 30 homers. Here it is for Melky Mesa: if he plays with some discipline in Tampa and lays off the bad pitches, he'll make it. If he starts trying to park everything, he won't.


Next up is Zolio Almonte, the organization has been waiting on Zolio since he was 16 and finally in his age 20 season, Zolio came to life in Staten Island. Now, it may have been park effects but his approach was pretty good and he put up a .795 OPS while being maybe a year younger than league average. He showed some patience and some pop, and while not as athletic as Abe Almonte, he could establish himself with a big `10.


Slade Heatcott was the Yanks first round pick in `09 and though he signed late and got dinged and shutdown in his brief playing time, he may be the best of the bunch. Slade is a 5 tool athlete who could have also made it as a pitcher. He's fast, competitive and has plus power potential. Slade is a little reminiscent of Bobby Murcer (who for a few years played at a Hall of Fame level) and hit the ball quite loudly, showing lefty power, during instructs. He'll be an exciting player to watch over the next few years.

Eduardo Sosa is a slim slick fielding CF, who, after looking like a very advanced hitter in the DSL, came over to America this season and didn't hit at all. He is actually very similar to another Yankee CF prospect named Kelvin Duran, who the Yanks signed as a bypass FA two years ago. Right now it looks like Duran is slightly ahead of Sosa in power and patience, but they're both young and Duran hasn't even played in America yet.


Judd Golsan is a very fast High School pick from the `09 draft. He didn't really hit at all in the GCL and he looks like a project.

Over in the DSL and at the Academy we have the aforementioned Duran, Melvin Rosario, Ravel Santana, Daniel Lopez and Eladio Maronto, now all of these guys are toolsy and unproven, but names worth know who could be in the states this year. They have another kid named Erickson Leonora who they are changing into a 2B. He has terrific talent, and if he switches back to CF will be one of our best prospects at CF. So those are the Centerfielders.