Opening Day for the SI Yanks!

The Staten Island Yankees, the first of the Yanks' four short season teams will debut tonight.  The team is composed primarily of draft picks from the last two drafts, and some IFA's who've been in the system for a few years, but are still young.

So far, they are listing only two catchers.  Jake Hernandez and Eduardo De Oleo should keep balls from rolling to the backstop, but neither has any prospect heat, though I think they thought De Oleo might start hitting at some point.

The infield looks like tha bit of a log jam.  They have Drew Bridges,  Thairo Estrada,  Ty McFarland, Brandon Wagner, Kyle Holder and Ryan Krill.   Holder will play short, and Krill will play first (though Bridges can probably play there some, too).   Now, Estrada is a SS who can play second.   McFarland is a 3B who can play 2nd.  Bridges is a 3B and Wagner is a 2b or something.   They're not really sure.  In any event they all need AB's and they could be tough to come by.

The DH will probably be one of the infielders, because they're only listing 5 OF's.   Jhalan Jackson,  Jeff Hendrix and Zack Zehner should start for right to left with Junior Valera and Griffin Gordon spotting them.

They're listing 16 pitchers to begin the season, including Chance Adams, Will Carter,  Kolton Mahoney, Brett Marks, James Reeves, Josh Roeder and Mark Seyler.   Most of those guys look like bullpen prospects.

The rest are pitchers from last years draft or who've been around a bit including Domingo Acevedo,  Traviss Hissong, Derek Callahan, Yoel Espinal, Matt Borens, Sean Carley,  Luis Cedeno, Johnny Drozd and Ethan Carnes.

Cedeno had a few starts for Charleston this year.  He's the guy with no fastball that keeps getting guys out.

Missing for the pitching list is 20 year old Austin DeCarr, last year's million dollar third round arm. He was 19 when they drafted him and had decent rates in the GCL. Usually guys like that go to Charleston - or SI.  Not so.  We'll see next week when they announce Pulaski.  Otherwise, they've shut him down or will start him with rehab.

Overall, the team could show a little extra power this year with Jackson, Wagner, Zehner, Krill, etc and should be fun to follow.   We'll have to see if any pitching prospects emerge.  They've been waiting on Domingo Acevedo for awhile now.