The 2018 Tampa Tarpons

Alright, the Tampa Yankees have changed their names to the Tampa Tarpons.  I think it's stupid to change your name from the Yankees to anything else. Yet, here we are.

Pitchers

Albert Abreu

Phillip Diehl (L)

Matt Frawley

Nick Green

Hobie Harris

Chase Hodson

Kyle Johnson

Connor Jones

Justin Kamplain

Michael King

Trevor Lane (L)

Jonathan Loaisiga

Spencer Mahoney (L)

Christian Morris

Freicer Peresz

Adonis Rosa

Clarke Schmidt (Inj)

David Soesbee

Trevor Stephan

This could be a great staff, and include some fast movers.  Abreu, Perez, Stephan and Loaisiga are among the best arms in the system.  Abreu had apendicitis during ST and is on the 7-Day DL. Freicer Perez is a huge guy who's velo and secondary stuff keeps bumping up.  Stephan was picked last year and came in with a plus fastball and rudimentary slider and little used change.  They worked with him and he's already in High A, which is where advanaced college picks should be.  His buddy Otto, has the big curve, but little else, so that's why he's still in Low A, working on things. Loaisiga was a Giants prospect who had TJS and was released.  The Yanks signed him and had to protect him on their 40 because he pitched well enough in Low A last year for some other team to pick him in the rule 5.   Adonis Rosa has had some moments, and Clarke Schmidt probably won't pitch till late this the year as he is still coming back from TJS, which he had about a year ago.  Green has a good curve ball.

Catchers

Francisco Diaz
Donny Sands
Keith Skinner

Nothing impressive here.  Sands was a 3B that they have been converting to a catcher, but all of the guys from Cervelli, through JR Murphy, through Sanchez, were all ahead of where Sands is now.  Also, he's on the 7-Day DL.  The Yanks need some high upside C's.

Infielders

Angel Aguilar
Diego Castillo
Tim Lynch
Hoy Jun Park
Brandon Wagner

This is an interesting group.  Castillo and Park were part of that 2014 haul, and though they haven't set the world on fire, they're climbing the levels.  Park has a lot of speed. Brandon Wagner may be a ringer.  He came out of some nutty JuCo, where he put up Ruthian numbers.  Anyway, it took him a couple of stops but he's been doing it again this season.  They've made him a 1B but he was originally a 2B.

Outfield

Leobaldo Cabrera
Ricardo Ferreira
Estevan Florial
Isiah Gilliam
Pablo Olivares
Alexander Palma
Carlos Vidal

This could be a very productive group. Florial is probably a top 2 or 3 prospect in the entire system, and Gilliam made a big power move last year.  The rest of the guys are toolsy, and Palma was always expected to develop power, but we'll have to see after he gets off the 7-Day DL.  Vidal was a high average no pop guy for awhile.

So there they are, the first edition of the "Tarpons."  Pretty loaded, but some of the pitchers and Florial might not be long for the level.