New York Yankees Top 10 Prospects Prospects Gleyber Torres, Estevan Florial Headline a System Swimming with Power Arms by Josh Norris
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TOP FROM THE PAGES OF 10 AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST NEW YORK YANKEES TOP 10 PROSPECTS PROSPECTS GLEYBER TORRES, ESTEVAN FLORIAL HEADLINE A SYSTEM SWIMMING WITH POWER ARMS BY JOSH NORRIS 1. GLEYBER TORRES, SS/3B Projected Future Grades On 20-80 Scouting Scale BORN: Dec. 13, 1996. B-T: R-R. HT.: 6-1. WT.: 175. HIT: 60. POWER: 55. SPEED: 40. FIELD: 60. ARM: 60. SIGNED: Venezuela, 2013. SIGNED BY: Louie Eljaua/Hector Ortega (Cubs). how quickly he would identify the way pitchers were TRACK RECORD: Torres ranked as the No. 2 pros- working to get him out, then adjust and close those pect available on the 2013 international market holes. That showed up both over the course of a season when the Cubs signed him for $1.7 million. Chicago and during individual games. Defensively, there’s no traded Torres to the Yankees in July 2016 as part of reason Torres can’t stick at shortstop, but the emergence the four-player package for closer Aroldis Chapman. of Didi Gregorius in New York necessitated that Torres Chapman returned to the Yankees as a free agent for learn other positions quickly. He shuffled around during 2017 on a five-year, $96 million deal, and Torres put his brief season, playing 15 games at third base and together a torrid first three months of the season and 10 more at second base before the injury. He has the looked like he could soon be in line to make his major above-average range and arm to play those positions league debut. Then, on one freak play, everything or shortstop. If he were to land at third base, he would derailed. After a mid-June promotion from Double-A hit for enough power to profile there. The Yankees were Trenton to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Torres tore working with Torres on the small things throughout his left ulnar collateral ligament on a collision at home the year. In particular, they were helping him find a plate and required season-ending Tommy John sur- consistent pre-set position in the field and getting him gery on his non-throwing elbow. He’s expected to be to chase fewer pitches out of the zone. He’s an average ready for spring training. runner, but needs to refine his basestealing technique. SCOUTING REPORT: When he was on the field, Torres THE FUTURE: When Torres returns, he’ll likely head was every bit of the player the Yankees expected back to Triple-A for more seasoning so he can be ready when they acquire him. At the plate, he showed the to fill a potential hole at second base or third base. ability to hit for a high average and power, as well a Evaluators both inside and outside the organization see discerning knowledge of the strike zone. In particular, a player with a chance to be a perennial all-star. Torres’ ability to make quick adjustments set him apart 2017 Club (Class) AVG OBP SLG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB from other high-pedigree prospects. Coaches noted Minors (2 teams) .287 .383 .480 202 31 58 14 2 7 34 30 47 7 2. ESTEVAN FLORIAL, OF 3. JUSTUS SHEFFIELD, LHP 4. CHANCE ADAMS, RHP BORN: Nov. 25, 1997. B-T: L-R. HT.: 6-1. BORN: May 13, 1996. B-T: L-L. HT.: 5-10. BORN: May 13, 1996. B-T: R-R. HT.: 6-0. WT.: 196. SIGNED: Haiti, 2015. WT.: 203. DRAFTED: HS—Tullahoma, WT.: 215. DRAFTED: Dallas Baptist, 2015 SIGNED BY: Esteban Castillo. Tenn., 2014 (1st round). SIGNED BY: (5th round). SIGNED BY: Mike Leuzinger. TRACK RECORD: The Yankees Chuck Bartlett (Indians). TRACK RECORD: Adams moved signed Florial for $200,000 when TRACK RECORD: The older broth- back and forth between the rota- he was 17. They would have signed er of Dodgers prospect Jordan tion and bullpen during a collegiate him a year earlier had he not been Sheffield, Justus was a first-round career that saw him transfer from suspended by Major League Baseball pick of the Indians in 2014. He Yavapai (Ariz.) JC to Dallas Baptist after they discovered a discrepancy with his identifica- showed well in his pro debut. Cleveland dealt Sheffield, after his sophomore season. The Yankees believed in tion. He advanced from the Dominican Summer League Clint Frazier and righthanders Ben Heller and J.P. Adams as a starter and eased him into that role after to Rookie-level Pulaski in his first two pro seasons, show- Feyereisen to the Yankees in July 2016 as the freight for making him a 2015 fifth-round pick. He has no issues ing hints of five-tool potential, before breaking out at closer Andrew Miller. starting in pro ball and reached 150 innings in 2017. low Class A Charleston and high Class A Tampa in 2017. SCOUTING REPORT: Despite standing just 5-foot-10, SCOUTING REPORT: Returned to Double-A Trenton in SCOUTING REPORT: Florial swings and misses frequent- Sheffield packs lightning in his left arm. His fastball 2018, Adams continued increasing his workload and ly and racked up a 31 percent strikeout rate in 2017, but can sit in the mid-90s, and he has touched as high as earned a quick promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes- he impacts the ball when he connects. That’s about the 98 mph. Sheffield’s fastball generates plenty of swings Barre. He headlines a four-pitch arsenal with a 92-97 only ding on his card, however. Florial hit .298 and drew and misses thanks to intense riding life and a deceptive mph plus fastball and an plus slider. His fringe-average 50 walks in 2017 and is plus in center field, where he has delivery. He couples the pitch with a slider and change- curveball and changeup rank third and fourth in his a well above-average arm. He’s got well above-average up that both project as above-average to plus. His slider, repertoire, and he spent time in 2017 working on refin- raw power that is beginning to play in games. A plus- which sits in the mid-80s, ranks slightly ahead of his ing his changeup. He already throws the pitch with the plus runner, he regularly gets down the line to first base changeup, which sits in the high 80s. Sheffield missed a same conviction and arm speed as his fastball. A new in fewer than four seconds. significant chunk of time in 2017 with a severely strained two-seam fastball grip could lead to further improve- PACE; ALBERT ABREU BY MARK LOMOGLIO MARK BY ABREU ALBERT PACE; THE FUTURE: Florial got a taste of Double-A Trenton oblique muscle, so the Yankees sent him to the Arizona ment. Despite some of the best stuff in the system, I during the Eastern League playoffs and could return Fall League to make up innings. Adams shows a tendency to nibble for the corners rath- there to begin 2018 after six weeks in the Arizona Fall THE FUTURE: After a successful stint in the AFL, where er than attacking. League. If he develops as the Yankees believe he will, he struck out 22 in 20 innings, Sheffield should move THE FUTURE: With two plus pitches and above-average Florial could be an all-star-caliber center fielder in the to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2018. If everything control, Adams profiles as a potential mid-rotation start- mold of early career Curtis Granderson. clicks, he has the ceiling of a No. 3 starter. er. He faces a probable return to Triple-A in 2018. 2017 Club (Class) AVG OBP SLG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB 2017 Club (Class) W L ERA G GS SV IP H HR BB SO AVG 2017 Club (Class) W L ERA G GS SV IP H HR BB SO AVG Minors (2 teams) .298 .372 .479 420 77 125 23 7 13 57 50 148 23 Minors (2 teams) 7 7 3.12 19 19 0 98 98 14 34 88 .257 Minors (2 teams) 15 5 2.45 27 27 0 150 104 11 58 135 .193 GLEYBER TORRES AND LUIS MEDINA BY TOM D TOM BY MEDINA LUIS AND TORRES GLEYBER 14 December 22, 2017–January 12, 2018 SUBSCRIBE NOW 14-15-Top 10 Yankees.indd 14 Exclusive content, reports and rankings you can’t find anywhere else! 12/14/17 2:30 PM LESS THAN $ /MO 8 VISIT BaseballAmerica.com/yankees10 TO ORDER TOP PRESENTED BY Best Hitter for Average: Nick Solak. Best Power Hitter: Dermis Garcia. Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Mike Ford. Fastest Baserunner: Estevan Florial. Best Athlete: Estevan Florial. 10 BEST Best Fastball: Luis Medina. Best Curveball: Luis Medina. Best Slider: Justus Sheffield. Best Changeup: Domingo Acevedo. Best Control: Adonis Rosa. Best Defensive Catcher: AMERICAN TOOLS Kyle Higashioka. Best Defensive Infielder: Gleyber Torres. Best Infield Arm: Gleyber Torres. Best Defensive Outfielder: Estevan Florial. Best Outfield Arm: Estevan Florial. LEAGUE EAST NEW YORK YANKEES TOP 10 PROSPECTS PROSPECTS 5. MIGUEL ANDUJAR, 3B 6. ALBERT ABREU, RHP 7. LUIS MEDINA, RHP GLEYBER TORRES, ESTEVAN FLORIAL HEADLINE A SYSTEM SWIMMING WITH POWER ARMS BORN: March 2, 1995. B-T: R-R. HT.: 6-0. BORN: Sept. 25, 1995. B-T: R-R. HT.: 6-2. BORN: May 3, 1999. B-T: R-R. HT.: 6-2. BY JOSH NORRIS WT.: 215. SIGNED: Dominican Republic, WT.: 198. SIGNED: Dominican Republic, WT.: 196. SIGNED: Dominican Republic, 2011. SIGNED BY: Coanabo Cosme/ 2013. SIGNED BY: Oz Ocampo/Rafael 2015.