Never heard of any of these fellers, but I don't really follow the AL at all.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/ ... illon.html
The Yankees have worked out a deal to acquire right-hander Jameson Taillon, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The Pirates will receive four prospects in return. ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan reports that the minor leaguers in question are right-handers Miguel Yajure, Roansy Contreras, infielder Maikol Escotto and outfielder Canaan Smith.
Edit: Here are their rankings in the system per Rosenthal: RHP Miguel Yajure (Yankees’ No. 15 prospect, per @MLBPipeline); RHP Roansy Contreras (No. 19), OF Canaan Smith (No. 21) and SS Maikol Escotto.
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
Moderators: SammyKhalifa, Doc, Bobster
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
A few comments regarding the Tallion trade:
1) I sure hope the Pirates have some good scouts, particularly looking at the age of the players involved and the fact that there was so little minor league ball last year.
2) The starting rotation for 2021 just got a whole lot thinner. This does not mean that I am opposed to the trade, it is simply an observation. Bucs will need to try and find a free agent or two who can help fill the void (read suck up innings) for next year.
3) Miguel Yajure did see limited time with the Yankees last year, so he, at a minimum, will need to be added to the 40 man roster.
4) Frankly, I have no idea if this was a good or bad return for Tallion. Time will tell if it was a good idea to move him before he threw live innings in spring training and to show if he can successfully return from a second TJ surgery.
5) 2023 may be too soon of a timetable at looking for the Bucs to return to .500 ball or better.
6) If I'm Adam Frazier, I'm calling BC and begging for a trade. Unfortunately for the Pirates and Polanco, he has no trade value, even if the Bucs picked up a significant part of his salary.
1) I sure hope the Pirates have some good scouts, particularly looking at the age of the players involved and the fact that there was so little minor league ball last year.
2) The starting rotation for 2021 just got a whole lot thinner. This does not mean that I am opposed to the trade, it is simply an observation. Bucs will need to try and find a free agent or two who can help fill the void (read suck up innings) for next year.
3) Miguel Yajure did see limited time with the Yankees last year, so he, at a minimum, will need to be added to the 40 man roster.
4) Frankly, I have no idea if this was a good or bad return for Tallion. Time will tell if it was a good idea to move him before he threw live innings in spring training and to show if he can successfully return from a second TJ surgery.
5) 2023 may be too soon of a timetable at looking for the Bucs to return to .500 ball or better.
6) If I'm Adam Frazier, I'm calling BC and begging for a trade. Unfortunately for the Pirates and Polanco, he has no trade value, even if the Bucs picked up a significant part of his salary.
-
DemDog
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
0E222A2D2601362030430 wrote: A few comments regarding the Tallion trade:
1) I sure hope the Pirates have some good scouts, particularly looking at the age of the players involved and the fact that there was so little minor league ball last year.
2) The starting rotation for 2021 just got a whole lot thinner. This does not mean that I am opposed to the trade, it is simply an observation. Bucs will need to try and find a free agent or two who can help fill the void (read suck up innings) for next year.
3) Miguel Yajure did see limited time with the Yankees last year, so he, at a minimum, will need to be added to the 40 man roster.
4) Frankly, I have no idea if this was a good or bad return for Tallion. Time will tell if it was a good idea to move him before he threw live innings in spring training and to show if he can successfully return from a second TJ surgery.
5) 2023 may be too soon of a timetable at looking for the Bucs to return to .500 ball or better.
6) If I'm Adam Frazier, I'm calling BC and begging for a trade. Unfortunately for the Pirates and Polanco, he has no trade value, even if the Bucs picked up a significant part of his salary.
Very astute observations Mainer. I wonder if BC could have gotten a decent catching prospect that might become our top prospect at the position. I think they got one in the Bell or Musgrove deal but to me the more the merrier in a system that has no top-level catching prospect.
As for salary, with the payroll so low now, why not just release Polanco and eat the money. I don't see BC or BOB signing a high-cost FA this season so that makes it even easier to release Polanco.
1) I sure hope the Pirates have some good scouts, particularly looking at the age of the players involved and the fact that there was so little minor league ball last year.
2) The starting rotation for 2021 just got a whole lot thinner. This does not mean that I am opposed to the trade, it is simply an observation. Bucs will need to try and find a free agent or two who can help fill the void (read suck up innings) for next year.
3) Miguel Yajure did see limited time with the Yankees last year, so he, at a minimum, will need to be added to the 40 man roster.
4) Frankly, I have no idea if this was a good or bad return for Tallion. Time will tell if it was a good idea to move him before he threw live innings in spring training and to show if he can successfully return from a second TJ surgery.
5) 2023 may be too soon of a timetable at looking for the Bucs to return to .500 ball or better.
6) If I'm Adam Frazier, I'm calling BC and begging for a trade. Unfortunately for the Pirates and Polanco, he has no trade value, even if the Bucs picked up a significant part of his salary.
Very astute observations Mainer. I wonder if BC could have gotten a decent catching prospect that might become our top prospect at the position. I think they got one in the Bell or Musgrove deal but to me the more the merrier in a system that has no top-level catching prospect.
As for salary, with the payroll so low now, why not just release Polanco and eat the money. I don't see BC or BOB signing a high-cost FA this season so that makes it even easier to release Polanco.
-
WildwoodDave2
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
436F67606B4C7B6D7D0E0 wrote: A few comments regarding the Tallion trade:
1) I sure hope the Pirates have some good scouts, particularly looking at the age of the players involved and the fact that there was so little minor league ball last year.
2) The starting rotation for 2021 just got a whole lot thinner. This does not mean that I am opposed to the trade, it is simply an observation. Bucs will need to try and find a free agent or two who can help fill the void (read suck up innings) for next year.
3) Miguel Yajure did see limited time with the Yankees last year, so he, at a minimum, will need to be added to the 40 man roster.
4) Frankly, I have no idea if this was a good or bad return for Tallion. Time will tell if it was a good idea to move him before he threw live innings in spring training and to show if he can successfully return from a second TJ surgery.
5) 2023 may be too soon of a timetable at looking for the Bucs to return to .500 ball or better.
6) If I'm Adam Frazier, I'm calling BC and begging for a trade. Unfortunately for the Pirates and Polanco, he has no trade value, even if the Bucs picked up a significant part of his salary.
I will wait for Shedman before I give my ranking
1) I sure hope the Pirates have some good scouts, particularly looking at the age of the players involved and the fact that there was so little minor league ball last year.
2) The starting rotation for 2021 just got a whole lot thinner. This does not mean that I am opposed to the trade, it is simply an observation. Bucs will need to try and find a free agent or two who can help fill the void (read suck up innings) for next year.
3) Miguel Yajure did see limited time with the Yankees last year, so he, at a minimum, will need to be added to the 40 man roster.
4) Frankly, I have no idea if this was a good or bad return for Tallion. Time will tell if it was a good idea to move him before he threw live innings in spring training and to show if he can successfully return from a second TJ surgery.
5) 2023 may be too soon of a timetable at looking for the Bucs to return to .500 ball or better.
6) If I'm Adam Frazier, I'm calling BC and begging for a trade. Unfortunately for the Pirates and Polanco, he has no trade value, even if the Bucs picked up a significant part of his salary.
I will wait for Shedman before I give my ranking
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
Here's hoping that Taillon is able to return to his previous form. This kid has had an awful run of misfortune in his short professional career.
Just think - if he recovers fully, the Yankees will have both a #1 and #2 overall pick from the Pirates at the top of their rotation.
And us Pirate fans will be left thinking "what could have happened if....?"
Just think - if he recovers fully, the Yankees will have both a #1 and #2 overall pick from the Pirates at the top of their rotation.
And us Pirate fans will be left thinking "what could have happened if....?"
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
#2 in particular concerns me. Not that we were going to contend this year, but you need at the very least AAAA guys in your major league rotation. The team is going to be bad regardless, but if the top of your rotation is Keller, Kuhl, Brault and gets considerably worse from there, it will be unwatchable.
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WildwoodDave2
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
56777F567D75120 wrote: A few comments regarding the Tallion trade:
1) I sure hope the Pirates have some good scouts, particularly looking at the age of the players involved and the fact that there was so little minor league ball last year.
2) The starting rotation for 2021 just got a whole lot thinner. This does not mean that I am opposed to the trade, it is simply an observation. Bucs will need to try and find a free agent or two who can help fill the void (read suck up innings) for next year.
3) Miguel Yajure did see limited time with the Yankees last year, so he, at a minimum, will need to be added to the 40 man roster.
4) Frankly, I have no idea if this was a good or bad return for Tallion. Time will tell if it was a good idea to move him before he threw live innings in spring training and to show if he can successfully return from a second TJ surgery.
5) 2023 may be too soon of a timetable at looking for the Bucs to return to .500 ball or better.
6) If I'm Adam Frazier, I'm calling BC and begging for a trade. Unfortunately for the Pirates and Polanco, he has no trade value, even if the Bucs picked up a significant part of his salary.
Very astute observations Mainer. I wonder if BC could have gotten a decent catching prospect that might become our top prospect at the position. I think they got one in the Bell or Musgrove deal but to me the more the merrier in a system that has no top-level catching prospect.
As for salary, with the payroll so low now, why not just release Polanco and eat the money. I don't see BC or BOB signing a high-cost FA this season so that makes it even easier to release Polanco.
If I am Adam Frazier and am not traded, I would ask to play in Indy.
1) I sure hope the Pirates have some good scouts, particularly looking at the age of the players involved and the fact that there was so little minor league ball last year.
2) The starting rotation for 2021 just got a whole lot thinner. This does not mean that I am opposed to the trade, it is simply an observation. Bucs will need to try and find a free agent or two who can help fill the void (read suck up innings) for next year.
3) Miguel Yajure did see limited time with the Yankees last year, so he, at a minimum, will need to be added to the 40 man roster.
4) Frankly, I have no idea if this was a good or bad return for Tallion. Time will tell if it was a good idea to move him before he threw live innings in spring training and to show if he can successfully return from a second TJ surgery.
5) 2023 may be too soon of a timetable at looking for the Bucs to return to .500 ball or better.
6) If I'm Adam Frazier, I'm calling BC and begging for a trade. Unfortunately for the Pirates and Polanco, he has no trade value, even if the Bucs picked up a significant part of his salary.
Very astute observations Mainer. I wonder if BC could have gotten a decent catching prospect that might become our top prospect at the position. I think they got one in the Bell or Musgrove deal but to me the more the merrier in a system that has no top-level catching prospect.
As for salary, with the payroll so low now, why not just release Polanco and eat the money. I don't see BC or BOB signing a high-cost FA this season so that makes it even easier to release Polanco.
If I am Adam Frazier and am not traded, I would ask to play in Indy.
-
Bobster21
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
Scouting reports from MLB.com:
Yajure:
Though the Yankees paid out $34 million in bonuses and tax penalties for their 2014-15 international signings, one of their best investments was the mere $30,000 they used to land Yajure out of Venezuela. After performing well in two years of Rookie ball, he missed all of '17 following Tommy John surgery. He regained his feel for pitching quicker than most pitchers who have their elbows reconstructed, and his stuff bounced back in 2019, leading him to headline a prospect package the Yankees shipped to the Pirates for Jameson Taillon ahead of the '21 season.
Yajure's 92-95 mph four-seam fastball is rather pedestrian compared to those of the flamethrowers in the Yankees' system, but his command and feel for his entire arsenal allowed him to lead New York farmhands with a 2.14 ERA while reaching Double-A in 2019. His best pitch is a solid to plus changeup and the addition of a cutter with similar upside made a huge difference in '19. He also can spin an average curveball for strikes.
Because Yajure isn't overpowering, he'll have to prove he can continue to miss bats against more advanced hitters. He throws strikes and commands his stuff better than most of the Yankees' pitching prospects, generating a lot of weak contact. He has a high floor as a likely No. 4 or 5 starter. [ouch]
Contreras:
Despite being in the international penalty box in 2016 for overspending two years earlier, the Yankees still signed several intriguing talents, including Contreras for $250,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He first reached Class A at age 18 in 2018 and spent all of last season there, leading the South Atlantic League with 12 wins as the only teenage pitching qualifier in the circuit. Contreras was then shipped to the Pirates in '21 in a package deal for Jameson Taillon. There are divergent views of his future, with some scouts seeing a future starter with three solid or better pitches while others wonder if he'll miss enough bats to stay in the rotation.
Contreras has 92-95 mph fastball that touches 97 and features high spin rates that create some riding action, but it can get hit more than it should because it lacks plane and often gets too straight. His best secondary offering is a mid-80s changeup with heavy sink. He'll also show some curveballs with good shape, though his breaker is more of an average pitch and doesn't overmatch same-side hitters.
Very advanced for his age, Contreras already has feel for sequencing his pitches, repeating his delivery and living in the strike zone. He'll need to refine his command to survive against better hitters, especially as a flyball pitcher without much life on his fastball. Given his aptitude and competitiveness, his proponents believe he'll figure it out.
Smith:
Smith controls the strike zone so well and opponents were so afraid to challenge him during his 2017 senior season at Rockwall-Heath High (Rockwall, Texas) that he drew 57 walks, the ninth-highest total in U.S. prep history. The first position player drafted by the Yankees that June, he signed for a slightly over-slot $497,500 in the fourth round and led the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 46 free passes in his pro debut. After a rough '18, he rebounded in '19 to top the Class A South Atlantic League in walks (74) and rank second in on-base percentage (.405) and third in batting (.307) and OPS (.871). In '21, he was acquired by the Pirates in a trade for Jameson Taillon.
Smith has the bat speed, strength and plate discipline to become a solid hitter in terms of both average and power. He did a better job in 2019 of driving the ball in the air and to all fields, and more pop will come if he adds some more loft to his left-handed stroke. He's patient rather than passive, piling up walks while showing a willingness to turn his swing loose if he gets a pitch he likes, and thrives against fastball and offspeed offerings alike.
A quarterback in high school, Smith's stocky build belies his athleticism. He's a fringy runner out the batter's box but is quicker once he gets going and stole 16 bases in 20 attempts in 2019. He shows average range and arm strength on the outfield corners and has spent the majority of his time in left field.
Found this from a year ago at Fantrax re Escotto:
The Yankees signed Escotto out of the Dominican Republic for $350K in the 2018 signing period and gave him his first taste of professional ball this summer in the Dominican Summer League. In 181 at-bats, Escotto slashed .315/.429/.552/.981 with 23 extra-base hits, eight home runs, 13 steals, and a 14.7% walk rate.
Those are rookie ball numbers in the DSL, so interpret them however you’d like, but the tools here are solid across the board. At 5’11/180, Escotto is quite athletic and a plus runner with decent range in the field. He received time at second, third, and shortstop this season and it’s currently unclear where his defensive home will end up being, but his offensive profile projects to fit in nicely at any of those positions. At the plate, Escotto has shown an advanced approach and good feel for hitting from the right side of the plate. There are some swing and miss kinks to iron out, but that can be worked on as he gets older and comes stateside. There’s also some natural raw power here that Escotto is still tapping into.
He’s far from a finished product, but you have to be excited about the raw tools here. Expect Escotto to soar up prospect rankings in the next 12-24 months.
Yajure:
Though the Yankees paid out $34 million in bonuses and tax penalties for their 2014-15 international signings, one of their best investments was the mere $30,000 they used to land Yajure out of Venezuela. After performing well in two years of Rookie ball, he missed all of '17 following Tommy John surgery. He regained his feel for pitching quicker than most pitchers who have their elbows reconstructed, and his stuff bounced back in 2019, leading him to headline a prospect package the Yankees shipped to the Pirates for Jameson Taillon ahead of the '21 season.
Yajure's 92-95 mph four-seam fastball is rather pedestrian compared to those of the flamethrowers in the Yankees' system, but his command and feel for his entire arsenal allowed him to lead New York farmhands with a 2.14 ERA while reaching Double-A in 2019. His best pitch is a solid to plus changeup and the addition of a cutter with similar upside made a huge difference in '19. He also can spin an average curveball for strikes.
Because Yajure isn't overpowering, he'll have to prove he can continue to miss bats against more advanced hitters. He throws strikes and commands his stuff better than most of the Yankees' pitching prospects, generating a lot of weak contact. He has a high floor as a likely No. 4 or 5 starter. [ouch]
Contreras:
Despite being in the international penalty box in 2016 for overspending two years earlier, the Yankees still signed several intriguing talents, including Contreras for $250,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He first reached Class A at age 18 in 2018 and spent all of last season there, leading the South Atlantic League with 12 wins as the only teenage pitching qualifier in the circuit. Contreras was then shipped to the Pirates in '21 in a package deal for Jameson Taillon. There are divergent views of his future, with some scouts seeing a future starter with three solid or better pitches while others wonder if he'll miss enough bats to stay in the rotation.
Contreras has 92-95 mph fastball that touches 97 and features high spin rates that create some riding action, but it can get hit more than it should because it lacks plane and often gets too straight. His best secondary offering is a mid-80s changeup with heavy sink. He'll also show some curveballs with good shape, though his breaker is more of an average pitch and doesn't overmatch same-side hitters.
Very advanced for his age, Contreras already has feel for sequencing his pitches, repeating his delivery and living in the strike zone. He'll need to refine his command to survive against better hitters, especially as a flyball pitcher without much life on his fastball. Given his aptitude and competitiveness, his proponents believe he'll figure it out.
Smith:
Smith controls the strike zone so well and opponents were so afraid to challenge him during his 2017 senior season at Rockwall-Heath High (Rockwall, Texas) that he drew 57 walks, the ninth-highest total in U.S. prep history. The first position player drafted by the Yankees that June, he signed for a slightly over-slot $497,500 in the fourth round and led the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 46 free passes in his pro debut. After a rough '18, he rebounded in '19 to top the Class A South Atlantic League in walks (74) and rank second in on-base percentage (.405) and third in batting (.307) and OPS (.871). In '21, he was acquired by the Pirates in a trade for Jameson Taillon.
Smith has the bat speed, strength and plate discipline to become a solid hitter in terms of both average and power. He did a better job in 2019 of driving the ball in the air and to all fields, and more pop will come if he adds some more loft to his left-handed stroke. He's patient rather than passive, piling up walks while showing a willingness to turn his swing loose if he gets a pitch he likes, and thrives against fastball and offspeed offerings alike.
A quarterback in high school, Smith's stocky build belies his athleticism. He's a fringy runner out the batter's box but is quicker once he gets going and stole 16 bases in 20 attempts in 2019. He shows average range and arm strength on the outfield corners and has spent the majority of his time in left field.
Found this from a year ago at Fantrax re Escotto:
The Yankees signed Escotto out of the Dominican Republic for $350K in the 2018 signing period and gave him his first taste of professional ball this summer in the Dominican Summer League. In 181 at-bats, Escotto slashed .315/.429/.552/.981 with 23 extra-base hits, eight home runs, 13 steals, and a 14.7% walk rate.
Those are rookie ball numbers in the DSL, so interpret them however you’d like, but the tools here are solid across the board. At 5’11/180, Escotto is quite athletic and a plus runner with decent range in the field. He received time at second, third, and shortstop this season and it’s currently unclear where his defensive home will end up being, but his offensive profile projects to fit in nicely at any of those positions. At the plate, Escotto has shown an advanced approach and good feel for hitting from the right side of the plate. There are some swing and miss kinks to iron out, but that can be worked on as he gets older and comes stateside. There’s also some natural raw power here that Escotto is still tapping into.
He’s far from a finished product, but you have to be excited about the raw tools here. Expect Escotto to soar up prospect rankings in the next 12-24 months.
-
2drfischer@gmail.c
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
This is really disappointing from the perspective that no young major league player is coming here in the trade.
The team won 19 of 60 games last year. They're going to be hard pressed to win 40 if 162 are played in 2021. They're going to be '62 Mets bad. I hope in two to three years we can say this trade was worth it.
The team won 19 of 60 games last year. They're going to be hard pressed to win 40 if 162 are played in 2021. They're going to be '62 Mets bad. I hope in two to three years we can say this trade was worth it.
Taillon to Yankees for four low level minor leaguers
1D303D2C2B3A2D6D6E5F0 wrote: Scouting reports from MLB.com:
Yajure:
Though the Yankees paid out $34 million in bonuses and tax penalties for their 2014-15 international signings, one of their best investments was the mere $30,000 they used to land Yajure out of Venezuela. After performing well in two years of Rookie ball, he missed all of '17 following Tommy John surgery. He regained his feel for pitching quicker than most pitchers who have their elbows reconstructed, and his stuff bounced back in 2019, leading him to headline a prospect package the Yankees shipped to the Pirates for Jameson Taillon ahead of the '21 season.
Yajure's 92-95 mph four-seam fastball is rather pedestrian compared to those of the flamethrowers in the Yankees' system, but his command and feel for his entire arsenal allowed him to lead New York farmhands with a 2.14 ERA while reaching Double-A in 2019. His best pitch is a solid to plus changeup and the addition of a cutter with similar upside made a huge difference in '19. He also can spin an average curveball for strikes.
Because Yajure isn't overpowering, he'll have to prove he can continue to miss bats against more advanced hitters. He throws strikes and commands his stuff better than most of the Yankees' pitching prospects, generating a lot of weak contact. He has a high floor as a likely No. 4 or 5 starter. [ouch]
Contreras:
Despite being in the international penalty box in 2016 for overspending two years earlier, the Yankees still signed several intriguing talents, including Contreras for $250,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He first reached Class A at age 18 in 2018 and spent all of last season there, leading the South Atlantic League with 12 wins as the only teenage pitching qualifier in the circuit. Contreras was then shipped to the Pirates in '21 in a package deal for Jameson Taillon. There are divergent views of his future, with some scouts seeing a future starter with three solid or better pitches while others wonder if he'll miss enough bats to stay in the rotation.
Contreras has 92-95 mph fastball that touches 97 and features high spin rates that create some riding action, but it can get hit more than it should because it lacks plane and often gets too straight. His best secondary offering is a mid-80s changeup with heavy sink. He'll also show some curveballs with good shape, though his breaker is more of an average pitch and doesn't overmatch same-side hitters.
Very advanced for his age, Contreras already has feel for sequencing his pitches, repeating his delivery and living in the strike zone. He'll need to refine his command to survive against better hitters, especially as a flyball pitcher without much life on his fastball. Given his aptitude and competitiveness, his proponents believe he'll figure it out.
Smith:
Smith controls the strike zone so well and opponents were so afraid to challenge him during his 2017 senior season at Rockwall-Heath High (Rockwall, Texas) that he drew 57 walks, the ninth-highest total in U.S. prep history. The first position player drafted by the Yankees that June, he signed for a slightly over-slot $497,500 in the fourth round and led the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 46 free passes in his pro debut. After a rough '18, he rebounded in '19 to top the Class A South Atlantic League in walks (74) and rank second in on-base percentage (.405) and third in batting (.307) and OPS (.871). In '21, he was acquired by the Pirates in a trade for Jameson Taillon.
Smith has the bat speed, strength and plate discipline to become a solid hitter in terms of both average and power. He did a better job in 2019 of driving the ball in the air and to all fields, and more pop will come if he adds some more loft to his left-handed stroke. He's patient rather than passive, piling up walks while showing a willingness to turn his swing loose if he gets a pitch he likes, and thrives against fastball and offspeed offerings alike.
A quarterback in high school, Smith's stocky build belies his athleticism. He's a fringy runner out the batter's box but is quicker once he gets going and stole 16 bases in 20 attempts in 2019. He shows average range and arm strength on the outfield corners and has spent the majority of his time in left field.
Found this from a year ago at Fantrax re Escotto:
The Yankees signed Escotto out of the Dominican Republic for $350K in the 2018 signing period and gave him his first taste of professional ball this summer in the Dominican Summer League. In 181 at-bats, Escotto slashed .315/.429/.552/.981 with 23 extra-base hits, eight home runs, 13 steals, and a 14.7% walk rate.
Those are rookie ball numbers in the DSL, so interpret them however you’d like, but the tools here are solid across the board. At 5’11/180, Escotto is quite athletic and a plus runner with decent range in the field. He received time at second, third, and shortstop this season and it’s currently unclear where his defensive home will end up being, but his offensive profile projects to fit in nicely at any of those positions. At the plate, Escotto has shown an advanced approach and good feel for hitting from the right side of the plate. There are some swing and miss kinks to iron out, but that can be worked on as he gets older and comes stateside. There’s also some natural raw power here that Escotto is still tapping into.
He’s far from a finished product, but you have to be excited about the raw tools here. Expect Escotto to soar up prospect rankings in the next 12-24 months.
The MLB overviews are not super optimistic. This doesn’t seem to be as much of a slam dunk as the Musgrove trade.
OTOH, I saw someone reference that Baseball America had them ranked higher in the Yankees system. One of them a top 10.
It seems as if BC is going for super young kids (very few college) that are early in their development and haven’t had a chance to really break out. All of them seem to have more upside than the characters NH traded for. Again, we are going to find out if they can develop talent.
Yajure:
Though the Yankees paid out $34 million in bonuses and tax penalties for their 2014-15 international signings, one of their best investments was the mere $30,000 they used to land Yajure out of Venezuela. After performing well in two years of Rookie ball, he missed all of '17 following Tommy John surgery. He regained his feel for pitching quicker than most pitchers who have their elbows reconstructed, and his stuff bounced back in 2019, leading him to headline a prospect package the Yankees shipped to the Pirates for Jameson Taillon ahead of the '21 season.
Yajure's 92-95 mph four-seam fastball is rather pedestrian compared to those of the flamethrowers in the Yankees' system, but his command and feel for his entire arsenal allowed him to lead New York farmhands with a 2.14 ERA while reaching Double-A in 2019. His best pitch is a solid to plus changeup and the addition of a cutter with similar upside made a huge difference in '19. He also can spin an average curveball for strikes.
Because Yajure isn't overpowering, he'll have to prove he can continue to miss bats against more advanced hitters. He throws strikes and commands his stuff better than most of the Yankees' pitching prospects, generating a lot of weak contact. He has a high floor as a likely No. 4 or 5 starter. [ouch]
Contreras:
Despite being in the international penalty box in 2016 for overspending two years earlier, the Yankees still signed several intriguing talents, including Contreras for $250,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He first reached Class A at age 18 in 2018 and spent all of last season there, leading the South Atlantic League with 12 wins as the only teenage pitching qualifier in the circuit. Contreras was then shipped to the Pirates in '21 in a package deal for Jameson Taillon. There are divergent views of his future, with some scouts seeing a future starter with three solid or better pitches while others wonder if he'll miss enough bats to stay in the rotation.
Contreras has 92-95 mph fastball that touches 97 and features high spin rates that create some riding action, but it can get hit more than it should because it lacks plane and often gets too straight. His best secondary offering is a mid-80s changeup with heavy sink. He'll also show some curveballs with good shape, though his breaker is more of an average pitch and doesn't overmatch same-side hitters.
Very advanced for his age, Contreras already has feel for sequencing his pitches, repeating his delivery and living in the strike zone. He'll need to refine his command to survive against better hitters, especially as a flyball pitcher without much life on his fastball. Given his aptitude and competitiveness, his proponents believe he'll figure it out.
Smith:
Smith controls the strike zone so well and opponents were so afraid to challenge him during his 2017 senior season at Rockwall-Heath High (Rockwall, Texas) that he drew 57 walks, the ninth-highest total in U.S. prep history. The first position player drafted by the Yankees that June, he signed for a slightly over-slot $497,500 in the fourth round and led the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 46 free passes in his pro debut. After a rough '18, he rebounded in '19 to top the Class A South Atlantic League in walks (74) and rank second in on-base percentage (.405) and third in batting (.307) and OPS (.871). In '21, he was acquired by the Pirates in a trade for Jameson Taillon.
Smith has the bat speed, strength and plate discipline to become a solid hitter in terms of both average and power. He did a better job in 2019 of driving the ball in the air and to all fields, and more pop will come if he adds some more loft to his left-handed stroke. He's patient rather than passive, piling up walks while showing a willingness to turn his swing loose if he gets a pitch he likes, and thrives against fastball and offspeed offerings alike.
A quarterback in high school, Smith's stocky build belies his athleticism. He's a fringy runner out the batter's box but is quicker once he gets going and stole 16 bases in 20 attempts in 2019. He shows average range and arm strength on the outfield corners and has spent the majority of his time in left field.
Found this from a year ago at Fantrax re Escotto:
The Yankees signed Escotto out of the Dominican Republic for $350K in the 2018 signing period and gave him his first taste of professional ball this summer in the Dominican Summer League. In 181 at-bats, Escotto slashed .315/.429/.552/.981 with 23 extra-base hits, eight home runs, 13 steals, and a 14.7% walk rate.
Those are rookie ball numbers in the DSL, so interpret them however you’d like, but the tools here are solid across the board. At 5’11/180, Escotto is quite athletic and a plus runner with decent range in the field. He received time at second, third, and shortstop this season and it’s currently unclear where his defensive home will end up being, but his offensive profile projects to fit in nicely at any of those positions. At the plate, Escotto has shown an advanced approach and good feel for hitting from the right side of the plate. There are some swing and miss kinks to iron out, but that can be worked on as he gets older and comes stateside. There’s also some natural raw power here that Escotto is still tapping into.
He’s far from a finished product, but you have to be excited about the raw tools here. Expect Escotto to soar up prospect rankings in the next 12-24 months.
The MLB overviews are not super optimistic. This doesn’t seem to be as much of a slam dunk as the Musgrove trade.
OTOH, I saw someone reference that Baseball America had them ranked higher in the Yankees system. One of them a top 10.
It seems as if BC is going for super young kids (very few college) that are early in their development and haven’t had a chance to really break out. All of them seem to have more upside than the characters NH traded for. Again, we are going to find out if they can develop talent.