Several 2080 contributors are finally finding some time to empty their memory cards! Starting today, and running each Tuesday for the near future, we’ll be highlighting new videos that have been published to our Prospect Video Library.
This week, yours truly is kicking off the effort by posting video of 11 Yankees’ prospects playing for the Double-A Trenton Thunder, including newly-minted Yankee and former A’s 2013 first-round pick Billy McKinney (RF), and 21-year-old sleeper-prospect Ronald Herrera (RHSP), and CF Dustin Fowler. I’ve also added five videos of current Altoona Curve prospects, including 2015 first-rounder Kevin Newman (SS), 6’6″ Tyler Eppler (RHSP), a 2014 sixth-rounder who was the starter in Friday night’s game, and the Pirates’ 2013 first-round pick Reese McGuire (C), who spent the weekend as a card-carrying top prospect for the Pirates playing for Altoona, until he was promptly traded to the Blue Jays at the non-waiver trade deadline yesterday, along with Altoona teammate Harold Ramirez (OF) and Pirates lefty Francisco Liriano, for righty Drew Hutchinson.
McKinney is a well-known commodity in prospect circles, and just acquired by the Yankees, along with Gleyber Torres (SS) and Rashad Crawford (OF), for Aroldis Chapman (LHP) and Adam Warren (RHP) on July 25. He debuted for the Trenton Thunder on July 28 after spending the balance off 2016 at Double-A Tennessee in the Southern League, where he slashed .252/.355/.329, for the Smokies. McKinney is showing an advanced approach at the plate for a 21-year old in Double-A by working deep in counts (49:68 BB:SO rate over 349 PAs) and keeping his OBP up (.355 this year, .354/.371 from 2014-15), but the power hasn’t shown up yet – 11 HRs/24 2Bs in 543 PAs in High A in 2014, seven HRs/31 2Bs in 433 PAs 2015 (High A/Double-A) and just one HR/12 2Bs so far this year – his first full season of Double-A ball – over 363 PAs.
Herrera, a 21-year-old acquired by the Yankees in the 2015 offseason from the Padres, showed off his four-pitch mix in his start against Altoona on July 29, where he threw 6.1 innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits while walking three and striking out four in a 3-1 Thunder win. We have a write-up on Herrera in our Prospect Spotlight Library. While his mechanics feature some unique rock-steps to start his delivery from the windup, he easily repeats his delivery, and his changeup plays up nicely, deceptively mirroring his fastball out of hand. For the season, he’s 8-7 with a 4.11 ERA, allowing 102 hits over 100.2 IP, with 30 walks to go with 102 strikeouts.
McGuire has steadily advanced in the Pirates’ system since being taken 14th overall by the Pirates in 2013. This is his first season at the Double-A level, and he’s still working to refine his hit tool to round out a solid defensive profile from behind the dish. For the season, he’s slashing .259/.337/.346, and striking out in just 8% of his PAs, so he’s making plenty of contact with an athletic, long, and fluid swing, though t’s coming with little pop (1HR, 16 2Bs in 304 PAs). Behind the dish, he’s thrown out 33 of 84 would-be basestealers (39.3%).
Newman, the Pirates 19th-overall pick out of the University of Arizona last year, was bumped to Altoona on June 18 after raking .366/.428/.494 over 41 games at High A Bradenton, and his success at the plate has continued over his first 37 games in Altoona, where he is slashing .324/.384/.428. He’s made just a single error while starting all but one game at shortstop for the Curve.
