Yankee Farm System - Postseason Top 25

Every day of baseball season when I get up, I check my phone for two things: the AL East Standings and to see how roughly 80 different minor leaguers performed the day before. Some might think that analyzing the stats of 80-something players, 90% of which will never don the pinstripes, is a waste of time. And maybe they're right, but then again 90% of blogs could be viewed the same way, so there is that...

A few months ago, on a day that I apparently had too much time on my hands, I developed a spreadsheet to "grade" prospects based on both subjective opinion and objective statistics. For the subjective, I assign an A, B, or grade to who I believe are the 50 best prospects. Objectively, I score the prospects in three areas: how they've performed statistically in the most recent season, how they've performed over their career, and what level they're at in comparison to their age. Performance stats are weighted based on the player's position and, for recent season, which league or leagues the prospect played in. Each score is based on a scale of 100 - 60 and are weighted to develop a final score. The grades are weighted most heavily toward the age/level relationship, then career performance, then recent season performance.

I could go on and on but I think you get the point. So, without further delay, here are the top 25 the way I see them.

Rank	Name	Position	Grade	Fin. Score	Age/Level	Season	Career
1	Tyler Austin	RF	A	94	92	96	98
2	Gary Sanchez	C	A	92	97	84	85
3	Mason Williams	CF	A	91	92	85	92
4	Ty Hensley	SP	A	88	82	97	97
5	Slade Heathcott	RF	A	86	88	91	80
6	Manny Banuelos	SP	B	96	98	100	91
7	Mark Montgomery	RP	B	95	92	100	100
8	Ramon Flores	LF	B	90	94	91	80
9	J.R. Murphy	C	B	88	95	79	77
10	Corban Joseph	2B	B	88	88	95	87
11	Austin Romine	C	B	86	89	83	82
12	Zoilo Almonte	RF	B	85	87	86	79
13	Jose Campos	SP	B	85	86	85	83
14	Ben Gamel	CF	B	84	85	77	84
15	Nik Turley	SP	B	84	84	89	82
16	Brett Marshall	SP	B	83	90	72	72
17	Dante Bichette, Jr.	3B	B	83	87	68	81
18	Angelo Gumbs	2B	B	83	87	75	79
19	Cito Culver	SS	B	80	87	65	70
20	Ravel Santana	CF	B	80	81	67	81
21	Nick Goody	RP	C	95	91	100	100
22	Greg Bird	1B	C	90	83	100	100
23	Jordan Cote	SP	C	90	83	100	100
24	Rafael de Paula	SP	C	81	69	100	100
25	Austin Aune	SS	C	79	82	75	75

The Yankees have five grade A prospects: Austin, Williams, Sanchez, Hensley, and Heathcott. Admittedly, Hensley's status as a grade A prospect is very subjective but I feel like his pre-draft hype and the glimpses of talent he provided while in the GCL justify the lofty status for a rookie. Heathcott probably would have been considered more of a bust than an elite prospect 24 months ago, but the success he's had in Charleston and Tampa the past two years has revived his career and I look forward to watching him in 2013. Last year Banuelos, Campos, Bichette, and Santana would have been grade A prospects but the struggles of Bichette and Santana and the injuries to Banuelos and Campos drops them down to grade B prospects. Campos, Bichette, and Santana have a chance to bounce back to grade A status with positive years next year.  Unfortunately Banuelos will have to wait until 2014 to get his crack at it due to his elbow injury.

The trio of Austin, Williams, and Sanchez will no doubt make all top 100 prospect lists from now through the beginning of next season. The surprise here is that, while Williams and Sanchez are generally ranked ahead of Austin, I put Tyler Austin number one. Look at the career stats: .331 batting average, .969 OPS, and a .478 BB/K ratio. Between Austin, Williams, and Heathcott, the Yankees have a great young core of outfield prospects; the law of averages tells you that at least one of these guys should make it to Yankee Stadium, and this amateur analyst will put his money on Austin.

What separates the grade B and grade C prospects is experience. All of the grade C prospects are in their first full year of professional ball and the five listed above should all find their way to Charleston at some point next year. Behind Mark Montgomery, who would be a grade A prospect if he were not a reliever, Nick Goody has the best chance of making it to the Bronx the fastest of anybody in this group of 25. Don't be surprised if he's playing in New York next year, if nothing else as a September call up.

I welcome all comments and criticism. If anything, the criticism may help me refine my system. Check back around the end of March for my pre-season 2013 rankings. God bless and Go Yankees