Prospects in the desert: Eppler breaks down Yankees' Fall League assignments (original) (raw)

After a good road trip and a quiet off day, the Yankees are about to begin a key 10-game home stand. But really, you don't need me to tell you about the importance of games down the stretch. Especially games at home when Toronto is coming to town at the end of next week.

Instead, let's spend this morning looking back into the minor league system. Assistant general manager Billy Eppler spent some time last night explaining the Yankees' choices for the Arizona Fall League. It's a good group of legitimate prospects worth keeping an eye on. The Fall League schedule begins in mid-October.

ERIC JAGIELO

Third baseman

Who he is: The Yankees top draft pick in 2013 broke camp with Double-A this season, but he hasn't played since mid-June because of a knee injury that was worse than originally hoped and/or expected. Jagielo as one more medical check up in the next few days and sould begin baseball activities “in a pretty short timetable," Eppler said.

What he does: Considered an advanced hitter coming out of Notre Dame, Jagielo has hit for good power in his brief professional career, including a .495 slugging percentage before this year's injury. “He puts the ball in the air to the pull side, and he can really impact the baseball," Eppler said. "He has an idea of the strike zone. Kind of fits the mold of the players you’ve seen us gravitate to over the years.”

Why the Fall League: This is a pretty clear-cut case of a player going to the Fall League to make up for lost time. Eppler said he wasn't positive whether Jagielo would play both infield corners in Arizona, but the Yankees expect to keep giving him at least some time at first base. Jagielo''s still considered a third baseman, but he got three starts at first base this season. “He hasn’t played very much first at all," Eppler said. "So third base is where the comfort level and familiarity lies at this point in time.”

GARY SANCHEZ Catcher

Who he is: The top catching prospect in the system got to Triple-A this year and was almost certainly going to get a September call-up before a late-season hamstring injury. Could he become an option before the end of the regular season? "Probably T.B.D.," Eppler said. "Just depends on how he feels. Pretty minor hamstring injury from the feedback we got from the minor league staff, the medical staff, so we’ll just kind of base it on how he feels on an every few days cycle."

What he does: Sanchez has impressed the Yankees since spring training with his improved defense and maturity, and he capped his season with a whopping .295/.349/.500 slash line in Triple-A. "This guy’s 22 years old, so he’s coming out of college right now, essentially," Eppler said. "And he’s basically dominating Triple-A. That’s pretty valuable. And he’s doing it at a premium position. He’s a pretty complete player right now. We’re excited by how he’s grown.”

Why the Fall League: Eppler said the Yankees discussed sending Sanchez to the Fall League even before the injury. This isn't about making up for lost time. It's about continuing Sanchez's steps in the right direction. "Just wanted him to continue," Eppler said. "Get his games called and games caught up there."

TYLER WADE Shortstop

Who he is: Emerging as one of the system's top position prospects, Wade was a fourth-round pick in 2013, and he opened this season playing shortstop every day in High-A Tampa. He's finishing the year in Double-A Trenton. He reached that level that despite being just 20 years old. “For us to move a player that young up to Double-A, there’s going to be ingredients that go beyond performance," Eppler said.

What he does: Those ingredients beyond performance, Eppler said, center on Wade's drive and competitive nature. It has been noticeable since spring training that the organization -- from the big league coach staff on through the minor league system -- is already wildly impressed by the way Wade works and carries himself. It's hard not to notice the way people talk about Wade, and that high-end makeup goes alongside good numbers for such a young guy playing a premium position. “He’s got a very good chance to achieve his potential," Eppler said.

Why the Fall League: Wade has more than 500 plate appearances as it is, so this isn't a matter of playing time. The Yankees are sending Wade to Arizona strictly to challenge him even further. "Just the experience level, getting to play against advanced competition," Eppler said. "He’s getting a little exposure to that in Double-A right now. We’re going to put him against some pretty good arms in the Fall League, and I think that will be good for him. And continuing his reps at shortstop and the infield is going to be good for him."

DUSTIN FOWLER

Center fielder

Who he is: An 18th-round pick out of high school in 2013, Fowler's had one of the best all-around seasons of anyone in the Yankees' system. He played his way from Low-A to High-A, and he has the second-most RBI in the organization. He also has the third-best batting average among full-season prospects, and the fifth-most stolen bases. "Improving his ability to put the ball in play," Eppler said. "(Also) improving his selectivity. He’s clearly getting stronger."

What he does: Eppler said there's "no doubt" Fowler can stick in center field, and the team has been encouraged by his all-around offensive improvements. Fowler could be an emerging prospect, and Eppler noted his combination of speed, hitting ability, improving plate discipline, and "strength arrows pointing upward" have been encouraging. Add him to the list as yet another left-handed outfielder who has the Yankees' attention.

Why the Fall League: Fowler is one of the Fall League players assigned to the taxi squad, meaning he'll only be active a couple of times a week. He's not going to Arizona to play a ton, just to keep doing what he's been doing and see some higher competition. "Our reports on him in 2014 were the same we have on him in 2015," Eppler said. "He’s a guy Damon (Oppenheimer) and his guys identified as a prospect out of the gate. He’s a guy that our pro scouts and some of our amateur staff that cycle through our system still identify as a prospect. He’s a guy who’s very much on our radar and has maintained that position on our radar."

TYLER WEBB

Left-handed reliever

Who he is: A college draftee in 2013, Webb reached Triple-A in his first full season of pro ball. He got a look in big league camp this spring, then he opened the season back with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He might very well have pushed for a big league call up, but a tendon issue in his pitching hand landed Webb on the disabled list in late June. No surgery required, and Webb has resumed baseball activities. Eppler said Webb has a bullpen coming up. Might even be today, he wasn't sure.

What he does: Keep Webb on the suddenly long list of lefties with a chance to play a big league role next season. Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve, Jacob Lindgren and James Pazos are in the big leagues now, and Eppler said he still thinks of Webb as belonging in that group. "There’s a lot of candidates for those roles, and that’s a good thing," Eppler said. "I don’t really put Andrew Miller in that. He’s occupying a different role."

Why the Fall League: Like Jagielo, this is a standard case of sending a player to the Fall League to make up for lost time. Webb was hurt in the summer, so he'll pitch in the fall. “He’ll just go down to kind of make up for some of the innings that he missed this year," Eppler said. "The Fall League will provide those innings."

CHAZ HEBERT

Left-handed starter

Who he is: It's a credit to the level of talent the Yankees are sending to Arizona that if there's a name on this list you don't know, I'm guessing it's Hebert. Not that Hebert is a huge name, but he's had a good year, including seven shutout innings in a Triple-A spot start late last month. Most of Hebert's season was spent as a 22-year-old in High-A where he was excellent from the first of June onward (his month of June started with a nine-inning shutout, one of three shutouts he's thrown this year).

What he does: Essentially, Hebert fits the profile of a young pitcher who doesn't get a lot of attention but does enough to keep the Yankees intrigued by his potential. “Left-handed starter that controls the strike zone (and) manages the strike zone well," Eppler said. "Has a pretty advanced changeup. Small cutter that is showing improvement. Breaking ball that he can throw for strikes. He’s still pretty young at 22 years old and pitched pretty well in the Florida State League."

Why the Fall League: Teams basically work with the Fall League to settle on the general role each prospect will play in Arizona. Eppler said he wasn't on the conference call that finalized those roles, but it seems likely Hebert will work as a starter in Arizona. "Just an avenue to get him more innings," Eppler said.

TWO OPEN SPOTS Two pitching possibilities?

The Yankees still have to assign two more pitchers to the Fall League. Not sure when those announcements will happen, but it's not at all unusual for a few Fall League choices to be settled a little later. Two names that stand out as possible candidates -- legit prospects who need innings -- are Jacob Lindgren and Ian Clarkin. I asked about both, but Eppler said he wasn't sure what minor league director Gary Denbo had in mind. My own thought is that Clarkin might not be quite advanced enough -- he made one start above Low-A last year and hasn't pitched at all this year -- but Lindgren seems like a good fit as long as he's health enough. That's 100 percent opinion, though. Eppler didn't indicate one way or the other.

Lindgren had bone spur surgery to clean up his elbow back in June. He is still in a throwing program, but he hasn't thrown a bullpen yet. Eppler said his rehab is moving in the right direction.

"Player has no complaints," Eppler said, reading off a recent report from Tampa.

Clarkin had an elbow issue in spring training and hasn't pitched in a game this year, but he didn't need surgery and he's currently in a throwing program. He has progressed to the point of throwing live batting practice. “Everything seems to be going good, so we’ll see," Eppler said.

Associated Press photo of Sanchez