The first month of pro baseball in Florida has almost come to a conclusion. Here are some fresh notes and video from early on.
Checking off the boxes: Luis Medina flashing improved command
Backfield Banter: Yankees/Pirates Instructs
I’ve been to the Yankees backfields a lot in 2018. Often times, there are a few fans, few scouts, and lots of players and coaches in the stands. Most of the time, crowds are light and there are plenty of spots to post up and get video and scout. However, I was not prepared for the circus of the Instructional League. Maybe it was news that Albert Abreu would be starting. Maybe it was the 3 weeks of no local baseball. Whatever it was, the crowd was reminiscent of a Minors Spring Training game. The bleachers were packed and there was a buzz in the air.
Backfield Banter - Yankees Camp 9/19/18
Anthony Garcia impressed. He’s a physical specimen, listed at 6’6” 234 lbs on the Yankees instructs roster. Having just turned 18 on September 5th, Garcia is not done growing and his frame looks capable of supporting more weight. The body is long-limbed which adds length to his swing, but the bat path is fairly direct, and I like his bat speed.
2018 Prospect Team of the Year
With the 2018 season winding down, I figured it would be a fun exercise to look at who I think performed the best at each position across ALL of the minor leagues. Think of it as my version of an All-American squad, or my First Team All-MiLB squad. Jason Woodell joined me on the Prospects Live podcast to discuss our first-team picks. (Where we disagree, I included his picks as well.) Now, I’m not trying to look into the future and pick players that project out to be the top guys at these positions, but that does play a small role in this. It’s like 85% stats from 2018 while still having some future projection, so I guess I’m cheating a bit. Whatever, I can do what I want over here. Let’s dive in…