SSTN Mailbag: Infield Prospects, Buxton, And Rodon!

I really want to know how the Rays keep doing it. Coming into the year, I really didn't consider the Rays a threat to take the AL East crown at all. As they surged through July, I thought that at some point, the other shoe would drop and they'd begin to sink in the standings. I was completely wrong on those counts. The Rays are formidable, and against all odds, they just keep winning. Make no mistake: the Yankees have played fantastic baseball since the beginning of August, going 26-16. The Rays are 29-15 in the same period of time. Assuming the inevitable happens over the next few days, the Rays will clinch the AL East. They earned it and proved that they are a formidable team.

That is not the same thing as saying the Yankees are a worse team. The Rays assembled a better record in crunch time over the last 7-8 weeks. The Yankees should go into the playoffs with a healthier, deeper roster than they've been able to show since late April. The pitching staff is already getting reinforcements, and Clarke Schmidt, Ryan Weathers, and Will Warren will eliminate the need for the ugliness we've seen from the shuttle and middle relievers over the last two months. Assuming Judge remains healthy, his presence in the middle of the lineup has materially changed the way Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Luis Garcia are being pitched, all of which has been a positive. Yes, even without the AL East title, I still feel pretty good as a Yankee fan today.

As always, thanks for the great questions and keep them coming to SSTNReadermail@gmail.com. In this week's SSTN Mailbag, we'll talk about the Yankees' depth chart of young infielders from the Majors to the minors, Byron Buxton, and Carlos Rodon's worrying last start! Let's get at it:

Brad S. asks: The Yankees have several intriguing infield prospects and young MLB players in their system--including George Lombard, Jr., Anthony Volpe (2B?), Jose Caballero (Util), Oswaldo Cabrera (Util?), Dax Kilby (2B?), Roderick Arias (3B?), Core Jackson (3B?), Luis Escudero (2B?), Enmanuel Tejeda (Util?), Richard Matic (3B). Marco Luciano (2B?), and Stiven Marinez (SS/2B?). The Yankees also seem to have increased their coaching in every way that can improve these players, and we have seen improvements in several of them. Realizing that the future is always uncertain and injuries/trades/and curveballs can derail potential, where do you see each of these players in 3 years? Who would you bet on to have significant growth/improvement? Who makes the varsity, and in what capacity? Who gets traded?

I'll give you some brief thoughts on each guy, however, a word of caution: trying to project 3 years into the future with prospects who have really only just started playing games stateside is a very tricky job. We also need to understand that most prospects across baseball, for one reason or another, do not end up working out to their 100th percentile projection. Most won't make their 65th percentile projection. That's truer the further away from the Majors a player is, so keep that in mind. The reality is that the Yankees themselves are not likely counting on anyone below A+ for the next 2-3 years.

With all of that in mind, here's my thoughts on each guy:

• George Lombard Jr. - His struggles at SS defensively have been surprising. His skills are so beyond obvious, but I also think his mind is racing a little bit. I agree with Paul Semendinger that the Yankees have asked too much of Lombard too soon. I was in favor of a call-up, which I still believe is the right call, but he should have batted 9th all year. I think the totality of playing in the big leagues is getting to him a bit. All of that being said, the talent remains very clear, and he is still finding ways to impact games in a positive way even amidst growing pains. I think he's an All-Star.

• Anthony Volpe - The rest of Volpe's career depends on him figuring out how to hit at a consistently average level. I see signs that he's doing that, by making some of the mechanical changes I've been begging for since his rookie season, but I've been burned in the past thinking some changes would stick. If Volpe can maintain the performance we're watching right now, then Volpe is an All-Star 2B. I think he'll settle in at less than that, but he's a valuable player.

• Jose Caballero - What you see is what you get. He's a nice utility bench player who is overexposed with more playing time. I doubt he'll be a Yankee 3 years from now, but he's solid to have around right now.

• Oswaldo Cabrera - The DFA made sense, but it also made me incredibly sad. Cabrera is as good a clubhouse guy as exists in big league ball. I think the entire Yankee Universe was rooting for him. Cabrera was a fringe big leaguer before the ankle injury, and I think he's a Quad-A player now.

• Dax Kilby - He's the real deal, like Lombard was before him. The Yankees have refused to move him in trades, and he's very well liked among good organizations across baseball. He's a clear top-100 prospect. A lot can change between now and by the time he'll be ready, so he should stay at SS until otherwise noted.

• Roderick Arias - Kudos to Arias for his renaissance this season. He's put himself back on the prospect map, though the flaws that caused his stock to tank remain. I will be surprised if he makes the big leagues with the Yankees, but he's put himself back on the map as a hitter and his infield skills play around the diamond defensively.

• Core Jackson - Good defender at SS/2B with some pop and bat to ball skills. He's a likely big leaguer, but not necessarily with the Yankees. This is the type of mid-level prospect the Yankees typically move at the trade deadline.

• Luis Escudero - I have been very surprised by Escudero's ability to make contact at low-A. More interestingly is that for the first time, he's showing an ability to lift the baseball, tapping into some interesting power. He is very slow for a middle infielder, and he chases too much. He's a bit old for low-A, so a move to A+ next year will tell the tale of where Escudero will land on prospect lists.

• Enmanuel Tejeda - Tejeda has some tools, but he's struggled to perform at A+. He's a good baserunner and defender, but I don't think he's a real prospect.

• Richard Matic - It's always hard to project DOSL and Complex League prospects, but it's known throughout baseball that the Yankees really like Matic, as do some others in player evaluation circles. He is a large body already, and the chances of him sticking at 3B are really dependent on him keeping himself in peak condition. On the offensive side, he already is showing doubles and gap power. With a little growth, he has the potential for serious power.

• Marco Luciano - The former top prospect has been rebuilt by the Yankees, with solid results. He's been a nice depth piece, but I doubt he'll do anything more than get a cup of coffee with the Yankees.

• Stiven Martinez - Another popular signing from Latin America, Martinez has shown pop in the DOSL and appears to have some speed and a good arm. Beyond that, let's wait until he gets stateside to evaluate further.

Fuster asks: Byron Buxton is an aging but still decent centerfielder seemingly incapable of ever playing a full season and headed for surgery to correct some sort of hip impingement.

his contract calls for two more seasons at $15M per

 his team is not doing well and likely to be out of contention for those two seasons

will the Twins, with a couple of promising outfield prospects, continue to honor Buxton's wish to stay with the club, or is it trade time?

how much trade value does Buxton still possess?

There hasn't been a lot released about Buxton's injury or surgery, but hip impingements are serious news for baseball players. I've dealt with the same issue, and it ultimately led to me stepping away from a mound and towards a hip replacement in a couple of months. People in this situation really struggle to function in athletic situations that demand serious flexion in the hip.

The rumor is that Buxton has been dealing with this issue for years and has pushed it as far as he can. That indicates to me that the issue is reasonably serious. Surgical techniques have improved drastically over the years in terms of managing issues like this, but the pain will always be there until the hip is either replaced or resurfaced (at least, that's been my experience, but I'm also not a doctor).

Buxton has remained an excellent player, but I question whether he'll be able to stay in CF after this surgery. I hope I'm wrong, because Buxton is outstanding. Regardless, I still expect him to have trade value, but I think he needs to come back and prove he's healthy first. Given that fact, I'm not sure he's a fit for the Yankees.

Michael G. asks: Rodon pitched well his last time out, but his velocity was way down in the first couple of innings. Are you worried?

Yes. Rodon has had arm issues for most of his career, and they've cropped up again over the last two years. Rodon noted he had trouble getting loose, which likely means he's nursing an injury of some kind. That said, Rodon has proven that he is capable of pitching well through pain and stiffness. I just hope he can hold up before something pops irreparably.