FCL and DSL Yankees Prospects To Watch.

June 28, 2023 Paul Woodin Yankees 0

Keiner Delgado. Florida Complex League Yankees. Lakeland, FL. June 6, 2023. Photo credit Tom Hagerty/MiLB, lakelandlocal on Flickr
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I love a young prospect, and with the FCL and DSL in full swing, I wanted to highlight a few prospects I am watching both the FCL and DSL Yankees rosters very closely. Most of these players are years away from being contributors in the Bronx or on a MLB field, but it’s never too early to get a jump start watching them, dreaming about them, and picking them up in dynasty fantasy baseball. I expect a few of these players to see some time with Low-A Tampa before too long.

FCL

Henry Lalane, LHP

Lalne returned to the DSL in 2022, and this time the results were much improved. The big 6’7″ lefty threw 48 innings, pitching to a 2.98 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Lalane relies on a low 90s fastball, slider, curveball and change-up.

Last season, he struck out 52 and walked just 14, cutting his walk rate more than half from 5.44% to 2.61% and allowing no HRs. Lalane was also inducing ground balls at a 53% rate. Playing back-to-back seasons in the DSL and holding his own there in his second season, Lalane will be one to watch in the FCL and he could shoot up prospect rankings with more experience.

Osiel Rodriguez, RHP – (#45 on pre-season Top 50)

Signed in the 2018 international class, Rodriguez throws a good splitter in the low-to-mid 80s, a fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90s, as well as a slider. He also varies his arm slot well. In 35 innings across 13 games last year split between FCL and Tampa, he pitched to a 4.37 ERA with 42 strike outs. 2023 will be a big year for Rodriguez.

Luis Serna, RHP – (#28 on my pre-season Yankees Top 50)

Serena was signed out of the Mexican League in 2021 for $50K as a 17-year-old. He had a 1.96 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 41.1 innings across 11 games (10 starts) with FCL in 2022. His 56 strikeouts tied him for the FCL lead.

Serna’s best pitch is a mid-70s changeup that could become a plus weapon very soon. His changeup has a big velocity separation from his fastball, which sits in the low-90s and tops out at 94. He also owns a good curveball and a solid slider with high spin rate. The change up and curveball can be deceptive due to having similar looks coming out of his hand.

Serna has room to add strength and velocity on the fastball. He throws strikes with advanced command and has a clean delivery that misses bats and generates weak ground ball contact. He has gained 20 pounds since turning pro and is one of the Yankees most polished pitchers in the system. With Serna’s solid four pitch mix he will likely get some innings in Low-A before the season ends. Serna has a chance to rise up rankings and quickly!

Jordarlin Mendoza, RHP

The 19-year-old Mendoza sat down 77 hitters while walking 19 in just 55 innings (12 starts) with the DSL in 2022, leading the league in strikeouts and having a 2.95 ERA. With a fastball that already hits 96 mph regularly with late life, a nasty slider, and a changeup with impressive fade, Mendoza has both the polish and stuff to succeed. At this point in his career, Mendoza is still a lottery ticket but he is relatively polished and has a higher floor than most prospects his age. He will likely get some innings in Low-A before the season ends.

Carlos Lagrange, RHP

The Yankees signed Lagrange from the from the Dominican Republic for $10K. The Yabonico native is a large right hander who is 6’7″ with a live 97 mph fastball. He is working on adding off speed pitches to his repertoire. He struck out 43 in 33 innings while allowing only 10 hits in 2022. In his first start of 2023, he allowed no earned runs in four innings while striking out six. At just 20 years old the arrow is pointing up.

— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) February 4, 2022

Engelth Urena, C

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $275,000 in 2022, Urena was the Yankees second biggest signing at last year’s International Free Agent signing day. In the top of the first inning of Urena’s first professional game, he ended up fracturing his hand on a foul tip, then stayed in the game and went on to hit a home run in his next at bat before being pulled. He then missed most of the rest of the year, playing just 11 games total. He hit three home runs, two doubles and struck out six times while walking five times, hitting .226/.351/.581/.932. The Yankees praise him as someone to watch because of the potential in his bat with plus hit tool, good power and athleticism. He starts the season on the IL.

Roderick Arias, SS – (#8 on my pre-season Yankees Top 50)

Arias was the top international prospect in the class and signed for 4 million dollars at the beginning of the international signing period in 2022. There’s a lot to like about the teenager at the plate: he exhibits above-average bat-to-ball skills and strike zone awareness, shows good plate discipline, and doesn’t swing and miss often.

Arias has power from both sides of the plate, especially from the right side, and also owns good opposite-field power from the left side. His overall package could develop into a plus-plus hitter. On the bases, Arias shows very good anticipation and awareness. He consistently runs the timed 60-yard run in 6.5 seconds, which is above average and should translate to enough stolen bases to make him a good threat on the bases. He struggled some in the DSL having a wrist injury that hampered him. Arias will have to work on his defense. He made 13 errors in 52 attempts, and most of his errors were on bad throws. He has future stud written all over him and could be the top Yankees prospect before long if things pan out!

Keiner Delgado, SS/2B – (#13 on my pre-season Yankees Top 50)

Delgado had a break out 2022 campaign, drawing comparisons to Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve because of his size and speed. While I don’t want to damper those comparisons, Delgado is years away. In the Dominican Summer League, Delgado was named to the All-Star team after slashing .310/.504/.506 with 3 home runs, 16 doubles, 3 triples and 34 stolen bases to go along with 58 BB and 28 Ks in 54 games. He profiles really well since he never chases, barely strikes out, and also has displayed good power. At 5’8, 145 pounds, hopefully, he fills out his frame a little more and can start to tear the cover off the ball in the Complex and Low-A levels in 2023. Walking more than you strikeout is extremely impressive, but having over double the walk rate of your strikeout rate is simply unheard. I’m a huge fan of Delgado as he has shown unbelievable upside and great plate discipline at such a young age. I also believe he will be a lower-end top 100 prospect within the next year or so.

Hans Montero, SS – (#47 on my pre-season Yankees Top 50)

Montero is a player I wanted to put higher on my Prospects Top 50 List, and I expect him to rise up the rankings this season. The right-handed hitting shortstop projects to have above average tools across the board. Montero has a quality approach: barrels the ball very well, uses his gap power, and makes contact to all areas of the field. As he puts on muscle and his body fills his 5’10” 160-pound frame, I expect him to have above average power. He also possesses plus speed on the base-paths. In the field he has smooth actions and soft hands. His best tool is his arm, and while he hit just .180, he did have 16 steals with DSL in 2022.

Enmanuel Tejeda, SS – (#34 on my Top 50 Prospects)

Tejada, signed from the Dominican Republic for $40K in 2022, has good pop, good speed, and some tools to believe in. He showed off in the DSL last season where he hit .289 with 3 home runs and 6 doubles. What was most impressive about Tejeda were his 7 triples, 11 steals, his walk-to-strikeout ration (41:25) in only 46 games (188 at bats). Perfect Game gave him a rating of 8, which means they saw him as a “potential draft pick and/or excellent college prospect” before the Yankees signed him.

The switch-hitting 18-year-old shortstop has the potential to rocket up ranks once he gets more at bats and more exposure. Tejada is light years away but it’s never too early to start thinking about the future of the Yankees middle infield or him as a trade chip in a few years. He was overshadowed in the DSL by Keiner Delgado in 2022, and this could be an issue again in FCL with both Delgado and Arias on the team but don’t overlook this young Dominican! Tejada hit a home run  in his second FCL at bat this season.

Dayro Perez, SS

Perez struggled with Tampa and was demoted to the FCL to get his swing straight after hitting only .153 in 22 games (85 at bats) to begin the 2023 year. He also struck out almost a third of the time in 2022 while playing in the DSL. The speed is real for Perez and it comes with some thump in his bat. The 21-year-old Perez has the athleticism and tools on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball to become a good prospect. A solid 2023 where he puts the ball in play more frequently would greatly improve his outlook.

Osmany Fleitas, Utility

A 2nd baseman by trade, Fleitas has been working as a utility man within the Yankees system. Freitas has a a very small frame (5’9 133 pounds), a quick bat, and a ton of speed. A little weight gain and he could hit for better power. Fleitas has the makings of a nice utility player that’s gets the bat on the ball. He has played 2B, 3B, LF, CF, RF so far in his young career.

Mauro Bonifacio, OF

The 21 year-old has a good power/speed combo from the right side of the plate. Bonifacio’s swing tends to get long at times, causing him to strike out, but when he makes contact the ball flies off his bat with power and authority.

John Cruz, OF

The Yankees signed the 17 year-old Cruz out of the Dominican Republic in 2022 for $75K. Cruz is 6-foot-3 and swings from the left side of the plate. He got off to a tough start going hitless with seven strikeouts in his first 15 at-bats. Then, in mid-June, he turned it on going 10-22 with 3 home runs (including a grand slam) and 19 RBI in 5 games. There is plenty of athleticism and hitting ability to be developed here and Cruz has a great frame to grow into. Cruz is definitely a name to follow through the summer and beyond.

Willy Montero, OF

The 18-year-old has steadily improved since his debut in 2021. The powerful right-handed swing of the 6’4″, 202 pound Montero is starting to put up some impressive exit velocities. Montero hit third in the FCL Yankees’ first game. He is very toolsy but has a long way to go.

Fidel Montero, OF

I wanted to add Montero to the list but sadly he was placed on the “Injured – Full Season” list with an arm injury. He posted a picture of himself with an arm brace on his left arm to his Instagram. Montero was one of the top ranked players in the 2020 international class, signing for $500K. Montero used his killer speed and stole 40 bases with DSL but only hit .154, something I think that will improve. He also owns good raw power that he has yet to tap into all the way. He’s very raw as a player, and I think he will make a huge jump in 2024. However, no development in 2023 could hurt him for sure.

DSL

Jerson Alejandro, RHP

Just 17 years old, Alejandro (nicknamed “King Kong”) signed during the 2023 international signing period. The 6-foot-6, 255 pound Alejandro throws a fastball that tops out at 98 mph, a curveball that averages 80 mph, a changeup that sits at 86-87 mph along with a sinker that sits at 94-95. He likes his curveball the most, so that will be a pitch to watch during the 2023 campaign.

Christian Zazueta, RHP

The former Mexico City Red Devil signed for $110k out of Mexico. The performance of Zazueta in the Mexican Winter League (LIM) put him in the eye of Yankees scout Lee Sigman who is a key piece in the signing of foreign players. Maintaining his control and gaining more control is the main thing he hopes to improve on. He is a command pitcher who owns four pitches that I believe that he can throw about five or six miles faster once he develops. He reminds me of Giovanny Gallegos

Santiago Gomez, INF

17 years old, “El Gallito” (The Rooster), emerged from the Academy of Puebla Parakeets, a team that plays in the Mexican Baseball League, and was signed after he had several tryouts in front of multiple Yankees scouts. According to Puebla, Gomez’s signing with the Yankees took place thanks to Lee Sigman who assured that the right-hander “comes with great tools and features”, which he showed in the Mexican League.

“Gallito runs well, fields, has a good arm and is, above all, a hard worker,” Sigman said. It’s not often that a team signs a talent with true in-game experience like Gomez. Gómez measures only 5’8″ and weighs 171 pounds. He will look to stick in the middle infield.

Luis Suarez, SS

The small Suarez 5’9 143 pounds signed for $50K from Venezula in 2022. He owns 70-grade speed and has a little thump in his bat. His tremendous speed down the line should help get the extra base and plenty of steals. Suarez is excellent on defense and that could help him as prospect. At just 18 years old he has time to grow and put some more weight and strength on his frame.

Brandon Mayea, OF – (will be Top 10 on my next Top 50 Prospects list)

Mayea is a premium athlete with advanced tools for his age, and he is one of the most exciting players in the 2023 international class. He has the type of uncommon bat speed and power that scouts like to see. One evaluator described him as “mini Gary Sheffield” and others praised his advanced approach at the plate. He’s very aggressive in the batter’s box, and he’s getting a better understanding of the strike zone. He has a mature frame, but there is still plenty of upside because he is strong and twitchy. On defense, there’s a chance he stays in center field, but a move to a corner spot could be possible, according to scouts who have seen him play. In his first game with DSL, he rolled his ankle stealing third and needed a few games to recover.

Here is a short list of players to watch on the DCL Baby Bombers roster which is below the DCL Yankees. These players are even farther away from the Bronx than the ones above but are still some interesting names too know that could see promotion.

Angel Benitez, RHP
Omar Gonzalez, RHP
Joshawn Lampson, RHP
Johan Ferreira, 3B
Juan Matheus, SS
Gabriel Terrero, 2B
Ramiro Altagracia, OF
Gabriel Lara, OF
Richard Meran, OF

Paul Woodin

Paul Woodin is a huge sports fan who leads the New York Yankees minor league farm system coverage for the Prospects1500 team. Growing up playing and watching baseball while collecting baseball cards, Paul developed a love for the game. Born and raised in Connecticut between Yankees and Red Sox territory, Paul become a Yankees fan because of Don Mattingly and Derek Jeter. An avid sports card, memorabilia and autograph collector, he participates in redraft, dynasty and prospect-only fantasy baseball formats during each season. Feel free to reach out on Twitter
@PaulWoodin1.

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