Checking In On Prospects: The Graduates

And here's the end of this series of posts. This will be on the guys that were considered prospects before the year and have already made an impact on the ML team already this year. Take note of the word impact.

Alfredo Aceves: Ace has become one of the most valuable players on the Yankees right now. He can go multiple innings for them out of the 'pen and can shut down the other team in key situations. His value to the Yankees right now is irreplaceable. The only question with him is whether or not he's going to slow down in the second half after being used so heavily in the first. Relievers are always very volatile. However, at the moment it definitely looks like the Yankees have successfully developed at least one pitcher.

Ramiro Pena: Pena has a reputation as an all glove, no hit shortstop and when he got the call to the majors he didn't disappoint. He put on a fielding clinic at third, short, and second and was an improvement over Angel Berroa or Cody Ransom. His offense, although meager, exceeded expectations as well. His line of .267/.308/.349 isn't exactly impressive. However, he practiced the fundamentally sound baseball that Yankees fans have been desperate to see for the past few years. He stole a couple bases and was adept at situational hitting. He was even capable of laying down a few bunts when the situation called for it. When Cody Ransom returned from his injury, Pena got sent back to Scranton where he's hitting very well and learning how to play the outfield. I'd be willing to bet that we'll see him back in the Bronx by the end of the year and that he's going to be a member of the Yankees bench for a long time.

Phil Coke: Coke has become a very useful piece in Joe Girardi's bullpen and I assume he will remain this way. After an impressive showing last September, Coke made the ML team right off the bat this year. He got off to a mixed start. He was earning the trust of Girardi and looked reasonably good. Whenever he came in though, he made you nervous. Since then though, Coke has pulled things together and become a very reliable lefty. I don't have all that much faith in him but he's looked good so far and can at least get lefties out. Another example of a mediocre starter that has turned into a good reliever.

Francisco Cervelli Nobody expected Cervelli to see the ML's this year, let alone starting games for the Yankees. He was off to a terrible start offensively for Trenton and never really impressed with the bat. He has always gotten on base at a decent clip but the power was nonexistent. However, when both Jose Molina and Jorge Posada went down, within days of each other, the Yankees were forced to turn to the tandem of Cervelli and journeyman Kevin Cash. Cervelli wasn't exactly a godsend but he did a solid job. His bat was bad (.215 EQA) but his fielding won rave reviews. He gunned down 48% of runners (Jose Molina only matched that in his best years) and pitchers loved the way he called games. Like Pena, I doubt he'll become a starter. However, he's going to be a part of that Yankees bench for years to come and fans already love him.

Brett Gardner: Gardner has blown everybody away this year. First of all, his fielding has been outstanding. I don't need to bring up the stats to prove that but the consensus among them is that Gardner is one of the best centerfielders in the game. His offense has also wildly exceeded our expectations. His line of .282/.352/.404 was considered best case scenario for Gardner and puts him solidly above average as a hitter. If that was it he'd be a solid player. However, you can't talk about Gardner without mentioning his speed. He wreaks havoc on the base paths, distracting pitchers and putting himself in scoring position in key situations. Its possible he could hit 40 stolen bases this year. When was the last time a Yankee did that? Rickey Henderson? Gardner is going to work in a rotation with the other outfielders for the rest of the year and should get plenty of playing time, as long as he continues to produce.