Yankees Get Gardner To Stay Awhile

Brett Gardner could have tested the free agent waters next year, but instead chose to stick around a little longer in New York. The Yankees and Gardner agreed to a four year contract extension worth $52MM on Sunday.

The Yankees went out of their comfort zone - they normally don't extend players that are already under contract - to get Gardner at a reasonable price.  GM Brian Cashman explained why.

"It's a demonstration from our end. We don't typically do this, but it shows the level of confidence, belief and trust in the type of person and player he is, and we're excited to know he's going to be part of this thing going forward."¹

While Cashman may be saying all the right things about Gardner, the terms of the contract also make the left fielder a viable trade chip in the future should any of the touted outfield prospects (Slade Heathcott, Mason Williams, and Tyler Austin) pan out.  But Gardner wants to stay right where he is.

"I don't want to be anywhere else," Gardner told reporters. "There's no better place to play baseball than in New York. I've never been anywhere else. I got drafted here almost nine years ago, and I love it here. I love everybody in the organization, the coaching staff and all my teammates, and this is where I want to be."¹

While I don't necessarily agree with the length of the deal, it was a smart move by the Yankees, especially considering how much money they have tied up going forward in Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, and Masahiro Tanaka. By getting Gardner at a mere $12.5MM per year (there's a $12.5MM option in 2019 with a $2MM buyout), the Yankees will have more money to work with when players like Mark Teixeira come off the books.

Trenton Thunder Named Minor League Team of the Year

The Yankees Double-A team, the Trenton Thunder, came out on top in a fan poll for the top minor league baseball team. The team featured some of the top prospects in the organization - catcher Gary Sanchez, pitcher Danny Burawa, and outfielders Mason Williams, Slade Heathcott, and Tyler Austin.

The team also had rehab visits from Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez.

Below is the press release from the Thunder:

(TRENTON, NJ) MiLB.com, the official website of Minor League Baseball, has named the Trenton Thunder, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, "Team of the Year" following a three week online voting period this month. The honor is part of the annual "MiLBY" Awards which are presented by MiLB.com each fall.  

The Thunder were the champions of the Eastern League after earning the East Division Wild Card during the regular season.  Trenton got hot at the end of the year and finished on a nine-game winning streak including sweeps of the first place Binghamton Mets in the Eastern Division Championship and the Western Division Champs, the Harrisburg Senators, to earn the title. Trenton became the first team to sweep both rounds of the EL postseason since 1991. 

The title is the franchise’s third in its 20 seasons in Trenton, all under the watch of Manager Tony Franklin. In Franklin's seven years with the Thunder, he has led them to the EL Championship Series five times.   

MiLBYs are the end-of-season awards that honor the best players, teams and performances of the Minor League season. For three weeks, fans chose their favorites in 13 categories at milb.com. The official website of Minor League Baseball announces Fans' Choice winners as well as MiLB.com staff picks for the major awards.

Trenton is a finalist for two additional MiLBY Awards that will be announced on Thursday, October 31. The Retirement Party for Chase That Golden Thunder is a nominee for "Promotion of the Year" and a tribute video for Chase is up for "Mascot Clip of the Year".  

The Thunder will begin the 2014 season on at home on Thursday, April 3.  Season tickets, group outings, Pic-A-Plans, and Mini Plan renewals are on sale now.  For more information about tickets, fans should call 609-394-3300 or visit trentonthunder.com.

Tex and Youk Begin Rehab Assignment in Thunder Win

Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis began their way back to the big club by suiting up for the Trenton Thunder Wednesday morning.

Teixeira was at his customary first base while Youkilis stood across the diamond from him at third base. Though both were 0-2 with a walk in Trenton's 3-1 win over the Erie SeaWolves (Youkilis scored a run), the fact that they played was more important than anything. With some of the Yankees bats coming back to Earth, it's not a bad thing that some of the cavalry could be re-joining then soon.

Both are expected to play again tomorrow, health willing.  You can see video of their at-bats at Mike Ashmore's Thunder Thoughts.

UPDATE 4:00 PM EDT: GM Brian Cashman has stated that, barring a setback, Teixeira and Youkilis will join the Yankees this Friday for the start of their home series with the Boston Red Sox.

Minor Notes

It was a pretty good day for some Yankees prospects as well. Outfielders Tyler Austin and Slade Heathcott both homered and starter Zach Nuding improved to 2-6 with six solid innings.

Lefty Jeremy Bleich continued in his quest to make the Major Leagues with one scoreless inning of relief. Bleich was the Yankees second pick of the first round in 2008's MLB amateur draft, but underwent surgery on the labrum in his left shoulder and missed all of the 2011 season. He's in his third stint at Trenton.

The opening round in 2008 was not kind to the Yankees who took Gerrit Cole with their first pick and 28th overall. Cole opted to attend UCLA instead and is now one of the top pitching prospects in baseball as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

YCN: Mason Williams Rockets to the Top of the 2013 Yankees Prospect List

For some reason Yahoo has decided to move the Yahoo Sports contributor articles into Yahoo Voices, which doesn't get the exposure that the sports section does. That being said, I have written a new article, published in Voices, that details the Yankees top 10 prospects (determined by Baseball America) for 2013.

Mason Williams has been steadily moving up the ranks is number 1 this year. Gary Sanchez and Slade Heathcott are in the top 10 as well, while Dellin Betances and Dante Bichette dropped off from last year's list.

To see the full article, click here, and thank you.

Here's the list of the BA's top 10 Yankees prospects for the last decade.

Year	Player, Pos	2012 Org
2003	Jose Contreras, rhp	Phillies
2004	Dioner Navarro, c	Reds
2005	Eric Duncan, 3b	Royals
2006	Phil Hughes, rhp	Yankees
2007	Phil Hughes, rhp	Yankees
2008	Joba Chamberlain, rhp	Yankees
2009	Austin Jackson, of	Tigers
2010	Jesus Montero, c	Mariners
2011	Jesus Montero, c	Mariners
2012	Jesus Montero, c	Mariners

Opening Night Eve

Written for Baseball Digest:

With the final out in today’s New York Yankees vs. Future Stars game, the Yankees packed up their belongings in preparation for the trip north to Boston for tomorrow night’s opener with the Red Sox.

Joe Girardi and the Yankees fans got a good look at the future in players like Jesus Montero and Slade Heathcott and ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte in the unique intrasquad game. The Yankees, whose lineup featured minor leaguers on both sides by the time the game concluded, topped their future (hey, at least they didn’t destroy their future) 9-6.

With the regular season starting Sunday night, that also means it was time for the Yankees to pare down the roster. The 25-man roster to start the season looks like this:

Pitchers:

CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Andy Pettitte
Javier Vazquez
Phil Hughes
Mariano Rivera
Joba Chamberlain
Sergio Mitre
Damaso Marte
Alfredo Aceves
David Robertson
Chan Ho Park

Catchers

Jorge Posada
Francisco Cervelli

Infielders

Derek Jeter
Alex Rodriguez
Robinson Cano
Mark Teixeira
Ramiro Pena
Nick Johnson

Outfielders

Curtis Granderson
Nick Swisher
Brett Gardner
Randy Winn
Marcus Thames

Manager Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman opted to go with Sergio Mitre as a long man in the pen rather than keep either Royce Ring or Boone Logan as a second left-hander in the bullpen. Either could still be called up quicky if Damaso Marte’s cranky shoulder proves detrimental to the team as it did last season.

There was a big change in the team’s catching depth as well. With Jorge Posada bothered by a stiff neck and Francisco Cervelli slowed by a sore hamstring, there was speculation that veteran catcher Mike Rivera might make the squad out of Tampa.

Not only didn’t Rivera make the team, he was on the verge of being released. Rivera became expendable after former Yankee Chad Moeller was released by the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees quickly scooped him up as well former Diamondbacks catcher Robbie Hammock, and signed the pair to minor league deals. Meanwhile Cervelli’s hamstring felt good enough for him to travel with the big squad.

Yankees Still Looking to Sign Heathcott

The Yankees and their first round draft Slade Heathcott are working this weekend to iron out a deal. I asked Slade how things stood:

"Were trying to work things out right Now we will know for sure on monday(sic)".

Monday is, of course, the deadline for signing 2009 draftees. Buck Showalter, for one, thinks the "slotting of money" is causing teams and their picks not to find common ground. On Baseball Tonight earlier this evening, Buck feels that this year's draft and lack of signings will change the way the amateur draft is conducted.

Yankees Draft Recap - Lucky 7

We've told you about Zachary "Slade" Heathcott, very cool name by the way. Here is a little about the Yankees next 6 picks.

76. John Murphy R/R Catcher - The Pendleton School, Bradenton, FL

Baseball America -Scouts were split this spring on whether or not Murphy can stick behind the plate. If he can’t, Murphy can play outfield and has some upside in the bat.

135. Adam Warren R/R RHP - UNC

Baseball America - North Carolina righthander Adam Warren to the Yankees. Warren pumps his fastball up to 93 mph regularly, sits average with it and his slider and has solid-average command of both pitches.

165. Caleb Cotham R/R RHP - Vanderbilt

Baseball America - Tough sign alert—Vanderbilt eligible sophomore righthander Caleb Cotham went to the Yankees near the end of the fifth. Cotham made some money with a complete game effort in the Louisville regional. At his best, he’s a power sinker-slider pitcher, with his slider reaching 87 mph in shorter outings.

195. Robert Lyerly S 3B - UNC-Charlotte

Transferred from Campbell U after frosh season.
Enquirer Journal (registration req'd) - Lyerly led the 49ers with a .401 batting average, 18 doubles, .725 slugging percentage, .493 on-base percentage. He also had 12 home runs and 49 RBI, ranking second on the team in both categories.

Lyerly also finished off the season with a career-high 25-game hit streak.

225. Sean Black R/R RHP - Seton Hall U.

Baseball America - Sean Black was a second-round pick out of high school in 2006, but he turned down an over-slot bonus offer from the Nationals to go to Seton Hall. He was the highest-drafted player who didn’t sign that year, and you have to question the wisdom of that decision now, at least from a financial perspective (though certainly there is inherent value in the college experience). Just about as expected, Black slipped to the seventh round this year, going No. 225 overall to the Yankees. He won’t get nearly the offer he turned down three years ago.

255. Samuel Elam L/L LHP - Notre Dame

Was chosen by Baseball America as their top Big East draft prospect for the 2008 draft (ranking prior to '07). Hard thrower with control problems.

285. Gavin Brooks L/L LHP - UCLA

A teammate of the Yankees #1 pick last year, Gerrit Cole. Averaged 8 strikeouts per 9 innings in his first two years in college. Way too many walks though.
The College Baseball Blog - Has struggled some in college primarily due to a torn rotator cuff he suffered in high school.

More later

Meet Slade Heathcott

The Yankees went to the outfield for this year's first round pick in the MLB Amateur draft. One year after pitch Gerritt Cole snubbed them for UCLA, the Yankees selected high school hitter Slade Heathcott with the 29th pick overall.

The 6'1", 196 lb Heathcott attends Texas High School in Texarkana, TX. According to "Real Baseball Intelligence", Heathcott is the best high school bat in the draft.

He hits to all fields and has plus power. His arm strength might be his biggest strength, however. He has been known to hit 95 mph. He's an above-average runner with great instincts on the bases and can play all three outfield positions.

Heathcott underwent ACL reconstructive surgery in November, but has bounced back well this spring. Besides his hitting prowess and outfield play, Heathcott also pitched for Texas HS and hit mid-90's on the radar gun.

The one drawback- he's verbally committed to LSU for this coming Fall.

You can learn more about Heathcott and watch video of him in action at "Perfect Game USA"