The New York Yankees have a very vast farm system. Over the years, they have brought in special talents via draft picks and trade deals. The same prospects are now helping the team put up a respectable fight in a rather awful MLB season. Jasson Dominguez, Everson Pereira, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe, and Oswald Peraza are all together in the big leagues right now.
As a matter of fact, the New York Yankees have invested heavily in young talents these past few years. They want to change the narrative that the team just relies heavily on the high-end veterans. While the current set of prospects is doing a terrific job, another young pitching prospect just made waves with the latest and rather rare accomplishment.
Yankees No.2 Pitching Prospect Drew Thorpe Wins South Atlantic League’s Pitcher Of The Year
Drew Thorpe, a 22-year-old right-handed pitcher, was signed by the New York Yankees as a second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. Prior to the draft pick, the pitcher represented the University of California Poly in college baseball tournaments. Thorpe met the eye of the scouts very quickly. He was later pronounced as the Yanks no.2 pitching prospect and overall no.5 prospect. This season, he split his time at Single-A and Double-A and impressed the entire minor league system. His ability to last deep made him stand out. Drew pitched 39.1 innings on the mound this year while maintaining a low 2.52 ERA and 14-2 record simultaneously.
It was enough to put the kid on the block as he was named High-A’s South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year on Thursday. It is an important stepping stone in Drew Thorpe’s thriving pro league career. Remember, this is his first season as a pro baseball pitcher. Meanwhile, the Yankees couldn’t be happier. Thorpe is expected to make the cut to the big leagues by 2025. Early signs look promising, but at the same time, there is enough room for development. For instance, Drew’s fastball needs a lot of work, as his average sits at 89-92 mph. The sinkers sometimes land at 95 mph, but consistency is a persistent problem. Nevertheless, the kid is a rookie and is expected to overcome the issues by 2025.
Yanks Likely To Bolster 2024 Pitching Rotation With Two Additions
As the 2023 MLB season nears its dawn, the New York Yankees turn the page pretty early this year. They have set eyes on making things right next year, starting with the pitching rotation. If rumors are to be believed, the Bombers are planning to make two adjustments to the rotation. In-house reliever Michael King is likely to be promoted to the starter role. He got to audition during the final stretch and aced every test.
On the other hand, the Yankees seem highly interested in Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The pitcher recently pitched a no-hitter in Bombers general manager Brian Cashman’s presence. He was apparently scouting Yamamoto personally, and the front office is already working on an offer. With these two changes, the Yankee rotation is likely to witness massive gains.
