We've heard quite enough about the questionable status of the New York Yankees' starting rotation heading into 2015. Despite the danger they may be in for the upcoming season, it appears they've set themselves up quite well for the future.
R-E-L-A-X all you Yankee fans. Too bad Brian Cashman has yet to pull an Aaron Rodgers to ensure New York's fans that much is going according to plan for the future. Unfortunately, the fans probably don't want to hear that - they want to know the team is back on track to make the postseason in 2015. However if C.C. Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova aren't healthy for most of the season, they could miss the playoffs for the third straight year.
But for peace of mind, let's take a look at what New York has brewing in the farm system.
Their top prospect according to Baseball America, starting pitcher Luis Severino, progressed well through the team's farm system in 2014 after starting off in Class-A Charleston where he went 3-2 with a 2.79 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 14 starts (67 2/3 innings). He was then promoted to High Class-A Tampa for four starts and maintained a 1.33 ERA and 0.84 WHIP to go along with 28 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings. He finished the year at Double-A Trenton and went 2-2 with a 2.52 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in six starts (25 innings).
The promising progression of the 20-year-old right-hander has some believing the Yankees' future success will hinge on his ability to perform at the major league level.
"He's made a lot of progress," said Yankees' minor league pitching coordinator, Gil Patterson, via Dan Martin of the New York Post. "It's hard to believe he isn't even 21 yet ... His fastball has a lot of life and hits 95-plus. He's got a slider and a changeup. And he's mature. He's everything you'd want in a young, developing pitcher."
In addition to Severino, the Yankees acquired right-hander Domingo German from the Miami Marlins earlier this offseason in a trade that sent Martin Prado to South Beach. The 22-year-old began his career in the minors as a reliever, but he spent 2013 and 2014 as a starter and has seen much success. In 38 starts over that span, German is 14-6 with a 2.18 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in the Marlins' farm system (Rookie League, Short-Season Batavia and Class-A Greensboro).
"This is a guy who would show up when we needed him the most," said Greensboro pitching coach Jeremy Powell, via Brendan Kuty of NJ.com. "That's an intangible that you can't teach."
Right now it's believed he profiles as more of a bullpen arm, but if he continues to have success as a starter the Yankees will be in great shape.
And let's not forget about 19-year-old Ian Clarkin, the team's No. 6 prospect, who was selected 33rd overall in the 2013 draft. The left-hander is 4-5 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 79 strikeouts in 20 games (19 starts) over the past two seasons with the Yankees' Rookie League, Class-A Charleston and High Class-A Tampa.
"His delivery is clean, has some deception to it and looks a bit like the one Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw employs," wrote Baseball America in their November AL East Prospects issue.
All of this is good news for the future of the New York Yankees' organization, which perhaps looks a bit disheveled right now with a number of expensive and burdensome contracts. General manager Brian Cashman seems to have the team moving in the right direction.
