Yankees Minor League Baseball Blog

Kevin Goldstein recently released his list of the top eleven Yankee prospects and there’s little surprise that Joba Chamberlain is at the top of the list.  The guy ascended all the way from High A Tampa all the way to the Yankee bullpen in what can only be called the fast track and I was happy to hear his future is in the rotation. 

Ian Kennedy pretty much followed Chamberlain through the minor league system and into the majors and he comes in at number two.  Like Chamberlain, he’s a major league ready starter and we should see him in the rotation in 2008.   This is assuming he’s still with the team because he appears to be one of the team’s big bargaining chips in a blockbuster trade.

Austin Jackson is the highest rated position player and he comes in at number three.  Jackson is probably a year away but he could be the heir apparant to Johnny Damon out in centerfield.  He followed up a solid 2007 season with a solid stint in the Hawaiian Winter Baseball League.  He’ll probably play in Trenton to start the 2008 season but him ending things with a cup of coffee with the Yankees.

Jose Tabata and Alan Horne round out the top five.  2007 first round draft pick, Andrew Brackman, is listed as the eighth best prospect and he’ll miss all of 2008 after he had Tommy John surgery in August.  One of the top guys last year, Humberto Sanchez, fell all the way to eleventh with his injury concerns.