Frazier's Impact on the Yankees in 2017
While the Yankees continue to get younger and look towards the future, there are many players that will likely impact the club at a high level as soon as this coming season. One of those players is the 15th best prospect in baseball and the Yankees number one prospect at the moment, Clint Frazier.
The 22-year old, Frazier, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians with the 5th pick in the 1st round of the 2013 Amateur Draft and was the first high school draftee to sign in that class. Frazier was an integral part of the massive package of young prospects that the Yankees received in return from the Indians for reliever, Andrew Miler.
During the 2015 season, Frazier immediately made some noise as he led all of Class A ball in doubles with 36 and hits with 143. In addition, Frazier carried his success over to Double-A Akron with the Rubber Ducks and appeared this past summer in the All-Star Futures Game in San Diego.
Many scouts believe that Frazier will ultimately be an All-Star caliber player one day as his power and bat speed make him stand out among all of the other prospects in baseball. Early on in his minor league career, Frazier struck out quite often, but as scouts note, he has become more comfortable at the plate and has been able to recognize pitches more efficiently which has ultimately allowed him to lower his strikeout rate.
Furthermore, Frazier has primarily played centerfield during his minor league career as scouts believe that he has the speed and ability to cover a lot of ground at that position. Moving forward, he will likely stay as a centerfielder even at the big league level, but has the arm to play over in right as well.
As it stands right now, the Yankees have Jacoby Elsbury slated for centerfield through the 2020 season before Ellsbury hits free agency which is obviously a problem when it comes to finding adequate playing time for Frazier. However, the Yankees could always listen to potential trade offers regarding Ellsbury although it won't be easy as Ellsbury is owed another $84.6 million dollars, has a $21 million dollar team option or $5 million dolar buyout for 2021, and comes with a track record of injuries.
Over in rightfield, the Yankees have 24-year old, Aaron Judge, who is yet another prominent piece of their future. Judge struggled after getting called up last season only hitting .179 and recording 42 strikeouts in 84 at bats, but could improve with another year under his belt heading into 2017.
As the Yankees continue to look towards 2017 and evaluate the current outfield options in the organization, there will likely be a debate about what to do with Frazier, whether or not to give Judge the everyday rightfield job, and what to do with Jacoby Ellsbury. Although there is bound to be plenty of questions, it is imperative that the Yankees find someway to include Frazier on their 25-man roster sometime during the coming season.
While it is not known if Frazier will start the year at Triple-A or in the big leagues as the primary rightfielder or the team's fourth outfielder, one thing is for certain: Clint Frazier is an integral part of the Yankees future and will play a pivotal role in the team's success during 2017 and beyond.
