Every Wednesday, Minor Matters will unveil its top 10 Thunder players to watch next season. Considering that the Tampa Yankees took home the Florida State League crown in 2010, there's no reason to believe that the upcoming season will have a shortage of talent around the diamond.

No. 7 - Craig Heyer















Bio: Heyer is a strike thrower of the highest degree. He was drafted twice by the Diamondbacks (2004, 2005) before he finally signed with the Yankees in the 22nd round in 2007, out of the University of Nevada Las Vegas. One notable who also came from that round is the Phillies' Jiwan James.

He's walked 43 men over 301 1/3 innings in his minor league career, and has permitted just nine long balls during that span. Certainly impressive numbers, but he's 25 years old, and he hasn't thrown a pitch above High-A.

He' s been left unprotected for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. If he's selected and kept by another club, he obviously won't have much value to the Thunder in 2011.

2010 season: After combining for eight starts in his first three years of pro ball, Heyer got the call a dozen times for Tampa in 2010. This is due, in part, to injuries to guys like Manny Banuelos, who was expected to be a big part of the T-Yanks' rotation, but missed half the season with an emergency appendectomy.

Overall, Heyer went 8-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 92 innings over 26 total appearances in a repeat of High-A. He struck out 66 against just 6 walks. That's a ratio of 11-to-1, which is pretty darn good, people.

The Yankees also sent him to the Arizona Fall League this season, where he made four relief appearances and started three times. He went 1-2 with a 1.80 ERA in a pretty good hitters' league.

What's Next: If he doesn't get chosen in the Rule 5, I expect him to fill the Josh Schmidt role with the Thunder next season. Long reliever, spot starter, occasional one-out guy, if necessary.

Every Tuesday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 players from the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there were plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 6a - Dellin Betances














Why he's here: After being told time and time again that Betances, who was coming off of ligament reinforcement surgery for his elbow, wasn't scheduled to hit Trenton until next season, the monolith of a right-hander earned his promotion to Double-A at the end of August.

He's one of the Yankees most prized pitching prospects, and has two A-grade pitches in his fastball and his curveball. His change-up is also developing, and was a pretty big weapon for him down the stretch.

His command improved during his injury layoff, which helped him vault from a Daniel Cabrera-type prospect to a true ace-caliber pitcher in the making.

Biggest moment of the season: Betances' coming-out party happened during the first game of the Eastern League Division Series, when the Thunder faced off with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, their Northern Division nemesis all season long.

Betances faced the Cats in his debut, on Aug. 24, but this time he was facing their ace, Kyle Drabek. With that matchup came incredibly long odds. Almost nobody (self included) outside of the home clubhouse thought Game 1 was going to be anything but a Thunder loss.

Instead, Betances matched Drabek pitch for pitch, and showed incredible mettle in the process. When all was said and done, Betances, in front of a large and raucous chunk of his extended family, had twirled 5 1/3 innings of two-hit, one-walk baseball, with eight strikeouts mixed in.

What's more, Betances stranded five runners in scoring position, all with less than two outs, showcasing that extra notch that every true ace can find in key situations.

Interesting quote: "He might be our best pitching prospect ever," -- Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, speaking about Betances in Baseball America.

Outlook for 2011: Barring a trade, Betances will more than likely return to Trenton for at least the first half of the 2011 season.

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 7 - The Joseph Brothers Reunion














RECAP: Once David Adams went down with an ankle/foot injury in May, it was only a matter of time before Corban Joseph, another hot Yankees second base prospect, was called to Double-A. When it happened in early August, it put a reunion with older brother Caleb, an Orioles catching prospect, on the horizon.

Bowie came to Waterfront Park on Aug. 17, and so did the entire Joseph family. His father wore a Yankees windbreaker with an Orioles cap, and his sister wore a white T-Shirt decorated with both brothers' names, as well as logos from the Yankees and Orioles.

When Corban took his first at-bat, he tapped his brother on the shinguard and gave him a few words before going about his business.

Other Yankees prospects have siblings hanging around the minor leagues: Austin Romine's brother Andrew is in the Angels' system, and Graham Stoneburner's brother Davis is a Rangers prospect. Former Thunder infielder Matt Cusick's brother Jeff was a Phillies draftee.

Now that Cusick is gone, however, none have the potential to play against their brother in the Eastern League like Caleb and Corban did for those three summer nights.

Link to Original Story

REACTION: “I think it’s a big deal. I really think it’s a big deal. You never expect it to happen a lot, but you think about it a lot when you’re a youngster. … Fortunately sometimes it does happen, and it’s happening now.” -- Tony Franklin

“It was an exciting moment. It was the first time ever. I was more focused on what the pitcher was trying to do, but (Caleb) was joking with me, so that kind of helped me relax a little bit.” -- Corban Joseph

AFTERWARD: Caleb won the battle that night, posting three singles and two runs scored against Corban's lone knock. Eventually, though, Corban won the war. Bowie flamed out in its attempt to make the Eastern League West playoffs, while the Thunder took their season to the ELCS, where they lost to the Altoona Curve. Unfortunately, Corban injured his wrist during the season's final series and couldn't take part in the playoffs or the Arizona Fall League, where he was slated to head after the season.

Mexican League

Walter Ibarra: 0-for-4, BB, R
Justin Christian: 2-for-5, BB, 2 R,
Ramiro Pena: 0-for-2, BB, RBI, SF, error

Each Friday, Minor Matters will publish the Top Ten numbers from the season. These can be stats, players' numbers, whatever. As long as it's a number, it counts. The Thunder were just two wins from the Eastern League championship, so there's no shortage of material for this section.

No. 8 ...














What it means: The number of consecutive games in which Thunder catcher Austin Romine collected a hit, spanning from April 15 until May 7.

Why it's significant: After a brief early-season slump, caused partially by the cold weather, Romine began to bust out, and for those three weeks, he was nearly unstoppable. During that period, he went 26-for-67 (.388), with nine doubles, three home runs and 15 RBIs.

After that, however, he cooled significantly. He hit .252/.304/.671 the rest of the way, with seven bombs and 52 RBIs.

When it all shook out, though, Romine's .268/.324/.726 line is good but not spectacular for someone handling his first full season behind the plate. Thirty-one doubles, 10 home runs and 69 RBIs aren't anything to sneeze at, either.

Other Meanings: The number 17, for Romine, also represents the number of RBIs he had against left-handed pitching, the number of games he played in April and the number of times he struck out in July.

For the rest of the team, 17 could have stood for: Rene Rivera's RBIs and strikeouts, Marcos Vechionacci's doubles, Matt Cusick's runs scored, Austin Krum's doubles, Kevin Smith's walks, Hector Noesi's, George Kontos' and Noel Castillo's appearances, Ryan Pope's saves, Josh Schmidt's games finished or Manny Banuelos' strikeout total.

Mexican League

Walter Ibarra: 1-for-2, R, 3B, RBI, SB
Justin Christian: 3-for-5, 2B, R
Ramiro Pena: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI
Eric Wordekemper: IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, HR

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 1-for-4

Venezuelan League

Romulo Sanchez: 0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Josh Schmidt: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO
Marcos Vechionacci: 1-for-4, R

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 8 - Tony Sanchez

















Bio: Pittsburgh's first-rounder in 2009, Sanchez was seen by some as a safe pick, because of his college pedigree and low price tag. From Boston College, he's a commodity both behind the plate and with the bat. Were it not for a broken jaw at the end of the year, Sanchez likely would have seen Altoona in first full season. He's already on the Curve's roster on the team's website.

2010: As I mentioned, Sanchez had his jaw broken late in the year by a Brad Holt fastball. Before that, Sanchez looked good. In 59 games, he hit .314/.416/.870 with four home runs and 35 RBIs. He struck out just 41 times in 207 at-bats.

What People Are Saying:

"He's as advertised. The ball jumps off his bat. You can see the tools. And you can understand why he's as highly touted as he is. I'm excited about him. He won't take long."
-- Ryan Doumit

"He has a good swing and solid approach with moderate to above-average power, although he has a slightly soft front side that limited his contact rate as an amateur. ... He's probably never going to be a star, but he's very likely to be an every-day catcher in the majors who might throw an All-Star season out there once or twice in his career."

-- Keith Law, ESPN

"Sanchez is the rare catcher with the ability to impact games both behind the plate and at it. He's a potentially special defender with plus-plus receiving skills and a well above-average arm. He has a mature approach at the plate and scouts believe that many of his doubles will turn into home runs down the road as he learns to drive balls better."
-- Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus

When You Can See Him: Sanchez and the Curve come to Waterfront Park from May 31 - June 2 and July 1-3.

Mexican League

Ramiro Pena: 1-for-5
Justin Christian: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB
Walter Ibarra: 0-for-3

Venezuelan League

Marcos Vechionacci: 1-for-3, RBI
Jose Pirela: 0-for-1

On a whim last night, I dug out my ticket stubs to the six games I attended as a fan before I started covering the team in 2008. Here, for anybody who cares, are the results of those games, as well as a few details.

July 15, 2007: Alan Horne started and threw four innings, allowing five runs -- just two earned --and walked and struck out a pair. Manny Mayorson, Rob Cosby and Ryan Patterson each homered off Horne. Not his finest hour during a year he earned the league's top pitcher honors.

For me, though, the most memorable thing about this game was the humidity. This was the first time I'd seen a game at Waterfront Park, and the first game I'd seen on the east coast in 10 years, since this memorable affair at 161st and River.

I must have downed five lemonades that day, and I still couldn't beat the heat. Couple the conditions with the metal benches I was sitting in, and you've got a recipe for a very bad first impression.

July 18, 2007: I was so turned off after the first game that I ... came back three days later. It was a Phil Hughes rehab start, Omar Minaya and Brian Cashman were both in the stands. As I remember, Minaya signed for the fans, but nobody could come near Cashman. As it turned out, I was sitting just across from the charting pitchers that day, who I later found out were Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain.

Five past or future major leaguers were in the Thunder's lineup that day, including Colin Curtis, Jamal Strong, Matt Carson, Alberto Gonzalez and Juan Miranda. They went a combined 8-for-17 with a double (Miranda) and homer (Curtis).

August 5, 2007: I, apparently, was terrible luck for Alan Horne in 2007. The right-hander allowed eight hits and six earned runs over five innings. He fanned three, walked six and was taken deep by Oscar Salazar.

Juan Francia had 18 hits with Trenton that season, and I saw one sixth of them that afternoon. Noah Hall had Trenton's only extra-base hit, a double.

August 6, 2007: Another appearance by me, another Thunder loss. This time Dan McCutchen -- now with the Pirates -- gave up one run over five innings, but still took the L. Bowie's Oscar Alvarez outdueled him that afternoon, and made Oscar Salazar's second homer in as many days stand up.

Salazar, for the record, has 14 MLB home runs, including two off of Nick Blackburn, one off of Matt Garza and another off of Matt Capps.

September 6, 2007: Yet again, I see Alan Horne. This time, however, it's in the Northern Division Playoffs, and Horne pitched quite well. Kevin Whelan, however, did not.

Horne allowed a pair of runs in seven innings, but Andrew Pinckney's hit in the 13th inning did the Thunder in. Austin Jackson went 2-for-6 in this one and collected the team's only RBI. Gabe Lopez and Reegie Corona scored both Thunder runs.

Steven Jackson and Justin Pope contributed four scoreless innings in relief of Horne.

September 12, 2007: Noah Hall's single in the ninth brought home Colin Curtis with one of the most memorable runs in Thunder history. Curtis just got around the tag of Wyatt Toregas, giving Trenton a dramatic walk-off win en route to the Eastern League crown

Chase Wright spun seven solid frames, and was backed up by Michael Gardner and Scott Patterson, the latter of whom earned the win.

Every Wednesday, Minor Matters will unveil its top 10 Thunder players to watch next season. Considering that the Tampa Yankees took home the Florida State League crown in 2010, there's no reason to believe that the upcoming season will have a shortage of talent around the diamond.

No. 8 - Brett Marshall

Bio: The Yankees chose Marshall in the sixth round of the 2008 draft, two picks ahead of Red Sox catching prospect Ryan Lavarnaway, and gave him $850,000 to break his commitment to Rice University. He had previously committed to San Jacinto Junior College (Andy Pettitte is an alumnus), but made the late switch to Rice (many players are alumni).

2010 Season: Out of college, Marshall told the Yankees that one of his goals was throwing 100 miles per hour. That seems to have been a poor choice. He had Tommy John surgery last July, and didn't re-emerge until June, when he did some rehab work in the GCL. He ultimately threw 72 innings with Charleston before a late-season bump to Tampa, where he will begin 2011.

What's Next: If I were 100 percent sure Marshall would be at Trenton sometime in 2011, he would be much higher. That said, there's a big ol' logjam at the upper levels, and a couple of other pitchers who could see promotions before Marshall. He'll start at Tampa, but with some movement, could see Double-A at the end of the year.

Every Tuesday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 players from the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there were plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 7 - Marcos Vechionacci - IF

Why he's here: When I started this beat back in 2008, Vechionacci was one of the bigger names I was looking forward to watching play. His bat came with great reviews, and his arm was named by Baseball America as the best in the system.

Unfortunately, nagging injuries and plain ineffectiveness derailed his prospect status. Although he had the team's second-most home runs (10) in 2009, he hit a putrid .213/.278/.610. He was a minor league free agent at the end of the year, and elected to return to the Yankees' system, and ultimately Trenton.

Things changed this year, and those changes paid major dividends for himself and the Thunder. He started 2010 as a utility man, stuck behind third baseman Brandon Laird and first baseman Kevin Smith on the depth chart.

When Smith flamed out, however, Vechionacci became the starter at first. And although he didn't always look pretty over there, he more than got the job done. Oh, and he was able to hit a little bit.

Vechionacci raised his average 70 points, up to .283, and bumped his other two slash numbers to .350 and .771. He also homered 11 times and drove home 55 runs. Not quite enough to bump him back to prospect status, but enough to get him job in 2011, even if it's not with the Yankees.

Biggest moment of the season: One could argue that Smith getting released was the season's biggest moment for Vechionacci, but we'll go with a good game instead.

On July 9 in Bowie, Vechionacci went 3-for-4 with a longball and three RBIs in a 4-3 Thunder loss. It was the start of a small bad stretch for the team entering the All-Star break, but Vechionacci was bright spot.

Outlook for 2011: Once again Vechionacci is a free agent, and is tearing the cover off the ball for Navegantes de Magellanes in the Venezuelan Winter League. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Yankees re-sign him and make him the first baseman in Triple-A Scranton.

Dominican Winter League:

Wilkins Arias: IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO

Mexican League

Justin Christian: 1-for-3, R
Ramiro Pena: 1-for-4, 2B, R, RBI
Walter Ibarra: 1-for-1, R

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 0-for-1

Venezuelan League

Romulo Sanchez: IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, SO
Marcos Vechionacci: 1-for-5, 2B, R, RBI

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 8 - Andrew Brackman debuts




















Recap: After a truly cringe-worthy season in 2009, this seemed like a make-or-break year for skyscraping former first-rounder Andrew Brackman. When the year began, Brackman's goal seemed to be throwing consistent strikes and letting his plus stuff do its work.

Here's what Nardi Contreras had to say when I asked about him in May:

"What he is doing is throwing strikes. He's learning now, because last year he didn't throw many strikes. He's throwing strikes now, and he's learning how to command. He needs to know how to command. He's throwing his curveball. He's learning the slider and the change-up, too. He's learning some other pitches to go along with his curveball and his fastball."

After a few blips early, he went through a stretch of 39 1/3 innings during which he allowed just nine runs. He walked just six during that span. He had a bit of a blow-up during his last outing High-A (five earned in five innings) , but the decision was made, and Brackman was in Trenton five days later.

Link to Original Game Story

Reaction: “(He did) some good things out there, especially when he got settled. He’ll be fine. It may just take him an outing or two to get really, really settled here. But he’ll be fine.”
-- Tony Franklin

“I didn’t know they had those kind of hitters on that team, I was just kind of thrown into the fire. I just had to go out there and see what I could do. I felt comfortable. The mound here is a whole lot bigger than the one in Tampa, so I had to get used to it. But overall, I was pretty pleased.” -- Andrew Brackman

Afterward: That night didn't go quite as planned, and it took a little while for Brackman to adjust to the more mature hitters in Double-A. Once he did, he looked every bit of the first-round pick and four-year major league contract the Yankees used on him. From August 6 on he went 4-0 with a league-pacing 0.86 ERA. This offseason, New York picked up the first of his three contract options.

Dominican Winter League

Wilkin De La Rosa: 0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO

Mexican League

Justin Christian: 1-for-4, BB, 2 SB
Ramiro Pena: 1-for-4, 2 R
Jorge Vazquez: 2-for-3, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, BB
Eric Wordekemper: 2/3 IP, 2 H, R, ER 0 BB, 0 SO

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 0-for-2, SO

Venezuelan League

Marcos Vechionacci: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI

Australian League

Nathan Aron: 1-for-4, R

Mexican League

Jorge Vazquez: 1-for-4, RBI, R
Justin Christian: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 R, BB
Ramiro Pena: 1-for-4

Venezuelan League:

Marcos Vechionacci: 1-for-2, R, BB

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 1-for-3, RBI
Austin Romine: 1-for-3
Jose Pirela: 0-for-3

Australian League

Nathan Aron: 1-for-4, 2B, R

Dominican League

Wilkins Arias: 1 1/3 IP, H, R, ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

Mexican League

Eric Wordekemper: 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, SO
Jorge Vazquez: 1-for-4
Ramiro Pena: 1-for-2, 2B, R, RBI, 3 BB
Walter Ibarra: 0-for-3
Justin Christian: 1-for-5

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 1-for-5, 2B, RBI, BB

Venezuelan League

Edwar Gonzalez: 0-for-1
Josh Schmidt: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 SO, HR
Marcos Vechionacci: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, HR

Each Friday, Minor Matters will publish the Top Ten numbers from the season. These can be stats, players' numbers, whatever. As long as it's a number, it counts. The Thunder were just two wins from the Eastern League championship, so there's no shortage of material for this section.

No. 9 ...












What it means: The number of strikeouts the Thunder accrued during the season, tops in the Eastern League.

Why it's significant: It's the fifth consecutive time Trenton's hurlers have led the circuit, and their third-highest total in that span. Your team leader in punchouts was Lance Pendleton, with 111. He was promoted to Scranton at the beginning of August.

Some interesting numbers regarding strikeouts. Wilkins Arias had the same number as Andrew Brackman (70), and he did it in 19 fewer innings. Josh Schmidt had one more than Brackman, and Schmidt pitched just 60 2/3 innings, compared to Brackman's 80 2/3.

The Thunder fanned seven more hitters than the second-place team, the Akron Aeros. They also won 12 more games than the two-time defending champs (entering the season).

Kings of the Ks: Adam Warren fanned a team-record 15 hitters on August 18 against Bowie. ... Adam Olbrychowski's strikeout ended the Eastern League Division Series against the Fisher Cats. ... Mike Nickeas took strike three to end Hector Noesi's complete game against Binghamton on June 13.

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI
Jose Pirela: 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI

Dominican Winter League

Zack Segovia: 1 2/3 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO
Wilkin De La Rosa: 1/3 IP, H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, SO, HR

Mexican League

Walter Ibarra: 1-for-4, RBI
Justin Christian: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 3 BB, SB
Jorge Vazquez: 3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 0-for-1

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

Bio: d'Arnaud, a former Phillies farmhand, is a catcher who was acquired by Toronto in the Roy Halladay trade. His brother, Chase, is a middle infielder in the Pirates' system, and was the MVP of the 2010 Eastern League All-Star Game.

2010: Dealing with an injured back for part of the year, d'Arnaud put together a .259/.315/.726 line with six homers and 38 RBIs and High-A Dunedin in 2010. He caught 30 percent of opposing basestealers, and permitted just two passed balls in 58 games.

What People Are Saying:

"Tons of doubles, some of which will likely turn into home runs, good defense, good receiving skills overall, and would have likely been the Phillies starting catcher in 3 years. The Blue Jays apparently really wanted him in the 2007 draft, but the Phillies picked him one spot ahead of Toronto. Looks like they got their man now." -- Phuture Phillies, 2009

"Showed promising power in batting .255 with 13 homers and 71 RBI, as well as 38 doubles for Single-A Lakewood this year, though he needs some work behind the plate after catching just 40 of 172 base-stealers while committing nine passed balls." -- New York Daily News

"As a hitter, he has a good idea of the strike zone with good bat control; he wraps his bat very slightly but gets to the ball quickly with good rotation for average to above-average future power. He's a few years off but has promise as an offensive catcher with good defensive skills, a more complete player than the Jays' other main catching prospect, J.P. Arencibia." -- Keith Law, ESPN

When You Can See Him: d'Arnaud may return to Dunedin to begin the year, but will probably move up to Double-A for part of 2011. The Fisher Cats come in to Waterfront Park from April 29-May 1, June 3-5, June 27-29 and August 29-Sept. 1.

Arizona Fall League

Manny Banuelos: 5 IP, 5 H, R, ER, BB, 2 SO
George Kontos: IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 0 SO
Ryan Pope: IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, SO
Austin Romine: 0-for-2
Brandon Laird: 0-for-3

Mexican League

Jorge Vazquez: 1-for-3, HR, 2 R, BB
Eric Wordekemper: IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, SO
Walter Ibarra: 2-for-5, R
Justin Christian: 2-for-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 1-for-4

Venezuelan League

Jose Gil: 1-for-4, RBI
Luis Nunez: 1-for-3
Edwar Gonzalez: Played, no at-bats
Marcos Vechionacci: 0-for-2, 2 BB, R

Every Wednesday, Minor Matters will unveil its top 10 Thunder players to watch next season. Considering that the Tampa Yankees took home the Florida State League crown in 2010, there's no reason to believe that the upcoming season will have a shortage of talent around the diamond.

No. 9 - Adam Olbrychowski



Bio: A hard-throwing right-hander out of Pepperdine University, the Yankees took Olbrychowski in the fifth round of the 2007 draft. That round also included Orioles starter Jake Arrieta, Athletics prospect Michael Taylor, Blue Jays starter Marc Rzepczynski, Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon and Angels shortstop Andrew Romine, whose brother, Austin, may be familiar to Yankees fans.

In 2007 and 2008, Olbrychowski worked as a starter. He accumulated a 10-13 record with 123 strikeouts against 74 walks in 156 2/3 innings. After the conversion to the bullpen, the control problems still remained. He walked 40 in 58 innings but still managed to earn a very late promotion to Double-A, after the Thunder were eliminated from the Eastern League playoff race.

2010 season: Because of the control issues and a bit of a reliever logjam (which also kept Josh Schmidt at Double-A for most of the year), Olbrychowski did a near full repeat of High-A Tampa this season. He cut down on the walks (27 in 59 innings), and brought his high-octane gas to Trenton for last part of the year and the playoffs. In fact, he threw the final pitch of Division Series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (see video above).

What's Next: One imagines Olbrychowski will finally make the full-time leap to Double-A for the 2011 season. Because he is a hard-thrower, it's easy to see him in the mix with Tim Norton and (maybe) Grant Duff for the closer's role next season. Being a former fifth-rounder whom the Yankees paid $123,000, they're not going to give up on him quickly.

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI

Every Tuesday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 players from the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there were plenty of good choices to go around.

Why he's here: Brewer's best asset all season long was versatility. The 23-year-old from Bradley University played all three outfield positions and plugged into every spot in the batting order but the nine hole. In a year full of fluidity and tumult, Brewer brought stability from Day One until the close of the Eastern League Championship.

Although he wasn't the most vocal of players, Brewer, like so many others on the team, was part of a core that tasted a championship with High-A Tampa in 2009. And just like his teammates from that year, he wanted nothing more out of this season than to bring home another ring.

Although it didn't quite turn out that way, with Brewer's combination of speed, hitting and a pinch of pop, the Thunder came darn close.

Biggest moment of the season: I hate to go so cliche, but Brewer's biggest moment of the season didn't come during a game. Instead, his turning point was found away from the field, when he and hitting coach Frank Menechino made an adjustment in his stance that helped him snap out of a midsummer swoon.

The change, which came in late July, began to pay dividends almost immediately. He carried the team in August, hitting a robust .370/.435/.925 with two home runs and 23 RBIs.

Interesting quote: "I've actually been to two Cubs games in my life, and one was when Sosa hit his 61st and 62nd home runs. That was actually the first game I ever went to." -- Brewer, a White Sox fan, on his forays into enemy territory

Outlook for 2011: Brewer will more than likely move up to Scranton, but a return to Trenton to start the year isn't out of the question.

Mexican League

Justin Christian: 0-for-3, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, SF
Walter Ibarra: 2-for-5, HR
Jorge Vazquez: 3-for-6, R (doubleheader)

Venezuelan League

Edwar Gonzalez: 1-for-4
Jose Gil: 0-for-3

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

Recap: While in Reading, the Thunder were cruising. Lance Pendleton had locked up the R-Phils for six innings before Cody Overbeck's three-run blast highlighted a four-run, game-tying frame.

Reading threatened again in the eighth, but a great throw from Dan Brewer and a sensational catch by Austin Krum ended the inning and kept the score tied. Matt Cusick's laser to left gave the Thunder a slim 5-4 edge.

They asked Kevin Whelan to finish things in the ninth, and behind another spectacular grab from Krum, that's exactly what he did.

With two outs and the winning run on first, Michael Spidale blooped a ball into shallow center. Krum closed fast, though, and scooped the ball off the grass for the final out in a heart-stopping road win that kept the team tied for first in E.L. East.

Link to original game story

Reaction: “That was a heck of a play, but that’s what center fielders do – they make the plays. That’s what good baseball players do when the game is on the line and the ballgame rests on, maybe, a couple of plays, a couple of hits – you make the plays, and (Krum) certainly did that tonight.” -- Tony Franklin

“It’s what’s going to happen. It’s what you have to do in close games like that. Both teams fought hard. You’re never out of a game, especially in this park.” -- Austin Krum

“Spidale’s a good hitter. He lives up the middle away. I got a pretty good jump on it, and it carried just enough to me so I could make the catch.” -- Krum

Afterward: For all his defensive efforts, Krum was positively putrid in August and September, hitting .188/.293/.543 after the All-Star break. Center field in Trenton next season will probably be taken by Melky Mesa, so Krum's role in the organization is up in the air.

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 1-for-4, 2B

Dominican Winter League

Juan Miranda: 1-for-4, RBI
Francisco Santana: 0-for-1, SO
Wilkins Arias: 1/3 IP, 0 R, H, BB, SO

Mexican League

Walter Ibarra: 0-for-1, SO
Jorge Vazquez: 1-for-4
Eric Wordekemper: IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 SO
Justin Christian: 1-for-4, SB

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, Caught two runners

Venezuelan League

Edwar Gonzalez: 1-for-3, 2B

Each Friday, Minor Matters will publish the Top Ten numbers from the season. These can be stats, players' numbers, whatever. As long as it's a number, it counts. The Thunder were just two wins from the Eastern League championship, so there's no shortage of material for this section.

No. 10 ...













What it means: Number 23, other than being Don Mattingly's number, was Brandon Laird's home run total with the Thunder last season.

Why it's significant: To say Brandon Laird had a killer stint in the Eastern League is to the sun has had a good run as a star. The Thunder's third baseman, in addition to those 23 bombs, hit 22 doubles, drove in 90 runs and walked 38 times.

He also won (deep breath) the league's Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Player of the Week and Player of the Month awards, and was named to both Mid-Season and Postseason All-Star teams.

Pretty damn good for a guy who played 107 games with the Thunder before moving to Scranton.

Other meanings: Jose Gil's strikeouts, the number of games D.J. Mitchell and Lance Pendleton each started for the Thunder, the number of walks David Phelps issued in 88 1/3 innings, the number of games in which Eric Wordekemper appeared and J.B. Cox's strikeout total.

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 1-for-5, 2 RBI
Jose Pirela: 1-for-4, BB
Manny Banuelos: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 SO (71 pitches, 40 strikes)

Dominican Winter League

Zack Segovia: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 SO

Mexican League

Justin Christian: 0-for-4, 2 SO
Jorge Vazquez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 SO

Venezuelan League

Marcos Vechionacci: 0-for-4, SO
Edwar Gonzalez: Played, no at-bats
Jose Gil: 0-for-3, BB

Last night, on Twitter, a discussion between myself and my followers broke out. The question was, hypothetically, if there was a deal on the table that involved sending Jesus Montero to the Dodgers for left-handed stud Clayton Kershaw. It's fairly obvious that the Dodgers wouldn't do this, but I thought it might be an effective tool to gauge the fans' value of Montero.

The final vote was 19-6 in favor of doing the deal, and here are all of the 25 votes, as transcribed from the Twitter.

The Responses: Yes votes

Crowny3: Of course.

Mwash1983: Absolutely do it, Kershaw pitched better on the road than at home this season

PhilHughesFan: That's a no-brainer. Of course the Dodgers wouldn't do it.

TylerWilkinson: Yes.

Dpatrickg: I vote yes, if Montero's the only of the Yankees top 6 or 7 prospects going to L.A.

JoePawl: Make that six (yes votes).

HammerF: Make it six (although he was actually seven).

LeoKitty: Yes plz re: Kershaw trade.

JayDestro: All hangs on control (contract-wise), but leaning toward yes.

PPinstripes: I agree with Joe, especially because Kershaw is established and ridiculously young himself.

Rebexarama: Thought about it, I think I'd do it. Neither is 100,000% proven, obviously, but at least Kershaw's been in the majors.

dp57: Yes.

mikeaxisa: Kershaw and I wouldn't think twice about it.

Yankees_N_More: ABSOLUTELY YES! But only if I couldn't find a way to go get King Felix.

TheYankeeU: Absolutely. And I doubt you'll find a bigger Montero booster than me.

Heelsonthefield: I'll throw my vote in. Quality pitching trumps anything and everything. Yes to trade. Very dependent on terms of deal though.

GreggFerrara: Count me in as trade Jesus for the young lefty K machine.

OSingh91: I am a huge prospect hugger, but I'd easily take Kershaw. Love starting lefties that miss a lot of bats.

Joe_DelGrippo: Tough choice as I love Montero, but Kershaw is too good to pass on. Picked him at beginning of year as my Cy Young dark horse.

The Responses: No votes

TheBronxView: I wouldn't, just because I want to see the Yankees develop a big power bat. Trade would make sense for the Yanks, though.

Stevensmithy: I really like Montero, and I don't care a TON for Kershaw. He can look very pedestrian at times in a weak-hitting division.

AndyinSunnyDB: Make that three for Montero. To steal a poker term, I'm going all in with him. Legends live forever.

Yankees666: No. Laura Posada said that Jorge will dh, so it's Montero time in the Bronx.

Cephster: Going to say no as well. Would only trade Montero for a sure thing, and Kershaw ain't it.

TheSteamer: No.

The List

RHP: Jason Hirsh (AAA), Ronny Marte (Hi A), Jonathan Ortiz (Hi A), Zack Segovia (AAA), John Van Benschoten (AAA)
LHP: Wilkin de la Rosa (AA), Jose Quintana (Lo A)
C: Ronny Calderon (R), Jose Gil (Hi A), Robby Hammock+ (AAA), P.J. Pilittere+ (AAA), Rene Rivera (AA)
1B: Brian Baisley++ (AA), Myron Leslie (Hi A)
3B: Marcos Vechionacci (AA)
SS: Eric Bruntlett (AAA)
OF: Justin Christian (AAA), Edwar Gonzalez (AAA), Reid Gorecki (AAA), Rudy Guillen+ (Hi A)

My thoughts: A lot of these are interesting. Eight of the 20 played in Trenton in 2010. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jose Gil back and doing the catching for the Thunder next season. Marcos Vechionacci finally started to show some potential with his bat, but it would seem that Brad Suttle is ripe for a promotion to Double-A. If they re-up with Vechionacci, I imagine he either would play first with Trenton or third in Scranton.

Given what happened with De La Rosa toward the end of the season -- losing his 40-man spot, allegations of illegal injections -- combined with a really bad year, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Yankees cut their ties with him.

A return for Edwar Gonzalez also wouldn't shock me.

What did surprise me was Jonathan Ortiz's free agency. I did not realize he'd been around long enough to be eligible. Hard to imagine him not being a big part of the Thunder bullpen next year, but I've been wrong before.

Arizona Fall League

Austin Romine: 1-for-4, R, BB, Catcher's Interference
Brandon Laird: 0-for-4, 2 SO
Jose Pirela: 2-for-4, R

Mexican League

Justin Christian: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Eric Wordekemper: 1/3 IP, SO
Jorge Vazquez: 2-for-5, 2B, R, BB

Venezuelan League

Jose Gil: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
Edwar Gonzalez: 0-for-3

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 10 - Charlie Culberson













Bio: Culberson was selected in sandwich round, with the 51st pick, by the Giants in 2007, out of high school in Calhoun, Ga. He stands 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and is right-handed. He was a supplemental pick San Francisco received for the loss of Mike Stanton.

2010: With San Jose, he hit .290/.340/.797 with a career-high 16 bombs and 71 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 32 attempts.

With the Scottsdale Scorpions during this Arizona Fall League, however, he's had quite the uptick in production. The slash line is a gaudy .383/.419/1.048 with two home runs, 16 RBIs and a stolen base.

What People Are Saying:

"Seeing the way he's swinging the bat right now in the Valley of the Sun, and his improved approach at the plate, I've definitely upgraded him. He's far from a finished product, but he's at least flashing the potential that made him a high pick in the first place. " -- Jason Grey, ESPN

"(A) much better hitter than I previously thought." -- Keith Law, ESPN

"Nearly all of Culberson's tools play up because of his advanced feel for the game. He has good bat speed, a patient approach at the plate, and a smooth line-drive swing. His speed is a tick above average, and he's an outstanding base runner. In the field, he has good fundamentals and a strong arm." Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus, 2008

When You Can See Him: Culberson will move up to Double-A for 2011. The Flying Squirrels come in to Waterfront Park from April 18-20 and July 28-31.

Every Wednesday, Minor Matters will unveil its top 10 Thunder players to watch next season. Considering that the Tampa Yankees took home the Florida State League crown in 2010, there's no reason to believe that the upcoming season will have a shortage of talent around the diamond.

No. 10 - Pat Venditte












Bio: Unless you've been living under a rock since 2008, you know this name by now. For the rock-dwellers, here's a quick recap: Venditte is an ambidextrous pitcher for whom a special rule had to be created. A 25-year-old drafted out of Creighton two years ago, Venditte absolutely destroyed the competition in the Florida State League but struggled in limited exposure at Double-A.

2010 Season: With Tampa, Venditte went 4-1 and a 1.73 ERA in 41 games that spanned 72 2/3 innings. He struck out 85, walked just 14 and allowed two home runs. He appeared in just two games with Trenton during the regular year, a scoreless inning against Akron, and a bit of a blow-up against Akron. Most disappointingly, he never switched hands during an inning with the Thunder.

What's Next: Barring an absolute shock, Venditte will make a return engagement with the Thunder bullpen next year, where he faces a career litmus test of sorts. Doubters all along have said that his stuff and his two-handed trick won't play at the upper levels. If he succeeds against more advanced hitters, he'll have gone a long way toward proving he's a real prospect.

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 1-for-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI
Jose Pirela: 0-for-5
Craig Heyer: 2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, SO
George Kontos: 2/3 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO, 2 HR
Ryan Pope: 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, 0 SO, HR

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 0-for-3, BB

Every Tuesday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 players from the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there were plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 9 - Justin Christian - OF



Why he's here: Signed out of the Atlantic League shortly after April, Christian was a spark plug from the moment he stepped onto the scene in Trenton. Paired with Austin Krum at the top of the lineup, he helped set the table for Austin Romine, Brandon Laird and Marcos Vechionacci in the middle.

He was good throughout his roughly four months with the team, but he truly excelled in August and September. Behold, in the season's penultimate month, Christian put up an extraordinary slash line of .324/.409/.946 with three home runs, 12 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 11 chances.

That boost late in the season helped Trenton keep the Eastern League East flag from a hard-charging New Hampshire team, and earned him a late promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Biggest moment of the season: Breaking the Thunder's career stolen base record (see video above). That swipe marked Christian's 102nd with the team, breaking Kevin Thompson's mark from three years prior.

On breaking that record, Christian said this:

“(Records are) meant to be broken. I look at it kind of like I’ve been here too long in order to set this record, but for the most part, it’s exciting. It was great.”

Outlook for 2011: Christian is currently in Mexico, playing for the Caneros de los Mochis. He will more than likely be a minor league free agent, so his future with the Yankees is up in the air.

Even the Thunder won't play another game until April 7, and won't play a home game until eight days after that, there's no reason why this blog has to stay silent until then -- and it won't. Starting today, I'm unrolling a series of five Top 10 lists, one for every day of the work week, that will take us through the middle of January, when the minor league scenario should be a lot clearer. Here's the rundown of what will happen.

Monday: Top 10 Games of the Year

Tuesday: Top 10 Players of the Year

Wednesday: Top 10 Players for 2011

Thursday: Top 10 Opposing Players to Watch in 2011

Friday: Top 10 Numbers from 2010

So if you like lists, like minor league baseball and like this blog, you have plenty to look for over the coming 10 weeks. And I'm sure this goes without saying, but if somebody gets traded or somebody signs, it will be on the blog. Enjoy.

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 10 Hector Noesi tosses a complete game
























Recap: The day was supposed to be about John Maine making a rehab start with Binghamton. Quickly, however, the focus swung to the man opposing Maine, the Thunder's Hector Noesi -- at the point the hottest prospect to hit the team's rotation.

After up-and-down performances in first the turns in Double-A, Noesi had shown a flash of his potential in his prior start, a seven-inning, 10-strikeout masterpiece at home against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. This effort, however, blew that away.

Of his 111 pitches, Noesi tossed an eye-popping 87 strikes (78 percent), fanned six and walked just one while turning in the team's first nine-inning complete game since Alfredo Aceves turned the trick two years earlier.

The complete game almost ended in the ninth inning, when second baseman Kevin Mahoney's misplay with one outs and a runner on first extended the afternoon. Pitching coach Tommy Phelps and manager Tony Franklin, however, decided to stick with their starter, and he rewarded them for their trust.

Link to original game story

Reaction: “After he got the second out of the inning, I was going to get him. Phelpsie said ‘let him have one more hitter.’ What we try to do is have a pitch count in mind, and then one more hitter. He was there.” -- Tony Franklin

“I wasn’t surprised because I was focused, more than anything else." -- Hector Noesi

Afterward: Noesi finished his stint with Trenton 8-4 with a 3.10 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings. He was promoted to Triple-A along with D.J. Mitchell when Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos got the bump from Tampa. Overall, Noesi finished 14-7 with a 3.20 ERA and 153 strikeouts against just 28 walks.

Mexican League

Walter Ibarra: 2-for-2, 2B, R
Justin Christian: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R
Jorge Vazquez: 1-for-3, R

Puerto Rican League:

Rene Rivera: 1-for-3

Venezuelan League

Edwar Gonzalez: 3-for-5, 2 R, RBI

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, outfield assist
Jose Pirela: 1-for-4, error
Ryan Pope: 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, SO

Mexican League:

Justin Christian: 4-for-5, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R

Venezuelan League

Edwar Gonzalez - played, no at-bats

Arizona Fall League

Jose Pirela: 0-for-5
Brandon Laird: 0-for-2, 2 BB, Outfield Assist (third base)
Austin Romine: 2-for-4
George Kontos: 2 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 0 SO

Dominican Winter League

Wilkins Arias: 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO

Mexican League

Justin Christian: 0-for-3
Walter Ibarra: Played, no at-bat

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 0-for-4

So, apparently Baseball America's Top 10 Yankees prospects came out in the physical issue of the magazine. That list was tipped to me by Rebecca of This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes, who got it from Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues and MLB Trade Rumors fame. Thanks to those two.

Here's the list, as it was it told to me:

1. Jesus Montero
2. Gary Sanchez
3. Dellin Betances
4. Manny Banuelos
5. Andrew Brackman
6. Austin Romine
7. Hector Noesi
8. Eduardo Nunez
9. Slade Heathcott
10. Brandon Laird

There's no real surprise here, but I didn't put Laird or Nunez in my Top 10. The Yankees are going to re-sign Jeter, so I don't know where Nunez really fits in with the Yankees, other than perhaps an occasional backup for Jeter, A-Rod or Cano.

With Laird, the Yankees have shifted him to the outfield, starting with a little taste in Triple-A and the Arizona Fall League. Even so, I think this is a move to enhance his trade value more than a sign that he has a future with New York.

I've heard mixed reviews about Laird's bat, and I'm not terribly sure he's going to be much of a defender in left field. That said, he had an outstanding season, and I can understand why he's on this list.

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 1-for-5, RBI
Jose Pirela: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
Manny Banuelos: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, SO (40 pitches, 25 strikes)
Craig Heyer: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO (40 pitches, 25 strikes)

Dominican Winter League

Jonathan Ortiz: 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, SO

Mexican League

Walter Ibarra: 0-for-4
Justin Christian: 0-for-4, BB

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 1-for-4, R

Venezuelan League

Jose Gil: 0-for-6
Edwar Gonzalez: 2-for-2, R, RBI

There's been a little bit of news from around Yankee prospectdom today, so I'm going to make the bits short and sweet.

The biggest news is that Melky Mesa was added to the 40-man roster. Chad Gaudin and Royce Ring were taken off the roster to make space. Gaudin is a free agent now.

After posting the third-most home runs and stolen bases in the system, Mesa, 22, is poised to start 2010 in Trenton's outfield. He's an absolute lottery ticket of a guy, with power, speed and a plus arm.

One scout I spoke to had this to say about him:

He's got a lot of tools. He's a very good athlete with a lot of holes in his swing. The percentage of him making the big leagues is slim, but if he does, it will be as a starter. He's not going to be a fourth or fifth outfielder.

He's got the rare combination of power and speed. He swings and misses a lot and needs to cut down on his swing. He's susceptible to the breaking ball and gets himself out. If he can get pitchers to get him out, he has a chance to be good.

Additionally, Brandon Laird, Austin Romine and Manny Banuelos were named to the Arizona Fall League's Eastern Division roster for the Rising Stars Game. This year's game comes Saturday, and will be televised on the MLB Network.

Mesa and Laird were also named by the Topps baseball card company as the Players of the Year, respectively in High-A and Double-A.

Arizona Fall League

Brandon Laird: 0-for-4
Austin Romine: 2-for-4 (3 SB allowed)

Puerto Rican League

Rene Rivera: 2-for-2, BB, R

Yes, his defense is beyond poor, and will not get him far in the major leagues.

For Jesus Montero, briefly a Thunder catcher and our choice for the Yankees’ top prospect entering the Hot Stove season, the defense is merely a footnote.

It’s his bat that generates the ink — and justifiably so.

Montero recovered from an ice-cold start to dominate the International League at a tender 20 years old.

After May was completed, he looked lost, compiling just three home runs and 21 RBIs. By the time the season finished those totals were at 21 and 75, meaning he’d swatted an incredible 18
bombs and drove home 54 runs in a span of just 79 games.

The finish was so hot, in fact, that some were clamoring for Montero to earn a September call-up. A late infection quashed those talks, but the youngster will almost surely play a role in the Yankees’ catching picture in 2011.

2. Manny Banuelos - LHP
Continuing the trend of youth flourishing at the upper levels, there’s Manny Banuelos, a Mexican southpaw who, at just 19 years old, more than held his own at Double-A over the final few weeks of the season.

Scheduled as High-A Tampa’s Opening Day starter, Banuelos underwent an emergency appendectomy and missed more than two months before debuting in mid-June.
No matter, Banuelos bullied his way north from Florida to join the Thunder in the midst of a hotly contested pennant chase with the Fisher Cats.

The lefty wound up pitching his finest game during the finale of Trenton’s three-game sweep in the Eastern League Division Series, dispatching New Hampshire in dominating fashion.
Expect him to make a return to trip to central New Jersey next April.

3. Andrew Brackman - RHP
After seeming incapable of throwing a strike in 2009, things finally came together for Brackman last season.

After some early struggles, Brackman found his way in Tampa and earned a promotion to Trenton shortly thereafter.

Slowly but surely, control and confidence returned for Brackman, who admittedly was still not at 100 percent after having Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted in 2007.

By the end of the season, the 6-foot-10 Brackman was the Thunder’s most dominant pitcher. He earned the team’s only win in the EL Championship series, flashing as high as 98 miles per hour and showcasing a devastating spike curveball.

It seems a coin-flip as to whether Brackman returns to Double-A to start next year.

4. Dellin Betances - RHP
Like Banuelos, Betances began the year on the shelf, although his absence was expected.
The 6-foot-8, 240-pounder spent April and May recovering from ligament reenforcement surgery on his throwing elbow.

When he returned, so did his high-90s fastball and wipeout curveball, as well as a revamped change-up and a much-improved sense of command.

New weapons in tow, Betances tore up the Florida State League, allowing a scant 43 hits in 71 innings, while fanning 88 against just 19 walks.

He’ll more than likely return to Trenton in 2011, but could move quickly.

5. Gary Sanchez - C
Another young, slugging catcher from Latin America?

Yep.

Just 17 years old, Sanchez, whom the Yankees signed out of the Dominican Republic for $3 million, was a man above boys in the Gulf Coast League. He slugged six bombs in 31 games before earning the promotion to Short Season Staten Island.

He struggled a bit there, but the dirt on Sanchez remains the same: He’ll hit, and hit a ton.

6. Slade Heathcott - OF
New York’s first-rounder in 2009, Heathcott spent the year in Low-A Charleston, and put up fine numbers for a 19-year-old getting his feet wet in pro ball.

The numbers tell one story, but here’s another: During one game of his I saw this year, Heathcott collected two hits against the Lakewood BlueClaws.

On the surface, that’s nice, but not exceptional. When you consider he did it while missing a contact lens, it shows some pretty nice determination from the young man.

7. Austin Romine - C
Handling the duties for Trenton all season, Romine didn’t quite flourish, but he didn’t flounder, either.

He hit .268 with 31 doubles, 10 home runs and 69 RBIs. The defense, while drawing some very positive reviews from scouts, didn’t look great on the stat sheet.

Still, his six passed balls marked a career low, and he expertly guided a talented and fluid staff all year long.

His work behind the dish does have flaws — he doesn’t handle velocity as well as he should, and he sometimes rushes himself — but he’ll e 22 next season, so there’s no reason to think he can’t overcome his problems.

8. J.R. Murphy - C
Another in a line of young, talented backstops, Murphy more than held his own in his full-season debut with Charleston — including a two-HR, nine-RBI game in mid-August.

He split time with Kyle Higashioka, and is athletic enough to perhaps move to the outfield down the line.

His .255/.327/.703 line doesn’t jump out at you, but seven bombs and 51 RBIs as a 19-year-old isn’t bad.

Still, he’s extremely polished, and could handle the staff next year at High-A.

9. Hector Noesi - RHP
He tossed the Thunder’s first nine-inning complete game since 2008, and apart from a mid-season struggle with his stride, Noesi was the team’s workhorse until he was moved up to Scranton for the season’s final weeks.

His solid four-pitch mix is enhanced by impeccable control.

He’ll start 2011 in Triple-A, more than likely.

10. David Phelps - RHP
Lost in the hubbub surround Brackman, Banuelos and Betances was Phelps, who quietly carried Trenton’s staff through the first part of the season.

He sports a a low-to-mid-90s fastball that he throws with excellent command and confidence anywhere in the zone.

Phelps was up and down after he was promoted to Scranton, but with a good showing in the early season, he could push for a spot in the 2011 bullpen.

Dominican Winter League

Wilkins Arias: 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO

Venezuelan League:

Edwar Gonzalez: 1-for-2, RBI
Marcos Vechionacci: 1-for-2, R

Mexican League:

Eric Wordekemper: 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, SO