Top 50 Prospects: #26 – Manny Banuelos | The Golden Sombrero Baseball Blog | MLB, Fantasy, College & High School Baseball News

Top 50 Prospects: #26 – Manny Banuelos

#26 Manny Banuelos

New York Yankees

DOB: 3/13/1991

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2012

Don’t look now, but it appears the Yankees will graduate a quality young starting pitcher to the Big Leagues for the second consecutive season.  Banuelos’ 5-foot-11 and 155-pound frame certainly does not ooze projection, but the southpaw can reach back for 95 mph when he needs it and cruises at 92-94 mph most nights.

Because his command is shaky (52 walks in under 160 innings), most evaluators prefer him at the lower end, but he should improve as he matures.  His secondary stuff has great action in the form of a changeup with sharp fade and a heavy, digging breaking ball.  He can afford to come up a little in terms of command with all of his pitches, but the stuff is there.

Year Age Tm Lg Lev W L ERA G GS CG SHO IP BB SO
2008 17 Yankees GULF Rk 4 1 2.57 12 3 0 0 42.0 13 37
2009 18 2 Teams 2 Lgs A-A+ 9 5 2.64 26 19 0 0 109.0 28 106
2009 18 Charleston SALL A 9 5 2.67 25 19 0 0 108.0 28 104
2009 18 Tampa FLOR A+ 0 0 0.00 1 0 0 0 1.0 0 2
2010 19 3 Teams 3 Lgs A+-AA-Rk 0 4 2.51 15 15 0 0 64.2 25 85
2010 19 Yankees GULF Rk 0 0 1.80 2 2 0 0 5.0 3 6
2010 19 Tampa FLOR A+ 0 3 2.23 10 10 0 0 44.1 14 62
2010 19 Trenton EL AA 0 1 3.52 3 3 0 0 15.1 8 17
2011 20 2 Teams 2 Lgs AA-AAA 6 7 3.75 27 27 1 1 129.2 71 125
2011 20 Trenton EL AA 4 5 3.59 20 20 0 0 95.1 52 94
2011 20 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre IL AAA 2 2 4.19 7 7 1 1 34.1 19 31
4 Seasons 19 17 3.02 80 64 1 1 345.1 137 353
AA (2 seasons) AA 4 6 3.58 23 23 0 0 110.2 60 111
Rk (2 seasons) Rk 4 1 2.49 14 5 0 0 47.0 16 43
A+ (2 seasons) A+ 0 3 2.18 11 10 0 0 45.1 14 64
A (1 season) A 9 5 2.67 25 19 0 0 108.0 28 104
AAA (1 season) AAA 2 2 4.19 7 7 1 1 34.1 19 31
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/13/2011.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev W L ERA IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2008 17 Yankees GULF Rk 4 1 2.57 42.0 1.071 6.9 0.6 2.8 7.9 2.85
2009 18 2 Teams 2 Lgs A-A+ 9 5 2.64 109.0 1.064 7.3 0.3 2.3 8.8 3.79
2009 18 Charleston SALL A 9 5 2.67 108.0 1.074 7.3 0.3 2.3 8.7 3.71
2009 18 Tampa FLOR A+ 0 0 0.00 1.0 0.000 0.0 0.0 0.0 18.0
2010 19 3 Teams 3 Lgs A+-AA-Rk 0 4 2.51 64.2 1.222 7.5 0.4 3.5 11.8 3.40
2010 19 Yankees GULF Rk 0 0 1.80 5.0 0.800 1.8 0.0 5.4 10.8 2.00
2010 19 Tampa FLOR A+ 0 3 2.23 44.1 1.173 7.7 0.2 2.8 12.6 4.43
2010 19 Trenton EL AA 0 1 3.52 15.1 1.500 8.8 1.2 4.7 10.0 2.13
2011 20 2 Teams 2 Lgs AA-AAA 6 7 3.75 129.2 1.550 9.0 0.6 4.9 8.7 1.76
2011 20 Trenton EL AA 4 5 3.59 95.1 1.531 8.9 0.7 4.9 8.9 1.81
2011 20 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre IL AAA 2 2 4.19 34.1 1.602 9.4 0.5 5.0 8.1 1.63
4 Seasons 19 17 3.02 345.1 1.277 7.9 0.5 3.6 9.2 2.58
AA (2 seasons) AA 4 6 3.58 110.2 1.527 8.9 0.7 4.9 9.0 1.85
Rk (2 seasons) Rk 4 1 2.49 47.0 1.043 6.3 0.6 3.1 8.2 2.69
A+ (2 seasons) A+ 0 3 2.18 45.1 1.147 7.5 0.2 2.8 12.7 4.57
A (1 season) A 9 5 2.67 108.0 1.074 7.3 0.3 2.3 8.7 3.71
AAA (1 season) AAA 2 2 4.19 34.1 1.602 9.4 0.5 5.0 8.1 1.63
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/13/2011.

Between Double-A and Triple-A, Banuelos posted a 3.75 ERA and recorded nearly as many strikeouts as innings pitched.  He is not quite ready for the AL East, but the Yankees will be pressed to give him a shot out of Spring Training, We think he belongs back in the International League for a couple of months until he proves his fastball command is ready for the Show.  I’m usually far more conservative in projecting guys who cannot command their fastballs, but 20-year-old lefties with this kind of stuff are hard not to fall in love with.

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