The Yankees will promote top outfield prospect Clint Frazier in time for tomorrow’s game. Brendan McGair of the Pawtucket Times first caught wind of the news (Twitter link), with George A. King III of the New York Post reporting on Twitter that Frazier is indeed en route.
New York has engaged in a flurry of moves involving intriguing young players of late. It had seemed Gleyber Torres might earn a mid-season call-up, but he ended up suffering a season-ending injury. Miguel Andujar had a stellar debut, but was optioned back immediately thereafter. Then, Dustin Fowler came to the Bronx only to suffer a stunning, season-ending injury of his own, leading both to the return of Andujar and this latest promotion.
Now, it’s Frazier’s turn. Like Torres, he came to the Yanks last summer as the team engineered big returns for relief aces Andrew Miller (the deal that brought Frazier) and Aroldis Chapman. While the club will need to wait to see what it has in the elite infield prospect, Frazier is now set to debut.
Expectations were and are quite high for the 22-year-old. Selected with the fifth overall pick of the 2013 draft, he has rated as a consensus top-fifty prospect since his first showing as a professional.
But Frazier had only just cracked Triple-A when he changed organizations — he then moved over to New York’s top affiliate — and success did not come right away. In his 108 plate appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Frazier posted a .228/.278/.396 batting line with thirty strikeouts.
The talent has expressed itself anew in 2017, however. Over 319 plate appearances, again at Triple-A, Frazier carries a .257/.345/.474 slash line with a dozen long balls. He has also restored the plate-discipline numbers hecarried previously in his minor-league career, with a 21.3% strikeout rate and 11.6% walk rate on the year.
With Aaron Hicks on the 10-day DL and Fowler hitting the shelf for the rest of the season, the Yankees will now get their first look at Frazier at the game’s highest level. An active roster opening will be needed — perhaps leading to another debate over Andujar and beleaguered first baseman Chris Carter. And a 40-man spot will as well, though that can presumably be found by making a 60-day DL placement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Couldn’t be more excited. I’m a huge Frazier fan, he’s probably my favorite prospect. I hope he grows out the hair again and does great.
Still can’t grow hair bc of Yankees team rule
This should be exciting, unless you are an Indians fan.
Meh, I’m glad we kept Zimmer over him. Bradley is way better.
How so?
I wouldn’t say Zimmer is “way” better, but I’d still rather have him than Frazier. It’s a really close call though honestly.
Hmmm…..better hitter, better defense, better on the base paths. Other than that, they’re pretty even.
LOL. This will prove to be horribly false in the long run. Also, Frazier is two years younger than Zimmer. Big factor.
Age is a bigger factor than actual skill? That’s a new one.
They’ve historically been regarded very similarly with Frazier usually being rated slightly higher in most rankings. I have a preference for a Zimmer because of his ability to stick in center if needed.
Both should have long productive careers. Considering Zimmer plays very good defense and CF at that, makes him a better choice IMO to build around. He does hit for contact better, runs better and plays better D while Frazier will impress you with his quick wrist and bombs, but will K a ton.
age is absolutely a bigger factor. bellinger and judge are similar in ability, but bellinger is like 21 abd judge is 25. bellinger is the better buy because he has more upside.
take any 2 players with similar ability and you pick the younger one every time. research player age/production curves sometine.
Well, Frazier is a Yankees prospect so he’s automatically better and HOF bound
Let’s see those Mets no power,weak fielding prospects!
Hehehehe……nailed it.
Rosario and Smith and far from weak fielding…
Mets farm is in shambles! Who’s the most popular NY team now scammers?
Still exciting. He is good guy and with both Frazier and Zimmer on the farm, they did what they had to do to go for a title. And it almost worked… None the less, Miller remains one of the best relievers in the game. I would do it all over again.
Really mad when Andrew Miller go back to NY via Chapman shame no honor in Yankee land
Just added him in fantasy
Couldn’t be more excited. I’m a huge Frazier fan, he’s probably my favorite prospect. I hope he grows out the hair again and does great!
Showcasing for a trade….? Bigger holes on this team than OF…
With all of the injuries the Yankees need an impact bat right now so Frazier gets the opportunity. I doubt they’re showcasing him for a trade. He’ll get his cup of coffee while Hicks is on the DL.
But if by chance he plays really, really well the Yankees might be more inclined to deal Hicks. Or maybe Gardner or Ellsbury if they could find any takers.
Yup time to start banking the trade happens before mid July
Hicks and ref Snyder for somebody decent
Keep dreaming. Those two aren’t bringing back squat.
I’ll keep hicks lol
I’ve long been curious about Yankee fans and their love for Refsnyder. He’s the very definition of a utility player. Doesn’t really have a position defensively, doesn’t hit enough to play in the corners or the outfield, not an elite runner or anything. He’s not a guy teams are lining up to acquire.
Yea as a Yankee fan I don’t know why he sticks. When Hicks comes back certainly they finally cut ties. Don’t take anything the crown guy posts seriously.
Yankees can move Fowler to the 60 day DL to make a roster spot. Earlier today he was only put on the 10 day DL. I’m guessing Andujar will be sent down yet again , and then Frazier will be added. Looking forward to seeing him. Sure hope no injury happens again.
I’m excited to see him but I feel he needed more AAA time. Hopefully big red can make an impact
My opinion means nothing and I hope I’m wrong but I just have a feeling that this guy could end up being a bust.
I had the same feeling when he was with my Tribe. Maybe their brass felt the same, and chose Zimmer over him when it came time to trade for Miller.
Actually it was the Yankees who chose Frazier over Zimmer. Keep trying, you’ll get one eventually
Way to be a condescending a hole
He’s only responding the their unprovoked slanted opinions!
bahaha owned
Yep, keep believing everything you read. Soooo gullible.
Oh, so if someone’s opinion doesn’t agree with yours, it then becomes unprovoked and slanted?
Did you forget that debates have at least 2 different sides?
This kinda hurts as an Indians fan, but with the way Andrew Miller has been, I’d still make the trade again. I’m a big fan of Frazier though, so I hope he does well.
I’ve heard several Yankee fans say they would make the trade again to re-acquire Miller.
I’m in the same camp as you. After reading how close Frazier and Zimmer were in the minors, I was looking forward to seeing them patrol the outfield together.
Would still do it to get Miller though. No question
.257. Seriously? He may be a guy that breaks out in the majors but .257 used to get you demoted.
Walk rate is good, strikeout rate is good considering the power. That. 250 AVG is quite likely a result of BABIP luck – half a season of ABs is still a sample size issue.
If Frazier can hit homers in this stint he will join the Baby Bombers
Judge was a .278 hitter in the minors and Frazier is lifetime .272 in the minors. Judge had a better HR and OPS rate than Frazier, but one big difference is that Judge began his career in the minors at 22 years old. Frazier started his when he was 18.
I’m not saying that Frazier will make the jump that Judge has. But this spring how many people were saying that Judge was overrated, strikes out too much, and would never bat over .230 in the Majors? Only time will tell how Frazier adapts to MLB ball. Chances are he gets sent back down when Hicks is back anyway, but it’s great that he gets some time in MLB in preparation for a starting job in the future.
Fowler moved up ahead of the Red Rocket, so the Yanks felt he needed more time in the minors. Now they need him with Fowler going down. I think he needs more time in the minors, but you never know. He might rake!
.257 with a .474 slugging. thats a .220 iso for a 22 year old in AAA.
average isnt everything. a .250/.350/.450 slash is better than a .300/.330/.390 slash.
Where’s he play? Does he take RF and Judge stay at DH with Ellsbury and Gardner. Or does he DH to ease himself into the bigs? This will b interesting. Sad to c Fowler get hurt. With Frazier, Fowler and Judge that might b the Yankees future outfield.
He is taking Hicks’s spot in the 4 man rotation, Judge sits tonight! This will keep everyone fresh until Hicks returns.
Could very well be the future outfield. If they can only get rid of Ellsbury. 3-1/2 more years. Ugh. Speaking of future OF don’t get forget about Rutherford. He’s still a ways a way but could be a stud.
I hope carter gets dfa again and they let Andy jar play third and Headley play first. I hate watching Carter strike out.
With men on striking out
The worst…
And Torreyes be crushing
I was bummed when the Tribe traded Frazier last summer, I liked him better then Zimmer. I hope he does well just not when the Tribe comes to town
classiest tribe fan yet joecool
I concur.
Well even the other tribe fans don’t count sufferfortribe as a true fan. He’s a slanted troll
I’ve been a Tribe fan since the 1960’s, buddy. This is the first time someone has said that.
Just because my opinions differ from others doesn’t make me a slanted troll. It makes me opinionated, that’s all. And after 50+ years of being a Tribe (and baseball) fan, I’ve earned the right to my opinions.
Get ready for some legendary bat speed
Has there ever been a team in MLB history with this many Future Hall of Famers?
The Cubs
Sure–
Yankees of 1926,
Yankees of 1936
Yankees of 1950
–LOL, I could go on, but I’m just yankin’ ya!
All I want to see from Frazier–
1) cover the OF well
2) show some ‘smarts’ when running the bases
3) don’t be overwhelmed by MLB pitching
4) DON’T RUN INTO WALLS
The kid’s only 22. If he can do that, with perhaps a flash of his talent here & there, that will be enough. Anything else would be a bonus. When Hicks returns, he’ll go back to SWB having learned something.
Frazier : 80AB – .210 – 3hr – 8rbi – 48k
This guy flat out stinks!
The Frazier the Yankees just promoted has 19 doubles, 12 HRs and 42 RBI in exactly half a season, plus a .350 OBP and 9 steals in 11 tries. Not sure who you are looking at.
Try and swing for the fences..yet you strikeout badly. Go troll another team!
I watched him hit one of the longest home runs I’ve ever seen when he was with AA Akron Rubber Ducks. They had this giant (30 or 40 foot tall) inflatable slide for kids located in the outfield past the fence and he hit it over that thing. Never heard the measurement announced, but it had to be well over 425 to 450.
Trading him for Miller is the textbook definition of a win-win trade.
Exactly
Frazier is only 22 and many of these young high talent, first round picks drafted out of high school get better over time. Look at Matt Olson in Oakland. Big improvement in his swing and approach this year, and now he’s in MLB flashing power. Olson may never be a star, but he should be a 1B/RF platoon type who hits 20 HRs a year. Frazier still has time to improve his approach at the plate.
Would the Yankees trade Frazier for Sonny Gray?
In a minute!
I hope not. I’d rather bring up Adams
Me too! The Red Rocket showed he is the real deal tonight. First Yankee to hit a homer and double in their first game.
Real deal already indeed. I believe they’re preparing his bust for Cooperstown as I type this.
Nope not happening Frazier won’t be traded for anyone nice try though.
Yankees, I thought, maybe a few years ago, were a sleeping giant. they didn’t make the playoffs and you know that’s not going to last. they have a core of players (sounds familiar) that can take them to more yankee gold. ..As a fan of the game, it’s exciting to see the progression of young talent
Yanks will plug in Frazier to the 4 man rotation, in Hick’s spot. He will be fine. little pressure on him, and he has seen Judge and Sanchez become solid players, so why not him!
After that first game, Frazier looks like he needs another year in Scranton.