The Yankees have selected right-hander Clarke Schmidt’s contract, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News was among those to report. They optioned righty Ben Heller in a corresponding move.
The 24-year-old Schmidt, whom the Yankees chose 16th overall in the 2017 draft, has become one of their highest-regarded prospects, owing in part to impressive minor league production. He divided last season between High-A and Double-A, combining for a 3.47 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 90 2/3 innings.
In the wake of his 2019 performance, Schmidt earned top 100 prospect rankings at The Athletic (No. 51), Baseball America (No. 64), ESPN.com (82), and MLB.com (94). Keith Law of The Athletic wrote that the former Tommy John patient has a chance to turn into a No. 3-4 starter in the majors.
If Schmidt’s able to provide mid-rotation type of production immediately, it would be a boost to the playoff-contending Yankees, whose starting staff hasn’t lived up to expectations in 2020. Gerrit Cole hasn’t given the club the elite production it anticipated when it signed him to a nine-year, $324MM contract last winter; James Paxton has dealt with injuries and struggled when healthy; and J.A. Happ and Jordan Montgomery have fallen flat. The Yankees’ best starter has been Masahiro Tanaka, who has logged a 3.38 ERA/3.85 FIP over 26 2/3 innings.
99 Captain Judge
It is being rumored that Clarke Schmidt will be starting against the Orioles on Sunday. Ben Heller has options left. Nice power arm to the alternate site.
thejmann7
Yayayayayaya
chicagofan1978
Ding dong
thebaseballfanatic
Sure, why not.
dugdog83
You serious Clark?
findingnimmo
Ha!
jonnyzuck
is he available for game 2 tonight?
yukongold
That’s Future Hall of Famer Clarke Schmidt.
tol3rd
100% no. sorry.
bigstein09
I just set a reminder to laugh at you in 20 years.
tol3rd
so before we get into a spitting match, why do you think he’s THAT good?
Ronk325
Keith Law showing he’s a clown yet again. Schmidt has the floor of a 3 with a legit chance of being a 2
mlbnyyfan
ABOUT TIME!!!!
Briffle2
So you think he can be a 2 or 3 while the other guy thought he could be a 3 or 4. Not much difference there guy.
Ronk325
The comment was more about Law having a bad take as usual. Also there’s a big difference. Saying a guy is a 3 or 4 is basically saying he’s a back end guy who could be a mid rotation guy. Saying he’s a 2 or 3 is saying he’s a mid rotation guy at worst with a shot at being a front of the rotation guy
Briffle2
He’s 24 and not ranked even close in the top 50 prospects, why should he be considered a future two? The rankings of multiple places don’t project him as that. And yes, I know, just because a pitcher is ranked high or low doesn’t mean they’ll end up like that.
MLB.com has him ranked as the 93rd prospect, that doesn’t equate to a 2, maybe a 3 at best. Thats fine that you think the guy will be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, we’re talking about prospects so no one truly knows right now, but let’s not act like he’s considering a consensus frontline starter by everyone but Law.
YankeesBleacherCreature
I don’t read too much into an individual’s take on a prospect. Every year, there’s about three or four guys who are lauded with a universal consensus which I pay attention to. There’s a big gap between AAA and the MLB.
amanda_hugandkiss
When you say he’s a #3, are you saying he could be either slightly below or slightly above an average starter? Just curious…
DarkSide830
yeah “a chance to turn into a 3 or 4” doesnt sound like the correct ceiling for a prospect of his caliber. i would have to agree with you there.
SalaryCapMyth
Steven Matz had a prospect rank of 15, Jose Berrios had a prospect rank of 20, Glasnow ranked 8th. You know what they all have in common? They are producing now like 3’s or 4’s with a few seasons under their belts so it isn’t so strange that a highly regarded prospect is projected as a 3 or 4.
DarkSide830
i dont think those guys were projected to be 3-4 though. Glasnow. we’re talking ceiling, not floor
Javia
Realistically every pitcher’s floor is selling Whoppers. Every pitcher’s ceiling is ACE. I mean nobody was predicting #1 for Greg Maddux who hardly ever broke 90 mph. Yet he was one of the top 3 starters in baseball for most of his career.
This is just one man’s prediction.
Briffle2
So would you put him on the same level as guys like Liberatore, Singer and Puk, the 58, 59, and 60ths ranked prospects according to MLB.com. Those guys are projected top to middle end starters. Clarke is ranked 93rd.
jdgoat
Kind of early to be saying that imo
SalaryCapMyth
Not at all. These guys I mentioned all have multiple seasons under their belts and are pitching like 3’s and 4’s right now. Maybe they will do more later but right now that is who they are.
Old User Name
Don’t forget about Garcia.
Rangers29
This should be a Rangers article… I’m pissed now lol.
TheTrotsky
Why?
NY_Yankee
I am a hard core Yankee fan, but this simply is not our year. Too many injuries and too much bad luck. I just hope my Islanders can win game 7 versus Philadelphia
99 Captain Judge
@NY_Yankee- this sounds so familiar, no worries. It’s not how you start. Remember it’s how you finish. There are like 20 more games. Hang in there.
Murphy NFLD
As a jays fan you guys have a better chance then most. Clearly u guys have the offence and if 2 of your starters come along that would be enough
99 Captain Judge
@Rangers29- Why didn’t you guys take Miguel Andujar and Luis Gil for my boy Lance Lynn? lol
mlbnyyfan
Enough of Lynn. LoL. I offered you Stanton for Odor.
99 Captain Judge
@mlbnyyfan- lol. How many more years & salary for Odor? Afraid to ask. Can’t be worse then Stanton though.
MarkoRock68
54.00 ERA welcome to The Show kid
99 Captain Judge
@MarkoRock68- only you would judge someone coming in a game for the lst time ever with runners on lst & 2nd. LoL. He’s a starter not a reliever. Boone over managed again tonight. He should of just let Deivi finish the 5th inning … smh
MarkoRock68
Wait for it,,,,,,
MarkoRock68
I was being factitious.
Peart of the game
Fangraphs has Clarke listed as a 45+ FV though
MarkoRock68
Not alot of projection on a 24 yr old 6’1″ 200 lbs pitcher with a 45+ FV. 3-4 starter is being generous. Not saying it couldn’t happen every blue moon but highly unlikely he would turn into a #2, certainly doesn’t project as one.
Law is being very generous actually, Zips has him as a #5
99 Captain Judge
@MarkoRock68- It’s way too early to tell. He’s probably not an ace. But he could definitely can be a #2 or #3. How do you put a starter in as a reliever in his lst taste of the majors with runners on? Who does that? LoL… I just hate the way he was used last night. It made no sense. But neither does losing to the Orioles.
YankeesBleacherCreature
He’s getting his first big league cup of coffee. The kid was probably nervous as hell so throw him into the water and let him tread. It’s not the fall (results), it’s how he gets up (execution) which is the true measure of his potential. That’s TBD.
MarkoRock68
Yank4Life
Well heck our manager put Yamaguchi in first 2 times ever in North American professional ball -extra innings with a man on 2nd , Not once but twice ! After the guy struggled with the grip for the new sized ball for him , during camp.
I agree though, putting a Rook in with men on in his debut i asking for failure.
Almost forgot – for one brief moment in time last night before the Yanks/Rays finished their 1st game. We were the best team in NY state lol
jessaumodesto
Top 5 Clark’s of All Time:
1. Clark Kent
2. Will Clark
3. Clark Griswold
4. The Clark Bar
5. Clark Schmidt
whyhayzee
Being a 2 or q 3 on the yankee staff? Where their number 1 makes a bazillion dollars for being average? Um. ok.
fitsiqis65
this is a good move that focuses on the here and now… Although he was hazed in his debut-it is immaterial to seeing if cashman can ever develop a legit SP for the team that lasts more than one or two years.
Otherwise its more servings of happless at 17 mil