A STATEN ISLAND SENSATION

People have been talking for quite a while now about how good the Yankees farm system is.

Photo: MLB.com

We hear a lot about certain prospects... you know, what's going on with them and how they're doing. It's great. But what we don't hear too much is the individual teams and how they're doing. I mean sure, you might catch a snippet of Michael Kay talking about them during a game, but they're usually vague and short descriptions. Unless you live close to one of the teams, there really isn't much coverage of the team's and games, especially at the lower levels of the system. And so, I spoke with Casey about it, and with the minor league seasons being completed, I have decided to do a series about the individual teams, from Class-A SS to AAA. With that being said, let's get started with the Class-A SS Staten Island Yankees of the New York-Penn League. I hope you enjoy this!  

Look, overall the Staten Island Yankees had a good season. Led by manager Julio Mosquera, they finished their season with a record of 46-29, winning the New York-Penn League's McNamara division. In fact, with a .613 winning percentage, they had the best record in the league. Unfortunately, they were knocked from the playoffs in the semifinals by the Hudson Valley Renegades. The Renegades became champs.

(Ashley Marshall/MiLB.com)

During the season, Staten Island had a few guys step up and surprise us. One of the best stories was Jorge Guzman, a pitcher acquired in the Brian McCann trade and has emerged as the staff ace. For a better perspective on Guzman and the 2017 Staten Island Yankees, check out this nugget from Pinstriped Prospects.  

Photo: Pinstriped Prospects-Robert M. Pimpsner)

"Guzman finished the season with a 5-3 record, 2.30 ERA, and a 1.04 WHIP in 13 starts. Over that span he threw 66 2/3 innings where he gave up 17 earned runs, 18 walks, and struck out a league-high 88. Guzman consistently threw his fastball in triple-digits (hitting a season-high 102.7 mph velocity), while also showcasing a low-90s change-up and a knee-buckling curveball that averaged 86 mph. What was probably most impressive about this 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic though was his stamina and demeanor on the mound. Guzman’s fastball rarely lost a tick in the later innings of his starts, and he usually found a way to pitch himself out of trouble and avoid “the big inning.” It will be interesting to see what level the Yankees decide to start him next season."

Personally, I'm excited about Guzman, and I really love to keep up with minor league system. I sometimes wish I lived closer to one of these teams so I could be able to cover the games for BYB and share my own perspective. For now, I wanted to share something about this kid... he's something special.

More soon... 

--Michael Carnesi
BYB Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @sevn4evr