GET READY! HERE COMES DEIVI GARCIA!

I'm stoked and I won't try and hide it! We may see Deivi Garcia sooner rather than later and I'm hoping we do. The stats this kid is putting up has me drooling for the chance to see him in the Bronx.

And that just may happen because Deivi has a new gig for the rest of the season and will pitch from the bullpen. But why?
"It’s a couple different reasons," Jay Bell Triple-A RailRiders manager said. "One, just to preserve pitches and that kind of stuff. But they also want to see if he’s an option in New York in September. So, we’ll see what happens there," read more HERE.

Deivi has been impressive this season, but he is already at a career high 103.2 innings pitched this season and his previous high was only 74. The Yankees no doubt want to rest him but they also want to use him as a September call up which will be here before we know it. It's smart to rest him before he gets his next big test.

His last appearance was Saturday out of the bullpen but that was because Ben Heller was also there on a rehab assignment and he was used as the RailRiders opener. Heller and Garcia pitched for a combined six innings and Deivi pitched in five of them and walked five, struck out seven and had one unearned run.

Bell said Deivi will switch to a reliever effective immediately but will have no set pitching schedule. I hope we see him in September, he could be a huge asset with our inconsistent pitching staff. Truth is the Yankees need as many arms as they can get right now. I hope Dellin Betances is back soon but you an never have enough arms, right? He's missed all season, a little extra insurance would be nice and I really want to see if the kid is ready for MLB hitters.

I like the idea of adding an extra weapon to the bullpen. We already have great arms with Adam Ottavino, Aroldis Chapman and Chad Green but if we get Betances back AND Deivi this could be one hell of a road block for the rest of the season.

So it's time to wait and see what happens. As long as I get to see Deivi in the Bronx it will be worth the wait.

I get excited about the young, promising kids and I can't wait for September call-ups. Get ready....because I think Deivi is coming!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

CHECKING IN ON JAY BELL & THE TAMPA YANKEES

(Mark LoMoglio)

For my next installment through the Yankee farm system, I head down to Tampa, Florida where we find the High-A Tampa Yankees led by Manager Jay Bell. Though they fell in the championship to the Dunedin Blue Jays, the Tampa Yankees had one a hell of a season finishing with a league-best 85-50.  This piece discusses the final game and just how great things went:

Domingo Acevedo ©Mark LoMoglio/Yankees

"Despite falling short of repeating as North Division Champions, the T-Yanks enjoyed a historic 2017 season. The Yankees tallied a franchise-record 85 wins and Tampa pitchers collected 1,215 strikeouts to break the FSL single-season record. The T-Yanks look forward to returning to action in 2018."

Because of their season, Jay Bell was named the FSL Manager of the Year. You gotta love that.

"Jay Bell earns 'Manager of the Year' after guiding the T-Yanks to a first-half North Division Title, with a record of 39-31.

Tampa has also clinched the second-half of the North Division, with a record of 40-18 as of August 28th. It is the first time the Tampa Yankees have ever won both halves of the FSL North Division."

Though there was no championship this was a well-deserved honor for Jay as he works his way up the ladder.  To be honest, I really thought he might have had a chance at being the next Yankee manager after Joe Girardi left. I know it sounds nuts, but Bell has the experience. Regardless, congratulations to Jay and the rest of the crew in Tampa.

Stephen Tarpley  ( Rick Ferry)

By the way, this is the last piece I'll ever write on the Tampa Yankees, as they no longer exist. They seem to have had a name change in Tampa, and starting in 2018 they will now be known a the Tampa Tarpons. You can read that HERE. Here's some info on that...

"When the Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees takes the field for the 2018 season, it will mark the return of Tarpons baseball to the Florida State League after a 30-year absence.  The Tampa Tarpons played in the league from 1957 through 1987, winning titles in 1957, 1959 and 1961."

I love tradition of old team names are finding their way back.  It just shows how rich in history baseball truly is.

-
-Michael Carnesi
BYB Writer
Twitter: @sevn4evr

BIG RESULTS FROM OUR YANKEE PROSPECTS!

Well, that's all she wrote! The curtain has closed on yet, another Arizona Fall League season.

Unfortunately, there would be no Championship in the cards for the Scottsdale Scorpions and the Yankee prospects. Led by current Tampa Yankees manager Jay Bell, the Scorpions finished the AFL season with a 12-17-1 record. Though the record was not too great, I personally did get to see some good things from the Yankee prospects as I was able to attend a few games this season. In fact, this list of the top breakout prospects in the league this year highlights some of the Yankee prospects I was impressed by most. Check this out from MLB.com:

(Zachary Lucy/Four Seam Images via AP)

"Albert Abreu, RHP, Yankees' No. 7 prospect: If he's in New York's top 10, he obviously wasn't completely off the radar, and he was a big part of the Brian McCann deal. But after just 53 1/3 innings in his first season with the organization due to a shoulder issue, all in A ball, there were questions. Abreu still needs to work on his command, but a 2.60 ERA and .219 batting average against in 27 2/3 IP with premium stuff certainly answered some of them this fall.

(Zachary Lucy/Four Seam Images via AP)

Cody Carroll, RHP, Yankees' No. 25 prospect: The 25-year-old reliever took off in 2017 with a full-time move to the bullpen, pitching well in Double-A. With a fastball up to 98 mph and a slider, both coming from a hard-to-pick-up delivery, Carroll didn't give up a run in 11 2/3 AFL innings, allowing only two hits and striking out 18...

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Thairo Estrada, SS, Yankees' No. 17: After hitting .301 in Double-A at age 21, perhaps Estrada should be more on the map. Hitting .342 this fall won't hurt, nor will his outstanding defense at shortstop for Scottsdale. "

While those 3 were not the biggest names of the Yankee prospects, they each showed a lot of promise and a glimpse of the future.

Speaking of the biggest names the Yankees assigned to the AFL... Justus Sheffield, Estevan Florial and Billy McKinney all looked solid.

In 5 starts Justus Sheffield had a record of 2-2 with an ERA of 3.10. In all, he pitched a total of 20.1 innings recording 22 strikeouts and issuing only 3 walks. While I only got to catch a couple of his starts, he left quite an impression. I could definitely see Justus pushing to make it to the Bigs in the very near future.

Kim Contreras photo | @cu_As

Estevan Florial finished the season batting .286 with 5 doubles and 2 triples while collecting 4 RBI's. While he is a top prospect, you could tell he still has some developing to do. His main issue was the strikeout, as he whiffed 29 times in 70 at-bats. The kid just turned 20 though... so there is plenty of time. He may be the centerfielder of the future, but the Yankees seem alright in the outfield right now, so there is no real reason to rush the kid.

Photo: Baseball America

Billy McKinney. We love him here at BYB. McKinney batted .279 hitting 5 doubles, 1 triple, and a home run while collecting 20 RBI's. Billy was sent to the AFL to get some work at first base. Besides playing some first, Billy also played some in left field and handled the DH spot as well. Billy could be in the Bronx as early as next season. It's exciting.

(Zachary Lucy/Four Seam Images via AP)

Others Yankee prospects to compete in the Fall League this year were infielder Kyle Holder and relief pitcher Andrew Schwaab. Holder appeared in 11 games batting .333, collecting 3 doubles, a triple, and a home run collecting 6 RBI's. Kyle also only struck out 4 times in 45 at-bats.

(Zachary Lucy/Four Seam Images via AP)

Schwaab pitched a total of 11.1 innings striking out 8 and walking 7. He ended the season with a 6.35 ERA surrendering 8 earned runs. All stats can be found here on the Arizona Fall League site.

The Arizona Fall League is an incredible experience.  Something I love watching being out here in AZ.  If you ever get a chance, you should come check it out.  You never know... you may be looking at a future Yankee All-Star!

--Michael Carnesi
BYB Writer
Twitter: @sevn4evr