Highlights of the Yankees Instructional League Roster

Baseball America released the New York Yankees roster for the Fall Instructional League. Yanks Go Yard provides a breakdown of the most significant names who will participate.

A number of the New York Yankees top prospects will play in the Florida-based Fall Instructional League that kicks off in mid-September and runs all the way through October. It was previously reported that the first assignment of Alex Rodriguez‘s new instructor gig will be working with players in this league, particularly the organization’s young shortstops.

Two players who are not on the roster but seem likely to get some game action in the league this fall are Greg Bird and James Kaprielian, who both missed most of 2016 due to injury but are ramping up to hopefully play in the Arizona Fall League. Instructs are often used as a tuneup for rehabbing players who will play in the AFL.

Teams usually send the top prospects from the lower-levels of their minor league system to play in the league, giving the coaching staff extra time to work with some of the more raw talents the organization has in a lower-pressure environment. Here are some of the prospects you should know participating in 2016 Instructs.

The 2016 Draft Picks

Clubs always send the majority of their top draft picks each year to the league. All five of New York’s top five picks from this year’s June amateur draft are on the roster: Blake Rutherford (1st), Nick Solak (2nd), Nolan Martinez (3rd), Nick Nelson (4th), Dom Thompson-Williams (5th). In addition, Taylor Widener (12th), Brian Tireglaff (13th), and Mandy Alvarez (17th) round out the members of the class of 2016.

Blake Rutherford was shut down near the end of the Appalachian League season with a hamstring injury, but this assignment presumably means the 18th overall pick of the draft is recovered and ready for game action.

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2014 International Free Agent Class

The Yankees famously dropped north of $30 million on 52 players during the 2014-2014 international signing period, including 10 of the top 30 international talents according to Baseball America. The majority of those guys were around 16 when they signed, so only a handful have begun to gain notoriety, but the true impact of the Yankees strategy won’t be seen for a few years.

A number of the more advanced players from that group will be playing in instructs this year, including shortstops Wilkerman Garcia and Hoy Jun Park, catchers Miguel Flames and Jason Lopez, outfielder Estevan Florial, and pitcher Freicer Perez.

Trade Deadline Acquisitions

General manager Brian Cashman brought in 12 legitimate prospects (plus Adam Warren) in four trades at the August 1st trade deadline this year, including four members of their top 10 prospects according to MLB Pipeline.

Clint Frazier, Justus Sheffield, and Rashad Crawford, who came over from Cleveland in the Andrew Miller trade are among the most prestigous prospects participating. Pitchers Stephen Tarpley and Tito Polo, the two players to be named later from the Ivan Nova trade, will also see action. Finally, the Yankees coaching staff will get their first extended look at Jio Orozco, the main prospect they got in return from Seattle in the Ben Gamel deal.

Miscellaneous Top Prospects

Six other notable players ranked in MLB Pipeline’s Yankees Top 30 who will play in instructs include catchers Luis Torrens and Donny Sands, outfielder Trey Amburgey, and shortstops Kyle Holder and Jorge Mateo, who will hopefully both receive major benefits from A-Rod’s tutelage.