Written by Greg Fertel
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16 August 2007
I was asked a couple times back in June, "EJ, how would you rate the 2007 draft" and I said "We'll have to wait and see who signs". Well, the deadline has passed, so let's take a look. 2006 was an absolute coup for the Yankee system - one of the best drafts in our history, mostly thanks to top-end talent.
The Top End
Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Dellin Betances vs Andrew Brackman, Brad Suttle, and Carmen Angelini
No doubt, the 2006 draft class wins out. Of course, we're setting a pretty high standard here. Kennedy and Chamberlain may be remembered as one of the better draft tandems ever. Compared to a normal draft? We worked out pretty well with these three. Suttle and Angelini are supplemental round talents, and Brackman is a Joba-like potential pick. We all forget that Chamberlain was throwing 93 and had major injury concerns when drafted. Maybe Brackman will be a quick fix, despite all the Tommy John Rumblings. Edge: 2006
The Middle
Austin Romine, Chase Weems and Justin Pope vs Zach McAllister, Mark Melancon, and David Robertson
Yeah, I took a little liberty in selecting the next three for 2006, but it's pretty clear that the 2006 class has it again. Austin Romine is a great pick, and I can't wait to see him in the minors, but the other guys just don't stack up to the muscle of these three. Edge: 2006
The Tail:
Colin Curtis, Tim Norton, Mitch Hilligoss, and Dan McCutchen vs Adam O, Damon Sublett, Austin Krum, and Manuel Barreda
Yep, the 2006 class still has the 2007 guys beat, but now it gets a little more interesting. Barreda in particular could be a big coup, and the Yankees love Adam O's stuff. Krum and Sublett are still up in the air, but have potential. If Tim Norton didn't blow out his shoulder, it would be more definitive. Edge: 2006, but barely.
The Fill
Seth Fortenberry, D.J. Hollingsworth, Paul Patterson, Gabe Medina, Nick Peterson, Casey Erickson, and Kevin Russo vs Justin Snyder, Ryan Zink, Braedyn Pruitt, Ryan Wehrle, and Nick Chigges
This is where we see a clear edge for the 2007 class. I think that Snyder is going to surprise us all, and Pruitt is tearing it up in a major pitcher's league right now. The other guys have a lot to like about them too. For the 2006 class, we only really see Seth Fortenberry as a standout prospect.
The Verdict
We learn a few things by comparing the 2007 draft to the 2006 one. First off, even with an excellent group of prospects from 2007, you can't beat 2006. However, we do see that 2007 was ridiculously deep - with great players all the way down to the lower picks. Guys like Taylor Grote and Austin Krum are question marks, but they are much better picks than 2006 picks Casey Erickson and D.J. Hollingsworth. In the end, I think that Damon Oppenheimer and the Yankee management learned from their few mistakes in 2006 and applied them to 2007 - and succeeded despite having much less opportunity to work with.
