Written by Greg Fertel
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01 July 2007
Yes, I don't have any talent when it comes to writing a decent title.
Ferdin Tejeda, a 24-years-old reliever (turning 25 this September) for the Charleston Riverdogs, just ended a phenomenal June. He was overshadowed by his former teammate David Robertson's mind-boggling stats, but he had pitched 15.0 scoreless innings, in which he just give up 7 hits and no walks, while striking out 12. Although the fact that he is 24-years old pitcher still in low-A Charleston may cause prospect fans to diminish his accomplishment, Ferdin isn't a typical pitching prospect.
Ferdin Tejeda was never really a big name prospect. He was signed as an undrafted FA by the New York out of Dominican Republic in February 12, 2000 as a shortstop with a good glove and plus arm. However, he was never really able to develop a good enough bat in the high minors. He had no power even as an infielder, and never hit a HR in 4 season and 810 AB from 2002 to 2005. A .295/.320/.382 line in 51 games at Tampa in 2003, where he hit 5 triples and 9 doubles was perhaps his best year overall. However, he couldn't hit above the interstate at the AA level in 2004, and on August he was claimed off the waivers by the Padres, only to be claimed back by the Yankees on November. On May of 2005, the Yankees decided to try him on the mound, and there Ferdin Tejeda flourished.
Converted into a pitcher, Tejeda consistently showed a high-90's fastball which alone excited quite a few people. Not only that, despite his minimal pitching experience, he showed a plus changeup and a good, developing slider. He dominated during his first stint with the GCL Yankees, where he pitched 15 innings giving up 12 hits, 3 runs and walking three, while striking out 15. With a plus fastball and quality breaking pitchs, for a while he was being considered to be a SP prospect. The Yankees, liking what they saw (perhaps age was a factor as well), decided to challenge him with the low-A Charleston despite just monthes after being converted. There, just after one outing, Ferdin Tejeda was shut down. Just 18 innings into his professional pitching career, he was required to get the Tommy John surgery. To be honest, I am one of those guilty of having given up on him at that point. Being 24 by the time he came back and just barely started pitching at rookie level made me assume that his baseball career, at the least his Yankee career, was all but over. What I forgot to consider was his great work ethics and mentality.
For a while, Ferdin Tejeda was a forgotten prospect. By losing a full year to TJ surgery, his age prevented him from taking time to mature as a SP, and he was converted into a full-time reliever. J.B. Cox, who was drafted the same year Ferdin was, was the topic for Yankee RP prospects. Then in 2006,
Mark Melancon was drafted and was considered to be a future closer. That winter, Kevin Whelan was traded to the Yankees, and he was the best healthy Yankee RP prospect. Ferdin pitched a few innings at GCL level at the end of 2006, but was a secondary thought compared to others.
Almost two years after his injury, I have never been happier than now about how wrong I was about a prospect's future with the Yankees. As of now, Ferdin Tejeda has just above 50 innings pitched in his career, with more than half coming this year. His stuff isn't 100% back to pre-surgery, but that isn't preventing him from putting up great numbers in low-A Charleston: 25.0IP 14H 4ER (all coming in his first four outings) 2BB 18K. All this is coming from a prospect who is in his first full year as a pitcher since being converted.
David Robertson has the name value (along with stuff and stats, of course). JB Cox is, or atleast was, considered to be the closest to the majors. Mark Melancon, once he returns from TJ, might be the one with the best stuff overall, but Ferdin Tejeda should not be forgotten. With his stuff, work ethics, and mentality, he has just as much the potential to become the best Yankee RP prospect as any other prospect.
