Written by Greg Fertel
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27 October 2007
- Age: 24
- Height: 6'1"
- Weight: 210
- Position: Starting Pitcher
- Throws: Left
Scouting Report: Coke, a lefty, throws his 4-seamer about 91-92 mph and a strong sinker a few ticks slower. His best secondary pitch is the changeup - an average offering. He's struggled with various breaking pitches over the years, working on a knuckle curve, curve, and splitter (almost a forkball) over the years. He's settled on the knuckle curve, although it isn't very good and is mainly a "show me" pitch. His greatest weapon is his strong control.
History: Coke has always been a fringe lefty. He was drafted in the 26th round of 2006 by the Yankees. Coke appeared on radar screens in 2006 following his first healthy season in the Yankee system, pitching 127 innings mostly for Tampa, with an ERA of 3.19 and 7.6 K/9 and 2.78 per 9. Still, he was 23 years old and hadn't showed much before. Lefties will always get their chances, and the Yankees gave Coke one following 2006.
This Season: The strong rates prompted the Yankees to give him a starting spot in the crowded 2007 Tampa rotation, but he went down with an elbow injury at the very beginning of the season. Coke made his way back by the summer, finishing the season with 99 innings and a 3.09 ERA with rates of 3.36 BB/9 and 6.91 K/9.
Outlook: The Yankees look to continue to try and start Coke. His age 20 and 21 years were essentially lost seasons, so Coke benefits from the extra innings. If he has any sort of major league future, it's going to be out the bullpen. His lack of any real breaking pitch has given him a lot of trouble striking out right handed pitchers. Still, he can give lefties a healthy diet of well-located fastballs, sinking fastballs, and changeups. Coke will endure the most serious test of his minor league career when he hits the Eastern League (AA) next season. Chase Wright knows how quickly that can turn you into a major leaguer.
Ranking: After I drew up a list of Yankee farmhands that I considered prospects, I ranked all 43. Phil Coke was #42. I don't have a lot of confidence in him, but he's a left handed pitcher with good control of an average fastball. In other words, he's got better stuff than half the lefties in the AL East. That may not be saying much, because Coke is nothing special, but it illustrates the point pretty well: In the age of hyper-specialized bullpens, guys like Coke sometimes stick at the major league level. We'll know Coke's true potential when the Yankees finally take the oft-injured starter and get him pitching relief. For now, we let him get some experience and try to find his breaking pitch. And wait.
