In 10 words or fewer: What the hell happened in AAA?
Position: 2B | Age (2016): 24
Bats: S | Throws: R
Height: 6’0″ | Weight: 200
2015 Rank: 7
OFFENSE
Contact – D+. As Alex has climbed the minor league ladder, we’ve seen a once above average tool shift into the average range and in the latest installment, become actually a bit of a problem. Alex is swinging and missing too much. He was always an aggressive hitter at every level, but up to this point, he was still able to make enough contact to make pitchers and defenders fear him. But in AAA, that wasn’t the case, he was a swing and miss machine, which might be acceptable from a power hitter, but from a middle infielder with gap power? Not really.
Power – C. At every level, Yarbrough has shown the ability to turn on an inside fastball, as well as spray pitches into the gaps and even grab himself a few hustle doubles and triples. But if you’re looking for a culprit as to why Alex struggled so mightily in AAA, look no further than power. His main tool up to his point was a freakishly high line drive percentage. This kid could square a ball up with the best of them. And as it would be, he was still WAY above average in this department in AAA. But where did he regress? It came in a complete lack of ability to turn on an inside pitch. The pitching quality between AA and AAA isn’t so great that Alex should’ve had the bat knocked out of his hands. It’s clear that some kind of approach or mechanical adjustment sapped Alex’s power and left him unable to drive the ball at all.
Discipline – D. Yeah it’s just not there. His pitches per plate appearance have hovered around average his entire career and they were still there in AAA, which would suggest a “C” grade in discipline. But it’s abundantly clear that Alex was falling behind in the count and chasing pitches he didn’t need to be chasing, as evidenced by his poor power numbers and high K’s
Speed – B-. While he has average footspeed, the Angels have abandoned the idea of allowing Alex to steal bases in the minors, which is a shame because he has the talent to swipe 10 per year without breaking too much of a sweat.
DEFENSE
Arm – B. Alex has an above average arm for a second baseman. While I originally pictured this meaning a potential move into the corner outfield, it actually resulted in a small but significant cameo at third base later in the season for the Bees. Chances are, Yarbrough won’t be a third baseman in the majors. He worked too hard to become a good second baseman and the Angels don’t have enough depth there to write him off. But he does have enough arm to play a passable third base, which is significant for a second baseman.
Fielding – B. While the offensive campaign for Alex was a disaster, the defensive campaign couldn’t have been characterized as any more of a success. He’s put a lot of the adjustments the Angels have made to his fielding into practice during game time, and has allowed much of it to emerge as second nature. So what was once a below average fielder with clumsy footwork eventually became an average fielder with average footwork, and now by any scouting report and statistical model, an above average fielder with above average footwork. Alex should be at the very least an average defensive second baseman in the majors, if not significantly better.
Range – B. Yarbrough’s range fact as a second baseman hasn’t been through the roof, but in the last couple years it’s been markedly above average which matches his scouting report. He’s particularly adept at moving to his left and leaving his feet while going up the middle has improved. As quoted last year, Yarbrough has very large feet, which the Angels identified as a culprit behind subpar range despite excellent athleticism After working with the team, this is no longer an issue.
OVERALL
Performance – D. Alex was supposed to be in the mix for the major league second base job by the middle of last year. But his struggles in AAA all but ended that. Still, he progressed defensively, which was one of his biggest weaknesses before last season. But next year, he’s going to need to revert back to whatever it is he was doing before at the plate, because what he tried last year, did not work.
Projection – B. If we throw out last year’s debacle, Alex still projects to be an average or better major league option at second base, with the ability to be a quality defender while collecting his fair share of doubles and a good batting average. But he’s going to need to start pulling the ball, getting some lift and putting some “umph” behind it like before. Still, Alex easily projects to be a decent major leaguer.
What to expect in 2016 – Yarbrough will be back in AAA trying to hone his craft. We aren’t sure as the time of me writing this as to whether Giavotella will be the starting second baseman or not, but that seems likely. So Alex will not only need to put up the numbers he’s capable of in AAA, he’ll also need the Angels to decide having him at second base is a better option than Giavotella or even Yunel Escobar (with Kubitza or Cowart at third base). So he’s got his work cut out for him.
Most Likely Scenario – Alex regains his stroke and forces his way into the second base conversation for 2017, eventually grabbing hold of the spot and emerging as a league average regular second baseman in the majors.
Grade as a Prospect – C+. Yarbrough isn’t without his warts. The OBP isn’t terribly impressive, and the speed and power won’t set him apart. But he does have a large collection of things he does right, and that makes him a good quality prospect to have in AAA.
Estimated Time of Arrival – 2017. Right around age 25. Two years in AAA isn’t unexpected.
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