28 ALEXANDER VARGAS, RHP

BA GRADE

45

Risk: High

Born: July 24, 1997. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 203. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2014. Signed by: Miguel Benitez.

When the Yankees signed Vargas for $10,000 in 2014, they did so because of the changeup he’d already developed and the projection they assumed would come as he matured. He missed 2016 with Tommy John surgery (check this) and was challenged this year with time at low Class A Charleston. He didn’t overpower hitters there, but he certainly performed, with 34 strikeouts against just five walks in 48.1 innings. His changeup, which he throws in the mid-80s, is still his out pitch, and he uses it with confidence against both lefthanders and righthanders. He’s still working on developing his slider, which shows potential but has more horizontal break than depth at this point. The major question with Vargas involves his projectability. Some see a 20-year-old who performed well this year at high Class A and could eventually add more strength to his 6-foot-4 frame, thus turning the low-90s fastball into something more in the mid-90s. Others see an already maxed-out body, which would severely limit his ceiling. If everything clicks, he could be a back-end type of starter because of his ability to fill up the zone.

Year

Club (League)

Class

W

L

ERA

G

GS

2015

Yankees1 (GCL)

R

2

4

4.97

10

9

2016

Did not play—Injured

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017

Staten Island (NYP)

SS

4

0

1.88

4

4

 

Charleston, SC (SAL)

LoA

2

3

3.17

9

9

Minor League Totals

8

7

3.40

28

27

Year

Club (League)

CG

SV

IP

H

HR

2015

Yankees1 (GCL)

0

0

42

55

2

2016

Did not play—Injured

 

 

 

 

 

2017

Staten Island (NYP)

0

0

24

20

0

 

Charleston, SC (SAL)

0

0

48

41

6

Minor League Totals

0

0

127

130

8

Year

Club (League)

BB

SO

K/9

WHIP

AVG

2015

Yankees1 (GCL)

13

31

6.7

1.63

.318

2016

Did not play—Injured

 

 

 

 

 

2017

Staten Island (NYP)

3

14

5.3

0.96

.235

 

Charleston, SC (SAL)

5

34

6.3

0.95

.229

Minor League Totals

27

92

6.5

1.24

.266