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A deep-dive into Yankees’ talent strategy debunks popular myth

A record for players used has been set every year since 2013, up to 1,410 in 2019. Where did they all come from? The Post put all 1,410 back on their original teams and over the next three days we will examine which organizations have done the best at bringing talent into their pipeline — …

A record for players used has been set every year since 2013, up to 1,410 in 2019. Where did they all come from? The Post put all 1,410 back on their original teams and over the next three days we will examine which organizations have done the best at bringing talent into their pipeline — and just how much it matters. Today: The Yankees.

A myth began in July 2016.

The Yankees pivoted from their Steinbrenner-ian never-surrender obsession by dealing Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller at the trade deadline. That the Yankees played well the rest of that season and made it to ALCS Game 7 in 2017 created a perception that they had constructed a robust chain from the farm system to the majors.

That is, at best, overstated.

The Yankees have had greater success in the understated move for outsiders such as Chad Green, Didi Gregorius, Aaron Hicks, DJ LeMahieu, Mike Tauchman and Luke Voit than at developing their own difference-making talent.

Injuries to Miguel Andujar, Greg Bird, Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino have hurt homegrown production; as has the failure of Gary Sanchez to preserve the excellence shown in those heady months right after Chapman and Miller were traded.

A perception that the Yankees were building a new homegrown Core Four around Aaron Judge, Bird (a Texas Ranger now), Sanchez and Severino never materialized. The comparison is unfair anyway. Perhaps no team ever has assembled so much homegrown talent at one time as Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada plus Bernie Williams — two no-brainer Hall of Famers and three borderline candidates.

Since Robinson Cano signed out of the Dominican in 2001 and Brett Gardner was drafted in 2005, the Yanks have not been overflowing with original-sign talent beyond drafting Judge and paying big for Masahiro Tanaka.

Perhaps this begins with the failure of Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy to approach consistent stardom. Remember they would only be in their ages-34 or -35 seasons in 2020, and just Kennedy even is still playing as a valuable reliever. Hughes last was a major leaguer in 2018, Chamberlain in 2016.

Compared to other organizations, the Yankees have been, at best, a middling talent producer. Their strengths have been in developing relief arms (many transitioned failed starters), Latin American players and just sheer volume.

We will use the term “homegrown” to describe where a player signed his original pro contract. Hence, Gleyber Torres (the key from all Chapman/Miller returns) is a Cub, Green a Tiger, Voit a Cardinal. When you put all 1,410 players back to their original sign, the Yankees have led or tied for the lead in the majors the past two years for the most homegrown with 62. They were second in 2017 with 59 (the Mets led with 62).

But volume does not always equal quality. The Yankees have had a lot of their originals reach the majors without much distinction (think Rookie Davis, Caleb Frare and Hector Noesi). The Cardinals were the other team that had 62 homegrowns last year. But just to compare, St. Louis had a major league-high 15 reach 300 plate appearances (including Voit) and eight pitchers start at least 10 games in 2019 while the Yanks had six and three.

Aaron JudgeCharles Wenzelberg/New York Post

The Yankees had three position players reach 2.0 WAR (an average major leaguer and using the Fangraphs version of WAR): Aaron Judge (4.6), Brett Gardner (3.7) and Sanchez (2.3). The Astros (do you remember J.D. Martinez was a Houston homegrown?) and Cubs (Josh Donaldson) led in this area producing eight originals with at least 2.0 WAR (including Torres). The Red Sox (Anthony Rizzo) had seven.

The Yankees have set or challenged home run records in recent years. But they have not been Bronx Bombers in development. A record 273 hitters totaled at least 10 homers last year and just five (tied with the Diamondbacks and Giants for fewest) were Yankees: Sanchez (34), Gardner (28), Judge (27), Robinson Cano (13) and Mike Ford (12).

But if you were to assemble the best possible Yankee roster, that team’s troubles would revolve more around starting pitching than the lineup.

Ivan Nova, Caleb Smith and Tanaka each started at least 28 games last year. But the next most by someone originally signed by the Yankees was eight by Manny Banuelos. Every team developed more than three pitchers who made at least 10 starts except the Yankees, Twins, A’s and Reds — and all but Cincinnati nevertheless made the playoffs last year, a reminder that there are many ways to assemble a contender. The Blue Jays (think Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard) and Nationals led the majors with nine originals who started at least 10 games last year.

Injuries to Montgomery and Severino impacted this number for the Yankees — and Severino was due to miss all of 2020 as well after Tommy John surgery. Still, the Yanks have not done well in drafting starters (Nova and Tanaka are international signs).

Smith started 28 games for the Marlins last year. The next most by a pitcher drafted by the Yankees was three by Tyler Clippard, who was used as an opener by the Indians. Perhaps the return of Montgomery and the potential emergence of 2017 first round pick Clarke Schmidt will begin to change this.

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Many pitchers like Clippard, Kennedy and Shane Greene, who were starters early for the Yankees became successful relievers. And this is an area that the Yankees have done well. They had eight homegrowns appear in at least 50 games last year, which tied with the Dodgers and Padres for most in the majors. And that didn’t include former workhorse relief stars Dellin Betances and David Robertson, who were injured for most of 2019.

The other area of original depth has been international signings. The Yanks had 19 such players in the majors last year, all but Tanaka were from Latin America, either the Dominican, Mexico or Venezuela. The 19 tied the Yankees with the Rangers for the most international original signs of any team. And the Yanks are viewed as having a lot of homegrown Latin talent in the pipeline such as Jasson Dominguez, Deivi Garcia and Luis Gil.

A return to health and production by Andujar, Betances (now a Met) and Montgomery, a full strong year after a positive cameo by the Rangers’ Nick Solak and the emergence of a pitcher such as Garcia would elevate the perception of the Yankees from an organization that puts a lot of players in the majors, to one that also has delivered a lot of impact.


Teams that had the most original-sign players in the majors last year:

T1. Yankees +62

T1. Cardinals +62

3. Astros +61

4. Rangers +58

5. Red Sox +56

The best Yankees 25-man original-sign roster based on 2019 results (so no Miguel Andujar, but Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino to reflect how few starter options the team had):

Lineup

C: Gary Sanchez

1B: Mike Ford

2B{ Robinson Cano

SS: Tyler Wade

3B: Nick Solak

LF: Ben Gamel

CF: Brett Gardner

RF: Aaron Judge

DH: Jake Cave

Bench

Austin Romine, Melky Cabrera, Tyler Austin, Thairo Estrada

Rotation

Masahiro Tanaka, Caleb Smith, Ivan Nova, Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery

Closer

Mark Melancon

Bullpen

Gio Gallegos, John Brebbia, Shane Greene, Ian Kennedy, Tommy Kahnle, Tyler Webb

The rest

Chance Adams, Abraham Almonte, Miguel Andujar, Abital Avelino, Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Greg Bird, Francisco Cervelli, Tyler Clippard, Nestor Cortes Jr., Rookie Davis, Phillip Diehl, Mike Dunn, Caleb Frare, Nick Goody, Joe Harvey, Kyle Higashioka, Jonathan Holder, Corban Joseph, Brady Lail, John Ryan Murphy, Hector Noesi, Eduardo Nunez, Pete O’Brien, James Pazos, David Phelps, Jose Pirela, David Robertson, Josh Rogers, Adonis Rosa, Nick Rumbelow, Luis Torrens, Pat Venditte, Arodys Vizcaino, Adam Warren, Mason Williams, Matt Wotherspoon.

The Yankees tied with the Dodgers and Padres for most original-sign pitchers who appeared in at least 50 games with eight:

1. Tommy Kahnle +72

T2. Gio Gallegos +66

T2. John Brebbia +66

T2. Mark Melancon +66

T5. Shane Greene +65

T5. Tyler Webb +65

7. Ian Kennedy +63

8. Tyler Clippard +53

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