When the Indians signed Nick Swisher, the Yankees were officially given their second first-round pick in this year’s Rule-4 draft. To make room for the ex-Yankee, Cleveland cleared the right-handed outfielder Thomas Neal from their 40-man roster. Though nothing is official yet, Neal has updated his Twitter bio, and it would appear he’s now a New York Yankee.
While we wait to see how the team solves the catching and designated hitter problems, I can’t help but get excited when they add depth. The Yankees have grown exceptionally skilled at finding bench players, and Neal now joins Russ Canzler, Matt Diaz, and a number of in-house options, as the potential fourth outfielder.
AP
He’ll be 25-years old next season, but Neal has always been surrounded by high-hopes. In 2010, Neal was ranked the 96th overall prospect by Baseball America, thanks a year in High-A San Jose where he hit .337/.431/.579 with 22 home runs. Neal has continued to hit for average and take his walks, but outside of the hitter friendly California League, he’s never shown the same power. In 2010, he put up a .799 OPS with just 12 home runs in Double-A. In 2011, he put up just a .734 OPS in Triple-A, but played most of his 277 plate appearances with shoulder and hand injuries. Last season, he regained some of his offense, hitting .314/.400/.467 with 12 home runs through 470 plate appearances in Double-A. With the potential he showed at an early age, you’d expect Neal to perform better at 24-years old, but his career has seen it’s ups and down.
Defensively, Neal doesn’t have the greatest range, but he makes this up with a solid arm. His tools make him a corner outfielder, but he’s an above-average one that rarely makes errors.
Perhaps his greatest attribute is his makeup. The front office seems to always target players with strong work ethic, and Neal is highly praised for his dedication on and off the field. The Yankees have a knack for pairing coaches and players together, and finding the right chemistry. If Neal’s work ethic is as high as it’s touted, he’ll be a nice fit for the team in Spring Training.
In regards to his splits, there’s some questions about how he’d fit into the current outfield group. With three left-handed hitters starting, the Yankees obviously want right-handed outfield depth to counter left-handed pitchers. While Neal is indeed right-handed, he has somewhat of a reverse platoon split over the last two years. Against left-handers, he’s hit .316/.382/.413 with 2 home runs in 228 plate appearances. In 514 plate appearances against right-handers, he’s hit .297/.376/.448. The sample size isn’t huge, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a split to take advantage of.
His outlook for the 2013 season is likely a Spring Training invitation, but chances are that he’ll start the season in Triple-A, assuming his contract allows for that. Depending on where the team puts Zoilo Almonte, Neal could be the youngest outfielder for the Rail Riders. Even at 25-years old, Neal has some breakout ability, and the Yankees are hoping he’ll be an above-average fourth outfielder.
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20 Responses to Yankees Add More Outfield Depth, Sign Thomas Neal
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TIQ IQ
Now we have more if a reason to trade grandy. Neal does good in ST, Canzler and Diaz play solid and we trade grandy and start Neal with Canzler at DH and Diaz as 4th OF. Maybe not canzler DH but we don’t have a better in house option other then 1B Luke Murton who hit 25 HR in double a.
Yep, that’s the ticket – dump a guy who hit 40+ HRs the past two seasons for a bunch of DFA bait. The chances of Neal, Canzler or Diaz put together supplying anything near Granderson’s production (yes, even with the Ks) is about the same as the chances of Babe Ruth being resurrected and appearing the Opening Day lineup.
There’s a reason why none of these guys has been able to stick on an MLB roster and are available cheap.
Yeah, sure. Trade Grandy. Can’t wait to see the Bombers (?)with all the great pickups they have added this year. Glad I don’t have to buy tickets. My sincerest hope this year is that posters will belittle the Stein brothers and Cashman by the thousands all summer long as the Yankees flounder through the season.
u are 100 percent correct on this one
Obvious troll is obvious.
The only thing that excites me about signings like this is that they provide additional justification for me not to throw money away on an Extra Innings subscription for this season.
Qantity is NEVER better than Quality!
Let’s see, we already lost the HR power of Swisher and Rogreguez, not to mention Ibanez. So take away Gandy and we are going to score how many runs (with an aging Jeter, Cano and Texeira?
You’re Right ’bout That!Like A Line From The Movie ‘Major League’! Who Are Those Guy!.Cause Those
Brothers Want To Keep Their Lux Tax Payment Down! Thier
Sacrificin A 1st Place Finished. Look At What Happen To Them In the Last 2 ALDS VS Detriot! They Got Zapped!.
Then In A Recent Colummn Here In NY. Hal Says $189 Is “Just A # Number” Is that So! Then I[Know Ur Also
Askin/wonderin]Why They’re Not Wantin To Try & Keep A
Team Or Get Players [Hafner ,Thome > DH,Shoppach A Yankee Killer Or Even Staton For Some Of Thier Ok Double A Players Like Dante B Jr Or Beunelos ]That’ll Diffently Get ‘Em To The Play Offs Or Kept Nick [The SWish In the Play Offs]Swisher & Give Him That $$.
I As A Yankee Fan Don’t KnowWaht got Into Those Bros..
My own take on the upgraded Jays, the steadily improving Orioles, the ever threatening Rays make the 2013 AL Eastern Division even tougher than last year.
As the team ages, depends on the long ball too much and spells its starters from Jeet, Tex, Suzuki-san & especially A-Rod, the first two months of the season may be especially tough.
Whoever winds up behind the plate for the majority of those games had better be able to nail runners stealing 2B at least 50% of the time. Got my serious doubts on that one alone.
I go by the most ancient and venerable stat in the SHOW. Any team that doesn’t have at least THREE starters hitting .300 or better will NOT make it past the first round of the ALDS, let along get the wild card or division title this year. The parity is too close now and picking up utility outfielders with weaknesses like this latest one does not build up my confidence much.
I really wish everybody would stop talking about trading Grandy..His only downside is the strike outs..He can improve on that just like he did with left handed pitching..
Granderson’s only downside is the strikeouts? In 2012 he K’d close to 200 times, he hit .232, had an OBP of only .319, only stole 10 bases, and he also played one of the worst defensive center fields in the entire MLB. He has a LOT of improvement to do in a LOT of different areas of his game right now.
The Yankees should trade Granderson , and Nova to Colorado for Carlos Gonzales and then to replace Nova they should sign Lohse , and if they have to sweeten the deal a bit to Colorado , so be it !!! Gonzales would love hitting at Yankee Stadium !!!!
I’d make that trade in a heartbeat. But what are the chances with those jackasses Hal, Hank and Brian “Mentally Bankrupt” Cashman that a megadeal like that would be made? The Yankees would be awesome with Cargo and Kyle Lohse added and Granderson gone. But The Three Stooges make a trade like that a pipe dream.
It’s a mistake to expect the Yankee offense to not be comatose permanently. Cano, Tex, Grandy, Jeter and Youk can’t hit a lick anymore. The Yankees will have trouble winning any games let alone reaching the ALDS.
We can take the cellar in x yrs at the present rate. George must be spinning.
Hal didn’t want any part of the yanks when his father was alive and still doesn’t. He wants to get the luxury tax down and sell the team. He says hes interested in putting a quality team on the field, I ask you how different is this team than last?? and you know how 2012 ended. The only bottom number Hal is interested in is the one going in his pocket. Lets hope he don’t drag this on forever, get it over with and pull the trigger and sell. The worst successor of an owner after the greatest one sports ever knew. His father must be turning over in his grave.
you are right I believe the same way
It seems that Hal wants to sell out to Fox sports, and getting underte tax hike makes it easir to do so. Too bad the farm system sucks(at the Double a and Triple a level – low levels its excellent) because atleast you could root for the kids to help pull the team up.
I will say my 8 year old boy will love going to the gaes this year as we will be ble to buy real cheap tickets off the variuos since the Yankees are about to enter a 3 to 5 year decline as the wait for the single a kids to rescue them.
Thomas Neal is special…he’s the type of player that could really break out and be an amazing player with the Yankees for a long time if he gets the chance. Nobody will ever even remember Granderson…believe me!