Andrew Brackman is one of the biggest Yankees prospects in the system, both in talent and physical stature. He stands an enormous 6'10" and is listed at 240 pounds.
A product of North Carolina State University, Brackman played basketball and baseball for the Wolfpack before giving up hoops to further his dream of playing major-league baseball.
Brackman was drafted by the Yankees with the 30th pick of the first round of the 2007 draft, but did not begin his professional career until 2009 due to Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entirety of 2008.
When it finally began, Brackman's first professional season was an absolute disaster.
For single-A Charleston, he pitched to a 2-12 record with a 5.91 ERA. He started 19 out of the 29 games he appeared in, throwing a total of 106.2 innings.
Brackman showed very poor control, walking 76 batters. Couple that with 106 hits allowed, and Brackman sported a very high 1.71 WHIP.
Despite finishing with a losing record again in 2010, Brackman was much more consistent in his sophomore season with both AAA Tampa and AA Trenton.
In Tampa, he picked up right where he left off in 2009. Through 60 innings and 12 games, Brackman posted a 5.10 ERA. He walked nine during his 60 innings and struck out 56. Despite the high ERA and walk total, he posted a 5-4 record.
Brackman's next stop in Trenton was where he began to shine. He posted a losing record of 5-7, but his numbers suggest he was much more effective than his record shows. In 80.2 innings, Brackman posted a 3.01 ERA, striking out 70 and walking 30.
When comparing his 2009 and 2010 seasons, one can tell that he has clearly improved in his early professional career. Tommy John surgery really set him back, and when you add in some first-year jitters, his 2009 struggles begin to make some sense.
Brackman's got one hell of an arm. He boasts a fastball and two-seamer that regularly sit between 94 and 96 miles per hour. Reportedly, he has topped out at 99.
Brackman's big strength is confidence in his stuff. He knows he has a live fastball, and he continually challenges hitters up in the zone because he knows they can't get any lift on it.
Just imagine if he could compliment the hard stuff with some softer off-speed pitches.
Oh, wait: he can.
Brackman's spike curveball may be his best pitch. It comes in around 84 MPH and is his most effective out-pitch. The ball has astonishing break, just disappearing out of the zone.
His changeup is still in its developmental stages, but it's come a long way since he was drafted in 2007. It has gone from barely usable to slightly above average.
As for Brackman's lone weakness, it's really not much of a surprise.
His huge size is a clear indication of potential mechanical issues, and he is still learning how to consistently control all of his moving parts during his windup. He's still young, and fine-tuning his mechanics could take a few years.
Brackman is a bright spot among the Yankees' deep minor-league system. He could see some time with the big club in 2011 if there's an injury, but he'll most definitely be up for good in 2012.
He has skills and a big arm, and Yankees fans are waiting for the day he gets to show them off in the Bronx.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments