In the top of the sixth inning at McKechnie field, one man strode to the plate. He had heard all the hype. He had heard scouts rave about his "five-tools." They knew he had the talent to succeed, he just had to harness it. They said he could "hit for average, hit for power, field, throw, and run." They said he couldn't do any of them really well, but could do them all okay. They knew that sometime during the 2009 season he could be manning center field. But it wasn't just the scouts that knew all of this; Austin Jackson did as well. Jackson (right) is the Yankees' number one prospect. He was drafted in the 8th round of the 2005 draft due to the fact that he was a multi-sport athlete and many were doubtful that he'd choose baseball over basketball. Well the Yankees took a chance and it sure paid off. Since 2005, he has risen through the Yankees system (despite a slow start). He currently is playing a triple-A Scranton as the team's starting center fielder, a role the Yanks hope he will take in the near future.
Before this season, the Yankees invited Jackson to big-league camp in Tampa, FL for the second-consecutive season. Since then, he has notched a fare amount of at-bats, but barely any hits. He's just 4-for-18. Today however, he stepped it up a notch. After notching a hit early in the game, Jackson was hungry for another. So with one man on and two outs in the top of the sixth, Austin let-loose; belting a drive over the center field fence for a two-run big fly! It gave the Yankees organization and the Yankee fans a chance to glimpse a little bit of what the future may hold in the Bronx.
Jackson's home run sparked something for the Yankees, who had been held down for the whole game until it. The next inning, the Yanks hit the ground running, scoring three runs and then loading the bases for their second-best prospect. His name; Jesus Montero.
The Yankees signed Montero (left) out of Venezuela to a 1.6MM contract back in 2006. Since then he has been called the best 2006 international signee by any team. Because of his great power and ability to hit for average, Jesus has also been referred to as "the best hitter that the Yankees have had in their system since Derek Jeter!" That's saying something. Last year at class-A Charleston, Montero hit a whopping .326 with 17 HRs and 87 RBIs! That was enough to earn him the 2008 Yankees Offensive Player of the Year Award and a spot of the international team's roster at the 2008 Futures Game at (where else) Yankee Stadium.
The main reason that Montero isn't the Yankees no. 1 prospect however, is due to the fact that he's a defensive liability behind the plate. He's a giant behind the plate, standing at 6-4 and weighing 224 lbs. (but let's not forget that Joe Mauer is an inch taller). However, Montero has been working hard with Yankee coaches this Spring in hopes of becoming a better catcher and possibly, replacing Jorge Posada one day as the Yankees' backstop.
Unlike Jackson, Montero has had quite a successful Spring, notching five hits in his eight at-bats (5-for-8). However, he too was hungry for something more and with the bases-loaded in the seventh inning, he got his chance and didn't waste any time taking it. Jesus blasted a pitch from the Pirate-pitcher over the center field wall for a grand slam! A moment that neither he, nor the Yankees, will ever forget.
These opportunities that young players, such as Jackson and Montero, get are part of what makes Spring Training something special. Sure the games don't mean anything, but it allows organizations and their fans to get a glimpse of players that could possibly play for them in the future; something that all great baseball fans love to experience.
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