Agustin Ramirez: Yankees’ robust catching prospect echoing a young Sanchez
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Follow UsThe Yankees protected Agustin Ramirez from the Rule 5 Draft last November, adding him to a group already including Jose Trevino, Austin Wells, Ben Rortvedt, and Carlos Narvaez – all vying for coveted spots on the 40-man roster. Despite the potential logjam, the newbie’s raw talent, particularly his impressive exit velocity, convinced the Yankees to take a chance on him.
Agustin Ramirez has set the Yankees’ minor league circuits ablaze with his thunderous offensive exploits. Through the season’s first month at Double-A Somerset, the hulking backstop is raking to the tune of .281/.395/.844, his bat crackling with six titanic blasts, 13 ribbies, and a surprising two stolen bases.
Last season’s campaign only whets the appetite further. Ascending three rungs on the farm, Agustin Ramirez showcased both prolific power and a discerning eye. His final slash line? A robust .271/.819 OPS accompanied by 18 majestic home run trots and 69 run-producing knocks, numbers befitting the heir apparent to the Bronx’s proud tradition of slugging catchers.
The thunderous bat of this Dominican catching prospect is now drawing comparisons to another illustrious Yankees catcher from the same country.
“It’s amazing how when you watch him play there’s a lot of similarities in the box to how he finishes and how he looks to Gary Sanchez,” claims Tim Naehring, the Yankees’ baseball VP. “It’s interesting.”
Last Thursday, Agustin Ramirez became the first Double-A player this season to hit four home runs in just five games, showcasing not only his offensive prowess but also his defensive skills by nabbing two runners attempting to steal.
This impressive streak continued next day with another home run, bringing his total to five in a mere six games. Agustin Ramirez’s breakout performance positions him as a strong contender for a future role with the Yankees, solidifying the wisdom of the organization’s strategic approach to catcher depth.
“Everybody’s kind of making that comp with Gary,” said Kevin Martir, the hitting coach of the catcher at Somerset. “The power’s there. The bat speed is there.”
Agustin Ramirez makes strong case for Yankees’ future
Despite not cracking Baseball America’s prestigious Top 100 Prospect list this past offseason, Agustin Ramirez, a rising star in the Yankees‘ farm system, is making a compelling case for a future role behind the plate.
While Baseball America didn’t include him in their elite rankings, they did acknowledge his potential by placing him on their “All-Not-Top-100 Prospect Team.” This recognition highlights Agustin Ramirez’s intriguing skillset, particularly his impressive exit velocity. Analysts project this translates to a raw power grade that could reach 65-70 on the traditional scouting scale (with 80 being the highest possible mark). This combination of power and potential defensive ability makes Ramirez a prospect worth monitoring.
However, Agustin Ramirez’s path to the major leagues isn’t without obstacles. Even at Triple-A, he’ll face competition for playing time. Both Carlos Narvaez and Luis Torrens require at-bats behind the plate. While Torrens saw some action at first base in spring training, the logjam at catcher necessitated the trade of Ben Rortvedt to clear a roster spot.
The Yankees have a reputation for being cautious with young players, preferring them to be polished before reaching the big leagues. This approach has loosened somewhat recently, but the proven talent at the plate often trumps development time. If Agustin Ramirez continues his dominance in the Eastern League, putting up impressive numbers with the bat, the Yankees will be hard-pressed to ignore him.
Furthermore, a strong throwing arm behind the plate would only strengthen Agustin Ramirez’s case for a quicker promotion. His recent hot streak, combined with his raw power potential, suggests he could become a valuable asset for the Yankees’ future catching depth.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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I’m looking forward to seeing Ramirez, Ben Rice, Spenser Jones, and (hopefully) pitcher Trystan Vrieling in Somerset this year.
As amazing as this article made Ramirez sound, Milb.com was even a bit more effusive in their praise of Ramirez’s Hot Start to the ’24 Season:
“Ramirez’s six home runs lead all Double-A batters and are twice as many as any other Eastern League batter. He is three shy of the minor league lead in home runs (T-4th), despite the Double-A season beginning two weeks after the Triple-A season.
“He also leads all Double-A batters with 13 RBIs, 6 XBH and 27 TB on the season and has collected RBIs in all seven games he’s played.
“Ramirez also ranks among the Eastern League leaders with 6 R (T-1st), .871 SLG (2nd), 1.204 OPS (2nd) and 9 H (T-5th).”
So, yea, he looks amazing, but please STOP Comparing him to Sanchez, one of the Biggest Yankees Disappointments in the last 20 years! You’ll give Yankee fans nightmare.
Btw, for those people who were foolish enough to be Upset about Ben Rice starting 2024 in AA, instead of AAA, Rice is off to a good, but not red-hot start, hitting just .269, with 15 Ks in 12 games. So, some extra time in AA was Fully Warranted. On the plus side, he has 4 HRs, but he only has 5 RBI, and he only has 1 Other extra-base hit, a double.
As I noted when it was announced in early April that Rice would start in AA, “Having Rice start at AA makes perfect sense. One of the worst things you can do to destroy a young player’s self-confidence is rush him through the minors & turn a surprisingly good Rice into fried rice.”
So, the Yankees made the correct decision in starting Rice in AA. Hopefully, he gets red hot soon & gets promoted to AAA in June or July if he’s playing well.