The New York Yankees’ minor league system had a successful weekend, highlighted by the performance of Danny Flatt. As the major league team split a series with the Seattle Mariners and secured a road series victory against the San Diego Padres, the minors showcased promising talent.
Danny Flatt shines in the Yankees’ minor league system
Danny Flatt, pitching for the FCL Yankees, contributed to the team’s impressive 4-1 week, bringing them closer to first place in their division. Flatt delivered 4.2 innings of shutout baseball with six strikeouts. The 19-year-old maintains a 1.42 ERA and a 27.8% strikeout rate, though he faces some command challenges with a 13% walk rate.
Jordarlin Mendoza also excelled, pitching 7.2 innings of one-run baseball with 12 strikeouts, boasting a 3.29 ERA and a 32.9% strikeout rate this season. On offense, outfielder Brian Sanchez shone with a 1.311 OPS for the week and a 176 wRC+ on the season. Edgleen Perez, who recently turned 18, has an 181 wRC+ and a .521 OBP through his first 12 games. Brando Mayea posted a 109 wRC+ and a .400 OBP in his debut week, despite a 30% strikeout rate.
Flatt, who has been in the minors for nearly a year since signing with the Yankees, made an impressive pro debut on May 21, 2024, with 4 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts in the FCL Yankees’ 6-4 win over the FCL Tigers.
Who is Danny Flatt?
Danny Flatt grew up in Summerville, pitching for Pinewood Prep through his junior year before transferring to P27 Baseball Academy in Columbia. While at the academy, he played in the National Academies Association baseball conference and earned his high school diploma through online courses. His improved skills caught the attention of the New York Yankees, who selected him in the 14th round of the 2023 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
“It all happened really fast,” Flatt said in an interview with Post and Courier. “There wasn’t really any hype around it. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t a really big name anywhere when I left Summerville. Going into my junior year, I was worried I might not even get to play college baseball, but here I am.”
Flatt, selected as the 432nd overall pick, was instructed to report for training at the Yankees’ facilities in Tampa, Florida. At Pinewood, he demonstrated good movement on his pitches and a respectable fastball but had to compete for playing time. After transferring to P27, his fastball velocity increased from the low to mid-80s to the upper 80s. Last season, he further increased his velocity and made the all-conference team.
Initially, Flatt planned to play college baseball and signed a letter of intent with Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. However, when the Yankees showed interest, he decided to join the professional ranks.
“Going into the draft, I had received a good bit of interest and felt I would be selected, but I didn’t know when,” Flatt said. “We really thought it would be in the next round. I started having a lot of texts come through and then saw my name was up there. It was very surreal. Obviously, it will be tougher than even playing in college, so I will just have to work on everything, be consistent, and stick with the process.”
Nearly a year into his journey with the Yankees, Flatt has shown promise in the minors. While it remains to be seen how far he can go, the future looks bright for this young pitcher.
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They continue to slow walk guys through the system then Cashman complains about a 40 man crunch. Well, when you slow walk draft picks, and keep IFA kids in rookie ball for years, you are self creating a mess.