Yankees’ prospect shines bright, earns Double-A Player of the Month

Friday August 4, 2023

Tyler Hardman, who is ranked as the Yankees’ 18th prospect, had an impressive performance throughout the month of July. In recognition of his achievements, he was honored with the title of Double-A Eastern League Player of the Month. This announcement was made through a press release by the Somerset Patriots, the Yankees AA affiliate.

Congratulations, Tyler Hardman on being named the Eastern League PLAYER OF THE MONTH, after a dominant month of July!🎖 pic.twitter.com/CgynAbqK34
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 3, 2023

The 24-year-old Yankees prospect, who plays at third base, did really well in July. He hit the ball with a.237 batting average, a .352 on-base percentage, and a .645 slugging percentage. Tyler Hardman hit the most home runs (10), brought in the most runs (20), scored the most runs (19), and got the most total bases (49) in the Eastern League during that month. He was also second in how hard he hit the ball (slugging) and third in overall performance (OPS) among all players in the league.

Tyler Hardman was chosen in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Right away, the Yankees prospect showed off his ability to hit powerful shots with the baseball. He was so good that he became an All-Star in the South Atlantic League. In his first full season playing in High-A in 2022, he hit the most home runs (22) among all the players on the Yankees’ minor league teams.

The Yankees prospect has been hitting with a .237 batting average, a .332 on-base percentage, and a. 558 slugging percentage this season in Double-A Somerset. Tyler Hardman hit even more home runs than before in fewer at-bats. He’s currently leading the Eastern League with 26 home runs in 331 plate appearances. Only one player, Luken Baker from the Memphis Redbirds (the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A team), has hit more home runs with 27.

Scouting report of Yankees prospect Tyler Hardman

His scouting report, according to MLB Pipeline, says that due to the strength and leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame along with his quick right-handed swing, Tyler Hardman has the potential to hit for power. It’s noted that he tends to accumulate strikeouts as he carefully considers pitches during deep counts to find ones he can take advantage of. However, the Yankees prospect also demonstrates a readiness to hit the ball to the opposite side of the field. Compared to many players in the system, he hits the ball with greater force, and his ability to hit the ball with power is effective in all parts of the field.

The report also indicates that, despite having speed considered below average, the Yankees prospect possesses a reasonable level of athleticism relative to his size. It was noted that he successfully stole 14 bases out of 18 attempts in the previous season. While Tyler Hardman mainly played as a first baseman for the Sooners, he transitioned to becoming a dedicated third baseman in 2022. During this time, the Yankees prospect demonstrated commendable reactions and an average range in his new position. The report mentioned that Tyler Hardman’s arm strength is categorized as average, slightly falling short of the ideal level for a third baseman. However, this characteristic does not significantly hinder his ability to execute most plays.

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