PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Neil Walker was called the Pittsburgh Kid, but hard to find anyone more Pittsburgh who played for the Pirates than David Bednar, like Walker he will also wear a Yankees uniform. The All-Star closer going to New York according to Jon Heyman and several others for their top catching prospect, and eighth best prospect overall, Rafael Flores and reportedly two other players which the Athletic's Stephen Nesbitt reports are a catcher and outfielder.
The 24-year-old Flores has some of the best exit velocities among New York prospects and generates raw power according to MLB.com. He’s 6’4”, 220 pounds and had been pull happy early in his career. He was only recently promoted to AAA, he had 8 hits in 38 at bats with a home run in 10 games. In AA this season, the right-handed hitter had a .287 average with 23 doubles and 15 home runs with an .842 OPS. His defense is seen as improving every year.
C/1B Edgleen Perez
Yankees 14th best overall prospect, the 19-year-old is 5’10”. 155 pounds. MLB.com touts his potential as a hitter especially with his patience at the plate and said he was the Yankees best defensive catcher in their system and only in A ball. In his first full season out of rookie ball with Class A Tampa this year, hitting .209 with a .368 on-base percentage and .604 OPS with eight doubles, no home runs and 26 RBI in 301 at bats
OF Brian Sanchez
21-year-old left-hand hitting, right-hand throwing outfielder is in Class A, currently on the 7-day injured list for the third time this season. In 63 games with Tampa is hitting .281 with a .373 on-base percentage, 16 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 36 RBI, 24 stolen bases and a .811 OPS.
As for Bednar, the 30-year-old Mars High School graduate has been on a tear. He had 10 scoreless appearances in June and allowed one run in 10 appearances in July and that was his last outing with the Pirates. Overall the numbers are 2-5 with a 2.37 ERA in 42 appearances, 38 innings, 51 strikeouts, 10 walks and a 1.11 WHIP.
Bednar was sent to the minors after a bad first three outings and came back as good as any reliever in baseball. The right-hander was an All-Star in 2022 (19 saves, 69 strikeouts in 51.2 innings, 1.12 WHIP, 2.61 ERA) and 2023 (39 saves).