Pitching prospect Chance Adams has been promoted from Double-A to Triple-A
On Friday, it was announced that emerging prospect Chance Adams was promoted from the Double-A Trenton level to the Triple-A Scranton RailRiders after flat out dominating so far in 2017.
In six starts so far this season, the 22-year-old has an outstanding 1.03 ERA in 35 innings, a 1.086 WHIP, 32 strikeouts, allowed only 23 hits and had 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings. He was a relief pitcher in his first professional season after being drafted out of Dallas Baptist University in the fifth round in 2015, but he has adjusted to become a top prospect who could make an impact in the Bronx later this season.
Adams was a relief pitcher a Dallas Baptist and his only year as a starting pitcher in college was during his sophomore year at Yavaipai Junior College in Arizona. However, the Yankees made the right decision making him a starter in his second pro season based on his stats in 2016 and 2017.
Adams did not allow a run to score against him in his first, fourth or fifth starts of this season and in those three starts he pitched 18.1 innings and the opposition only had a combined five hits.
“His talent got him to the next level,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said of the 6'1”, 210 pound righty. Adams is now viewed as possibly the best healthy pitching prospect in the organization.
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Last season, in his first full campaign as a professional and as a starting pitcher, Adams had a 2.33 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) with 144 strikeouts, only 39 walks, an impressive 0.90 WHIP, 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings and 13 wins. He pitched a total of 127.1 innings last season combined with High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton. In 13 games (12 starts) with the Thunder, he had a 2.07 ERA, which was even lower than the ERA he had at the less challenging High-A level, a 0.847 WHIP and 71 strikeouts in 69.2 innings.
In 2016, he lead the minors with his .929 winning percentage (13–1) and opponents batting average (.169) and was second in the minors with his elite 0.90 WHIP.
Adams, who is from Scottsdale, Arizona, was part of a pitching staff at Double-A that routinely dominated the competition this season. This is promising for the future and a few of these prospects could be called up to Triple-A later in the season.
The Trenton Thunder have had four different starting pitchers make six starts this season (including Adams). Domingo German has a 3.00 ERA with 38 strikeouts and a complete game in 35 innings pitched this season, Yefry Ramirez has a 3.38 ERA with 34 strikeouts and a 1.25 WHIP in 32 innings pitched and Justus Sheffield, who was ranked the team’s sixth best prospect going into the season, has a 3.86 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 30.1 innings pitched.
The righty was ranked the team’s seventh best prospect going into this season. Adams’s control is ranked a 55 by scouts and all of his pitches got a score of at least 50. His slider and fastball are his best pitches in his arsenal but he also throws a changeup and curveball.
Last season his fastball averaged 94 mph with Tampa and 95 mph at Double-A Trenton. His mid 90s velocity and command of his fastball can make it tough to hit. Adams’s slider has improved as it is harder and sharper over the last 2+ years, which gives him his 2nd well above-average pitch, according to his scouting report.
The Arizona native’s changeup has improved as he has thrown it more recently and his curveball is his worst pitch but it still got an average grade. He locates his pitches well and excels at limiting the opponents walks and hits since his WHIP was 0.90 last season and is 1.09 this season.
He will be challenged more with Triple-A and will be available in case there is an injury in the rotation. Adams will likely be called up in September if not earlier. He has really developed fast as a starter after being a relief pitcher at Dallas Baptist and in his first season in the minors.
