Jeremy Bleich

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #26 prospect in 2011
  The Yankees are usually aggressive in the draft, but they had trouble getting their top picks under contract in 2008. First-rounder Gerrit Cole opted to attend UCLA and second-rounder Scott Bittle failed his physical, leaving supplemental first-rounder Bleich as the only one of their first three choices to sign. After reaching Double-A in his first full pro season, he was passed by fellow 2008 draftees Brett Marshall, David Phelps and D.J. Mitchell last year. Bleich didn't throw well to start the 2010 season. He had shown a surprising 90-92 mph fastball that peaked at 94 in 2009, but pitched in the upper 80s early last year. He had his usual solid-average curveball and changeup, but his good control was missing. Bleich had elbow issues in his draft year that resulted in him accepting a below-slot $700,000 bonus, and his shoulder was the reason for his troubles in 2010. He had surgery to repair a torn labrum in late May and missed the rest of the season. New York really won't know what it has until spring training, when Bleich starts readying for 2011. He's not expected to pitch meaningful innings until the second half of the season.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #9 prospect in 2010
  An elbow injury sidelined Bleich for much of the 2008 college season, but he returned in May to help Stanford reach the College World Series. The Yankees were impressed enough to make him a supplemental first-round pick and signed him for $700,000. He became their top signee from the 2008 draft when first-rounder Gerrit Cole opted to attend UCLA. In his first full pro season, Bleich stayed healthy and reached Double-A. Bleich sat at 90-92 mph and touched 94 with his four-seam fastball last season His curveball and changeup are solid-average, with his curve grading as a plus pitch at times. He added a two-seam fastball and started to control it better as the year progressed. Bleich's four-seamer is true and his changeup tends to straighten out, though he's learning to add some sink to it. He lost some feel for the strike zone last year, in part because he threw harder. He doesn't have the weapons to pitch from behind in count and paid for it at Trenton. He needs better control of his two-seamer and change to combat righthanders. New York thought it was getting a pitchability guy in Bleich and hopes he regains some of his feel while retaining his added velocity. He'll have to fix what ailed him in Double-A when he returns there for 2010.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #11 prospect in 2009
  Bleich was part of a loaded 2005 Louisana prep class that included fellow lefthanders Beau Jones and Sean West, who were supplemental first-round picks that year, and Wade Miley, who like Bleich was a supplemental first-rounder in 2008 after three years of college. Bleich went to Stanford and worked primarily as a closer as a freshman before settling into the rotation. He helped lead the Cardinal back to the College World Series in 2008 despite missing nearly two months with what was termed an elbow strain. The Yankees took him 44th overall and signed him late in the summer for a below-slot $700,000, owing to concerns over his elbow. He wound up as their top signee when they failed to sign first-rounder Gerrit Cole. Bleich made two appearances at Staten Island (one in the playoffs) before shining in Hawaii Winter Baseball. He has good control of an 88-91 mph fastball that touches 92, and his curveball grades as above-average. He has a solid-average changeup that has flashed plus potential, particularly in college, but lacks the movement to grade that high for now. Bleich's durability is somewhat of a question, and other clubs wondered whether he'd need Tommy John surgery in the near future. If healthy, his ability to pitch off his fastball, throwing it for strikes to all quadrants, and his quality secondary stuff should allow him to move quickly. He's expected to start 2009 in high Class A.