Brett Marshall

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #27 prospect in 2014
  Marshall made his big league debut in 2013, but overall had his worst season since he had Tommy John surgery in 2009. He missed up in the zone too much in 2013, giving up the most home runs (17) of his career while also issuing a career high in walks (4.4 per nine innings). Still, Marshall has the makings of an innings-eater who brings a four-pitch arsenal of fastball, slider, changeup and little-used curveball to the table. His fastball, which sits between 87-92 mph with occasional flickers of 93 and 94, features strong tail. His changeup has similar tail and sink as his fastball, but he didn't command the pitch as well in 2013. Marshall's long arm action always has inhibited command of his breaking ball, but he went more to the slider in 2013, which is fringe-average. He has a tenuous hold on a 40-man roster spot, and should return to Triple-A in 2014.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #6 prospect in 2013
  When the Yankees didn't sign first-rounder Gerrit Cole in 2008, Marshall wound up with the largest bonus in their draft class--$850,000 in the sixth round. He struggled mightily before having Tommy John in surgery 2009, but he hasn't missed a start and has gone 26-16, 3.41 since returning. He led Trenton to the Eastern League finals in 2012, topping the system with 13 wins and ranking fourth with 120 strikeouts. New York originally wanted Marshall to pitch off his fastball and curveball. Since his elbow reconstruction, he has found a consistent high three-quarters slot and pounded the strike zone with a 90-94 mph fastball and the system's best changeup. Both pitches have similar sinking action and come from the same release point. His changeup arrives at 77-80 mph and made him more effective against lefthanders (.677 OPS) than righthanders (.724) in 2012. A fairly long arm action makes it hard for Marshall to maintain the release point on his two breaking balls. He still throws a show-me curve early in counts, but his mid-80s slider has more potential. It lacks consistency but flashes occasional bite. It's an average pitch that helps him get grounders rather than strikeouts. Marshall profiles as a durable, sinkerballing No. 4 starter--not the Yankees' prototype prospect but a useful trade chip. He's slated to see his first Triple-A action at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2013.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #11 prospect in 2012
  Marshall was the highest-paid player in the Yankees' draft class in 2008, when they failed to sign first-rounder Gerrit Cole and second-rounder Scott Bittle. Marshall and Triple-A righties D.J. Mitchell and David Phelps should provide a decent return from that draft crop. Marshall just finished his first full, healthy season, nearly doubling his previous career high for innings with 140. Two years after Tommy John surgery, he didn't miss a start in 2011. Once envisioned as a power pitcher, Marshall fits more of a sinker/slider profile these days. He has toned down his delivery since signing and repeats it fairly well, allowing him to throw his fastball, slider and changeup for strikes. His fastball sat in the low 90s for much of last season, and the days of him boasting to club officials that he'd hit 100 one day appear to be behind him. His heater is more notable for its movement, especially down in the strike zone, than its velocity. Marshall gave up just two homers his last 55 innings, quite a feat for a 6-footer who doesn't get natural downward plane on his pitches. His slider and changeup are solid secondary pitches, and New York still plans on introducing a curve to his repertoire at some point. That may happen in 2012, when he'll move up to Double-A. He has the upside of a No. 3 starter.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #11 prospect in 2011
  As another talented pitcher who bounced back well from elbow surgery, Marshall ranked with Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman among the Yankees' feel-good stories in 2010. Like Brackman, he had full-blown Tommy John surgery, and like Betances, he impressed with his work ethic and competitiveness in returning from his elbow operation. A sixth-round pick, Marshall got the largest signing bonus of the New York's 2008 draft class at $850,000, thanks to his power arm. His fastball reached 96 mph at times before his surgery, and he boasted to club officials he'd throw 100 mph one day. That kind of velocity hasn't materialized yet, but Marshall has regained his mid-90s velocity on his four-seam fastball, touching 97. However, he no longer relies on his four-seamer, instead working off a two-seamer that ranges from 89-94 mph. Yankees senior vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman compares its life and movement to a hard slider thrown by a lefthander. Marshall gained more confidence in his two-seamer as the season wore on, allowing two earned runs in his final 36 innings in low Class A. He finished the season helping Tampa win the Florida State League championship. Marshall came to the Yankees with a slider and still throws it, though the organization prefers curveballs. He tried throwing a curve in 2009 before he got hurt, but he has gone back to the slider. It flashes above-average potential when he doesn't get around it. His average changeup joins his two-seamer in helping him combat lefthanders, and it's more consistent than his slider. Like Betances and Manny Banuelos, Marshall has significant upside but needs to prove he can pitch a full season. He figures to start 2011 back in high Class A.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #22 prospect in 2009
  With first-rounder Gerrit Cole failing to sign and supplemental first-rounder Jeremy Bleich accepting below-slot money, Marshall wound up getting the top bonus of any Yankees draftee in 2008, $850,000 as a sixth-rounder. That's the lowest total for New York's best-paid draftee since 2002, when it didn't have a first-rounder. Marshall rated as the second-best prep righthander in a down year in Texas, and like Carmen Angelini, who got $1 million from the Yankees in 2007, Marshall had committed to Rice. He's a smaller righthander with some effort in his delivery, but pitching coordinator Nardi Contreras considers him one of system's best pitchers in terms of raw arm strength. Marshall touched 96 mph early in the spring to jump up draft boards and topped out at 94 late in the spring and in instructional league. He also has shown the arm speed for a good breaking ball. In high school, he threw a power slider in the mid-80s, but the Yankees tried to get him to use a curveball instead during instructional league. They also introduced him to a changeup. The Charleston rotation looks crowded for 2009, so Marshall likely will open the year in extended spring training.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: When the Yankees didn't sign first-rounder Gerrit Cole in 2008, Marshall wound up with the largest bonus in their draft class--$850,000 in the sixth round. He struggled mightily before having Tommy John in surgery 2009, but he hasn't missed a start and has gone 26-16, 3.41 since returning. He led Trenton to the Eastern League finals in 2012, topping the system with 13 wins and ranking fourth with 120 strikeouts. Scouting Report: New York originally wanted Marshall to pitch off his fastball and curveball. Since his elbow reconstruction, he has found a consistent high three-quarters slot and pounded the strike zone with a 90-94 mph fastball and the system's best changeup. Both pitches have similar sinking action and come from the same release point. His changeup arrives at 77-80 mph and made him more effective against lefthanders (.677 OPS) than righthanders (.724) in 2012. A fairly long arm action makes it hard for Marshall to maintain the release point on his two breaking balls. He still throws a show-me curve early in counts, but his mid-80s slider has more potential. It lacks consistency but flashes occasional bite. It's an average pitch that helps him get grounders rather than strikeouts. The Future: Marshall profiles as a durable, sinkerballing No. 4 starter. He's slated to see his first Triple-A action at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2013.
• December, 2010 Scouting Report
  As another talented pitcher who bounced back well from elbow surgery, Marshall ranked with Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman among the Yankees' feel-good stories in 2010. Like Brackman, he had full-blown Tommy John surgery, and like Betances, he impressed with his work ethic and competitiveness in returning from his elbow operation. A sixth-round pick, Marshall got the largest signing bonus of the New York's 2008 draft class at $850,000, thanks to his power arm. His fastball reached 96 mph at times before his surgery, and he boasted to club officials he'd throw 100 mph one day. That kind of velocity hasn't materialized yet, but Marshall has regained his mid-90s velocity on his four-seam fastball, touching 97. However, he no longer relies on his four-seamer, instead working off a two-seamer that ranges from 89-94 mph. Yankees senior vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman compares its life and movement to a hard slider thrown by a lefthander. Marshall gained more confidence in his two-seamer as the season wore on, allowing two earned runs in his final 36 innings in low Class A. He finished the season helping Tampa win the Florida State League championship. Marshall came to the Yankees with a slider and still throws it, though the organization prefers curveballs. He tried throwing a curve in 2009 before he got hurt, but he has gone back to the slider. It flashes above-average potential when he doesn't get around it. His average changeup joins his two-seamer in helping him combat lefthanders, and it's more consistent than his slider. Like Betances and Manny Banuelos, Marshall has significant upside but needs to prove he can pitch a full season. He figures to start 2011 back in high Class A.