Chance Adams

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Yankees #14 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Adams pitched as a reliever at Dallas Baptist, but the Yankees drafted him with an eye toward the rotation and moved him there in his first full. He was excellent over his first two full seasons but had surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow before the 2018 season, and his stuff stepped backward as a result. Adams still made his big league debut during the season.
  
  Scouting Report: The most concerning part of Adams’ season was the decline of his fastball post-surgery. In past years, the pitch sat in the mid-90s. Now, it’s more of a low-90s offering with flecks of 95-96. The pitch registered a slightly above-average spin rate of 2,326 rpms in the big leagues. His most effective offspeed pitch is still his slider, a low-80s offering with sharp, late snap. His curveball and changeup haven’t progressed quite as far as projected, and there are times when Adams seems reluctant to throw them. Both are fringe-average pitches.
  
  The Future: Although Adams was transitioned into the bullpen down the stretch in the big leagues, the Yankees will give him another chance at a starter and hope his velocity returns. He’ll start 2019 back at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #4 prospect in 2018
  Adams moved back and forth between the rotation and bullpen during a collegiate career that saw him transfer from Yavapai (Ariz.) JC to Dallas Baptist after his sophomore season. The Yankees believed in Adams as a starter and took steps to establish him in that role after making him a 2015 fifth-round pick. He has excelled in that role as a pro. Returned to Double-A Trenton in 2018, Adams continued increasing his workload and earned a quick promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He headlines a four-pitch arsenal with a 92-97 mph plus fastball and an plus slider. His fringe-average curveball and changeup rank third and fourth in his repertoire, and he spent time in 2017 working on refining his changeup. He already throws the pitch with the same conviction and arm speed as his fastball. A new two-seam fastball grip could lead to further improvement. Despite some of the best stuff in the system, Adams shows a tendency to nibble for the corners rather than attacking. With two plus pitches and above-average control, Adams profiles as a potential mid-rotation starter. He faces a probable return to Triple-A in 2018.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #8 prospect in 2017
  Adams started his college career at Yavapai (Ariz.) JC before transferring to Dallas Baptist as a junior. He made just 10 starts--all in his sophomore year--before the Yankees popped him in the fifth round in 2015. He moved into the rotation this year and was one of the breakout stars in the minor leagues. He went 13-1, 2.33 and led all qualified starters with a .169 opponent average. A stocky-bodied righty, Adams starts his four-pitch mix with a hard, lively fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can check in as high as 97 mph. He complements his fastball with a hard slider that he uses as his out pitch. His changeup is his third pitch, and he's worked hard to make sure he throws it from the same arm slot as his fastball. He's also got a curveball, but it's well behind his other three pitches at this point. He pitches with ferocity and has shown the ability to command the strike zone. Scouts noticed that Adams' fastball tended to flatten when left up in the zones. The Yankees shut down Adams just before Double-A Trenton began the Eastern League playoffs because he reached his innings limit. He will move to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2017 and has a ceiling of a No. 3 starter.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #245 prospect in 2015 draft
  Adams doesn't have the pure arm-strength of teammate Drew Smith or the devastating slider of teammate Brandon Koch, but he supplanted Smith late in the season in the setup role because he has a better present arsenal. At 6-foot, 205 pounds, Adams doesn't generate much downhill plane, but he has plenty of stuff with a mid-90s fastball and a quality slider that gives him a chance to have two above-average pitches.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #9 prospect in 2017
  Adams continued to show advanced feel for a four-pitch mix during his first stint at Triple-A, where his transition from college reliever to pro starter successfully continued. He threw a career high 150.1 innings this season, only adding to his case as a high-probability mid-rotation starter. Adams uses a fastball that ranges from 91-95 mph and has good movement, a short, downward-breaking curveball and a firm slider that he frequently buries and can use as an out pitch. Additionally, he's shown feel for a changeup with some armside fade. One evaluator said that between Adams' four offerings, he has a chance for three above-average pitches with above-average control. Another was impressed with how well he held his stuff and delivery during the season. He drew comparisons with Bud Norris and Jordan Zimmermann.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #18 prospect in 2016
  Adams had a strong amateur career in Arizona, first at Scottsdale's Chaparral High, then at Yavapai JC for two seasons. After one dominant season at Dallas Baptist, he finished his pro debut at high Class A Tampa and returned there to start 2016. Moved into a starting role, he shook off a slow start and gave up just four runs (all earned) in his final seven starts to earn a promotion to Double-A. Adams repeats his delivery, uses his legs well and produces plus fastball velocity, usually sitting 93-95 mph and touching 97. His fastball can be straight but he locates it well, as he does his slider, which can be plus as well, and a changeup. The latter was a point of emphasis in his development, and he handled lefthanded batters well (.222 average, .657 OPS), though he truly dominated righthanders (.182 average, .495 OPS) in the FSL. While he also can mix in an early-count curveball, Adams mostly thrives because of his ability to locate three pitches with power. "Adams dominated the league when he was here," said one evaluator. "He just imposed himself on other teams."
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  Ranked Eastern League #18 prospect in 2016
  Before the season, Adams had made just 10 starts since high school. Those 10 came during his sophomore year at Yavapai (Ariz.) JC, before he transferred to Dallas Baptist for his junior year. He was used exclusively out the bullpen in his first pro test, too, but the Yankees wanted to try Adams as a starter. It worked. He was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Eastern League this year after an early promotion from high Class A Tampa. Adams has a compact build, and he works over hitters with a heavy, mid-90s fastball, then finishes them off with a sharp-diving slider in the mid-80s and a changeup with fade in the high 80s that he developed over the course of the season with Trenton pitching coach Jose Rosado. Adams also is working on a curveball, but it's in the developmental stages at this point. The Yankees shut him down before Trenton reached the postseason due to an innings limit--he threw 127--but Adams passed his first full test as a starter with gusto and has a mid-rotation ceiling.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #81 prospect in 2018

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Adams started his college career at Yavapai (Ariz.) JC before transferring to Dallas Baptist as a junior. He made just 10 starts--all in his sophomore year--before the Yankees popped him in the fifth round in 2015. He moved into the rotation this year and was one of the breakout stars in the minor leagues. He went 13-1, 2.33 and led all qualified starters with a .169 opponent average. Scouting Report: A stocky-bodied righty, Adams starts his four-pitch mix with a hard, lively fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can check in as high as 97 mph. He complements his fastball with a hard slider that he uses as his out pitch. His changeup is his third pitch, and he's worked hard to make sure he throws it from the same arm slot as his fastball and changeup. He's also got a curveball, but it's well behind his other three pitches at this point. He pitches with ferocity and has shown the ability to command the strike zone. Scouts noticed that Adams' fastball tended to flatten when left up in the zone, and more advanced batters often hammer those mistakes.
  
  The Future: The Yankees shut down Adams just before Double-A Trenton began the Eastern League playoffs because he reached his innings limit. He will move to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2017 and has a ceiling of a No. 3 starter.