Angelo Gumbs

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Yankees #25 prospect in 2014
  Gumbs was having a breakout season in 2012 at low Class A Charleston when a torn ligament in his left elbow cut it short. He didn't need surgery, and the Yankees aggressively assigned him to high Class A Tampa to start the 2013 season. He had three hits in his first two games, then didn't get another hit the rest of April. He missed a month with a bruised middle finger and never got going, forcing a late-June demotion back to Charleston. Gumbs still has plenty of bat speed, with a compact but unorthodox swing that he has made work with his high-level hand-eye coordination. He's sound defensively at second base and has shown the ability to hang in on double-play pivots. An average runner out of the box and a tick better once he gets going, he is capable of stealing 15-20 bases. Robert Refsnyder emerged and is a level higher in the system, but Gumbs is younger and has more tools. He will return to Tampa for 2014.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #7 prospect in 2013
  The Yankees have paired Gumbs with 2010 first-rounder Cito Culver for three seasons, and the converted prep outfielder/shortstop has surpassed his double-play partner as a prospect. Gumbs shook off a slow start and was heating up in low Class A when his 2012 season ended in June with a torn ligament in his left elbow that didn't require surgery. Gumbs still hasn't completely tapped into his offensive potential because his excessive pre-swing movement negates his premium bat speed. With some easy mechanical adjustments, such as a wider base and calming down his leg kick and bat waggle, he should be able to trust his hands and stay back on offspeed pitches better. He crushes fastballs, lashing line drives from gap to gap. He's also a plus runner and the system's best basestealer. Gumbs has made significant growth defensively and is beginning to take advantage of his plus arm and range. He still has some stiffness and hardness to his hands, but as his footwork improves with repetition, he should be a solid defender at second base. Gumbs' aptitude will determine how quickly he moves. He has made defensive progress and now must do the same offensively to develop into the most well-rounded infielder in the system. He'll start 2013 in high Class A.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #14 prospect in 2012
  Raw and athletic when the Yankees drafted him in the second round, Gumbs showed interesting flashes playing second base alongside fellow 2010 draftee Cito Culver in Staten Island last summer. The two likely will be teammates for the foreseeable future, and while they have some similarities, their tools and strengths are vastly different. Culver is a pure shortstop with classic infield actions. Gumbs was new to the right side of the infield, having split time between shortstop and outfield in high school, and struggled with the transition. His throwing mechanics are inconsistent, and his footwork and agility may not cut it in the middle infield. He's a better raw athlete than Culver, though, with more explosiveness, speed and strength. That comes through most at the plate, where Gumbs shows the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He could have average power down the road. He's still raw offensively and not selective enough, but the Yankees are confident in his aptitude to make adjustments as he gains experience. He's a veteran of MLB's Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif., and New York likes his makeup. If Gumbs can't cut it in the infield, he'll head to the outfield, where his speed and raw arm strength should be assets. The Yankees could field an all-prospect infield at Charleston in 2012 with Tyler Austin at first base, Gumbs at second, Culver at short and Dante Bichette Jr. at third.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #25 prospect in 2011
  New York wanted athletes in the 2010 draft and also focused on younger players. Gumbs didn't turn 18 until mid-October, and he played young after signing for $750,000 as a second-rounder. Scouts who saw the Yankees' fall minicamp thought Gumbs was more raw than Cito Culver even though he was exposed to better competition in southern California compared to what Culver saw in upstate New York. Gumbs has plenty of ability, though, and plays with energy and enthusiasm. His best tool is his bat speed, and he catches up to good fastballs. As he learns to trust his hands, he should be able to make adjustments to offspeed stuff. Gumbs has plus speed, getting down the line from the right side of the plate in less than 4.2 seconds, and above-average arm strength. He played shortstop in high school, for the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif., and in his brief six-game pro debut, and the Yankees intend to keep him in the infield. He likely won't stay at shortstop, though, and some scouts doubt that his footwork, long arm stroke and actions are good enough for him to remain in the infield at all. He profiles fine in center field if needed, and he'll get plenty of time to develop. Gumbs likely will start 2011 in extended spring training and could head back to the Gulf Coast League, which would be fine at his age. He's a long-term project, and New York can afford the luxury of patience.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked New York-Penn League #14 prospect in 2011
  Gumbs is an athletic, high-energy player with electric bat speed and a quality all-around toolset. Though he was an 18-year-old facing much older competition, he hit third for most of the summer and showed flashes of offensive potential. When he's locked in, he can wear out the right-center-field gap with hard line drives. Other times, Gumbs gets out on his front foot and flares balls softly to right. He needs to simplify his setup to improve on pitches over the inner half, but his bat speed and raw strength should lead to power in time. He's also an above-average runner, though his basestealing technique needs refinement. Gumbs played shortstop and outfield in high school before the Yankees converted him to second base, where he needs to smooth out his infield actions and improve his range and agility around the bag. He has arm strength, but he tends to drop to a low-three-quarters arm slot. Some scouts think his arm is better suited to the outfield, where he throws from a higher angle and with more accuracy.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The Yankees have paired Gumbs with 2010 first-rounder Cito Culver for three seasons, and the converted prep outfielder/shortstop has surpassed his double-play partner as a prospect. Gumbs shook off a slow start and was heating up in low Class A when his 2012 season ended in June with a torn ligament in his left elbow that didn't require surgery. Scouting Report: Gumbs still hasn't completely tapped into his offensive potential because his excessive pre-swing movement negates his premium bat speed. With some easy mechanical adjustments, such as a wider base and calming down his leg kick and bat waggle, he should be able to trust his hands and stay back on offspeed pitches better. He crushes fastballs, lashing line drives from gap to gap. He's also a plus runner and the system's best basestealer. Gumbs has made significant growth defensively and is beginning to take advantage of his plus arm and range. He still has some stiffness and hardness to his hands, but as his footwork improves with repetition, he should be a solid defender at second base. The Future: Gumbs' aptitude will determine how quickly he moves. He has made defensive progress and now must do the same offensively to develop into the most well-rounded infielder in the system. He'll start 2013 in high Class A.