The James Kaprielian hype train is about to start chugging at full speed — again.
The Yankees’ 22-year-old pitching prospect who’s made just six minor league starts looks like a major leaguer “right now,” general manager Brian Cashman said.
Cashman said the 2015 first-round pick is “probably plug-and-play in the big league level pretty soon.”
The holdup?
Kaprielian, a righty, must prove he’s healthy after missing nearly all of last season with an elbow injury. Doctors eventually diagnosed the UCLA product with a flexor tendon strain.
After rehabbing via throwing program, Kaprielian made seven Arizona Fall League starts, pitching 27 innings to a 4.33 ERA.
“He’s kind of a wild card because he’s very exciting,” Cashman said. “He probably could pitch in the big leagues with his stuff. He’s healthy.”
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Cashman made his comments while speaking to WFAN’s Mike Francesa on Thursday afternoon. Pitchers and catchers report to Yankees spring training in Tampa, Fla., on Monday. Their first workout will be Tuesday.
Kaprielain has high hopes for himself. In mid-January, he said he wants to be “an ace.”
“I want to be a No. 1. I want to be the guy and I want the ball,” he added.
The Yankees drafted Kaprielian No. 16 overall in 2015, giving him a $2.65-million signing bonus. Immediately there was talk that the he could join the Yankees in the bigs as early as last season. The injury halted that talk. He pitched just three games at High-A Tampa, going 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA.
Yankees rotation openings
The Yankees haven’t decided whether Kaprielian will start the year at High-A or Double-A Trenton. Cashman said the team could prefer to start him in warmer weather before he heads to New Jersey.
“You sit behind hime plate, he looked like a big leaguer right now,” Cashman said. “But he hasn’t had a chance to show it and prove it in the big league level yet.”
Cashman could use Kaprielian as soon as possible.
He’ll ask manager Joe Girardi to judge a five-man competition for the two remaining spots in the Yankees’ rotation. All five righties — Adam Warren, Luis Severino, Chad Green, Luis Cessa and Bryan Mitchell — are unproven as starters in the bigs.
Tanaka’s $69 million question
Only Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia — health pending — have guaranteed spots in the rotation.
Though Cashman is high on Kaprielian, he added that right-hander Chance Adams, who will start the year at Triple-A, is “arguably” the Yankees best pitching prospect.
Adams came out of nowhere in 2016, transforming from a multi-inning reliever to a starter and going 13-1 with a 2.33 ERA and a 10.2 K/9 between Double-A and Triple-A.
Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
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