What to Know About Justus Sheffield: Yankees Call Up Top Prospect
The New York Yankees have called up top prospect Justus Sheffield, the club announced Tuesday.
The Yankees signed Sheffield to a major league contract and added him to the active roster. Other roster moves include recalling righty Domingo German from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and transferring outfielder Clint Frazier to the 60-day disabled list.
Sheffield last appeared for the RailRiders on Saturday against the Durham Bulls in the final game of the International League championship series. Scranton lost the Governor's Cup to Durham 6-2, where Sheffield gave up three unearned runs in one inning of work.
After the game, rumors circulated that the Yankees were going to call up Sheffield.
Get to know the top Yankees prospect below:
Justus Sheffield
Age: 22
Throws: Left
Bats: Left
Position: Pitcher
Height/Weight: 6'0"/200
How the Yankees Acquired Him: The Indians drafted Sheffield with the 31st pick in the first round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft. The lefty gave up a scholarship to Vanderbilt to sign with the club.
In July 2016, the Yankees and Indians agreed to a trade that sent New York's left-handed reliever Andrew Miller to Cleveland. The Yankees received four prospects in exchange for Miller, including Sheffield and Frazier.
Scouting Report: Sheffield is the Yankees' top prospect and the No. 27 prospect on MLB Pipeline's Top 100.
In the best season of his career, Sheffield went 7-6 with a 2.48 ERA in 116 innings pitched in 2018. He recorded 123 strike outs in 25 games (20 as a starter).
Although Sheffield has been a starter throughout his career, the Yankees began preparing him in August to be used as a reliever when called up. In five games coming out of the bullpen, the lefty recorded a 1.35 ERA with 10 strike outs and one walk over 13 1/3 innings.
Sheffield's best pitches include a mid-90s fastball, a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup.
MLB.com's Jim Callis noted Sheffield's strengths and said: "Despite being shorter than a typical starter at 6 feet, Sheffield creates downhill plane with his delivery and generates quality stuff without excessive effort. He's athletic and has been durable throughout his pro career with the exception of missing two months at the end of 2017 with a strained oblique."
