Top Yankees Pitching Prospect Climbing The Ranks

Vrieling was drafted in 2022, third round, 100th overall by the Yankees. He spent three seasons with Gonzaga in the NCAA and stinted between the Northwoods League, Cape Cod League, and Arizona Fall League. In four summer and fall stints combined, he recorded a .381 ERA.

The Pre-Draft Numbers That Campaigned The Yankees Pitching Prospect 

His cumulative collegiate numbers pushed his case for the draft in 2022. The college junior finished his three years with a 4.31 ERA, threw 137.2 innings, struck out 178 hitters, and walked 73; his RA9 was a 4.77. 

His junior year was the campaign for the Yankees pitching prospect. With a .500 win-loss percentage, his year was dominant from an overall statistical and quality perspective. He showed a 1.500 whip, struck out 107, and walked 46. His strikeouts to walks were 2.33, and his SO9 was 11.9. Vrieling showed traits of a guaranteed top-five draft selection. 

Yankees Pitching Prospect’s Makeup, Breakdown, And Organizational Value 

At  6’4” 200 lbs, Vrieling displays all-around athleticism. His delivery is as simple and relaxed as it gets. His motion from the full is very upright, with a high vertical leg raise and fluent motion down the hill. 

The Yankees pitching prospect has four options: a four-seam fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. His pitching consistency is revamping as he was breaking-ball happy early in his career, not establishing the heater. He has a biting fastball with vertical movement; this sits low 90s and works between 95-96 mph max. The curveball and slider are two of his breaking pitchers that he’ll show great trust in, and that have depth. These two options sit late 70s, early 80s and require more bite. 

Vrieling employs a changeup that we haven’t seen a whole lot of, and that comes off like a lower-velocity fastball. It seems flat on movement and solid like a fastball. This pitch will be the one to establish in his repertoire. 

Regardless of the construction that needs to occur in his repertoire, Vrieling is opening eyes in the minor league world and is shining brighter than expected. He’s fast-tracked right to double-A ball without venturing into the high-A or low-A ranks. 

Yankees executives see value and prematurity in his profile, and as long as the performance continues, he can see AAA in no time.