Tyler Austin

Unable to find a regular spot with the Yankees, Austin was traded to Minnesota. He hit 17 home runs with a .767 OPS in about equal time between the two teams. While he improved against right-handed pitching last season (.721 OPS), he's had big platoon splits in his career (.664 OPS vs RHP). He also needs to cut down on his strikeouts (35.4%) to avoid being a batting average risk. His outfield defense is also poor, which limits his ability to get into the lineup. His power is legit (.212 ISO), however, which will give him fantasy value if he finds any kind of regular role, most likely on the short side of a platoon at 1B or at DH, if Nelson Cruz suffers an injury.

While the rest of the Baby Bombers took over in 2017, it's starting to look like one former highly-touted Yankees prospects will be left behind. Austin had a respectable campaign with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, slashing .275/.342/.544 with 10 home runs in just 47 games, but the 26-year-old appeared in only 20 games in the majors and hit just .225 with 17 strikeouts in 40 at-bats. The bigger problem is that with crowded organizational depth at both first base and in the outfield, there just doesn't look to be an obvious spot for Austin on the major-league roster. If Austin does get a chance in 2018, it will likely be as a short-end platoon bat; he's crushed southpaws in his brief MLB career to the tune of a .361/.432/.722 line, but his numbers against righties have been poor.

A flurry of midseason moves led to the Yankees calling up Austin sooner than many expected, and Austin made an impressive debut with a home run in his first big league at-bat. While he ultimately struggled for much of the campaign, the 25-year-old was able to head into the offseason on a high note with a strong final week. The biggest concern going forward will be strikeouts -- an issue he struggled with to a degree in the minors -- as he whiffed an astounding 40 percent of the time in the majors. Austin mostly played right field and some first base in the minors, but there doesn't appear to be any clear openings at either position in New York's regular lineup. He should get chances against lefties, against whom he posted a .348 average and 1.097 OPS against last year, but it's tough for any player to make a big impact in a short-end platoon role.

An unheralded, 13th-round pick out of high school in 2010, Austin made a name for himself in his third professional season in 2012 by slashing .322/.400/.559 with 17 homers and 80 RBI across four levels, culminating in his promotion to Double-A Trenton late in the year. He hasn't advanced since. To be fair, his struggles in 2013 can be attributed at least in part to the wrist injury he suffered in July, and it's reasonable to wonder if the issue may have lingered into 2014. Austin posted a .679 OPS with just eight extra-base hits (one homer) over the first two months of the season, but his performance improved as the season progressed and he really turned it on after the All-Star break (.336/.397/.557). The Yankees tried him out at first base (19 games) and at third (eight games), perhaps foreshadowing an eventual move from right field, but Austin still has plenty more to prove in the upper levels of the minors before he gets an extended audition with the big club.

Austin lost a bit of his prospect luster in 2013, hitting just .257 with six homers and four steals in Double-A after putting up solid power and speed numbers the previous two years. Austin was held back by a wrist injury all year, however, and while he's still got plenty of all-around upside, the injury flared up again later in the year, forcing Austin off of his Arizona Fall League roster. Austin may repeat Double-A in 2014, and if he can show that he's over his wrist issues, he could play his way right back into the Yankees' plans for 2015.

Austin zoomed up prospect lists with a strong 2012 season, hitting .322 with a .960 OPS and stealing 23-of-25 bases across four levels. Austin shows very good bat speed, average to above average power, and a solid approach at the plate. He currently plays right field, but may profile at first base down the line (which could make him trade bait, as the Yankees still have Mark Teixeira in the fold for four more seasons). Austin is unlikely to be a superstar, but profiles as a regular major leaguer who can help fantasy teams if he reaches something close to his ceiling. He'll start 2013 at Double-A Trenton.