In the surest sign the New York Yankees see themselves as a rebuilding team, they put on a Winter Warm-Up almost entirely focused on prospects.And in the surest sign the rebuilding plan has a chance to succeed, half the prospects featured were starting pitchers.This is all new for the Yankees, both the idea of promoting future stars over present players and the idea that pitchers can come through the farm system and succeed in New York. The last Yankee-developed pitcher to make as many as 150 career starts for the club was Andy Pettitte, who debuted 22 years ago.The top of the 2017 rotation features Masahiro Tanaka (signed out of Japanese baseball), CC Sabathia (signed as a free agent) and Michael Pineda (acquired in a trade). The top of the rotation in 2019 or 2020, the Yankees hope, could include homegrown pitchers like James Kaprielian and Chance Adams (both Yankee draft picks) and Justus Sheffield (acquired from the Cleveland Indians in last summers Andrew Miller tradebut now being developed by the Yankees).Those three pitchers were the ones invited to New York for the January warm-up and are also the organizations three top pitching prospects, according to Baseball America. The Baseball Americalist also features Domingo Acevedo, and the Yankees would add Dillon Tate and Jordan Montgomery to the list of pitching prospects with a real chance to succeed.They do have an impressive depth of starting pitching prospects, said one National League scout who follows the Yankee system.Two other scouts familiar with the system agree it includes quality depth but cautioned that the Yankees dont have anyone who currently projects as a future ace of the staff. The best project as solid second starters, another National League scout said, with more who figure to fill out a major league rotation.Thats not bad, and theres always a chance some of the prospects will outdo the projections. Remember, the day the New York Mets promoted Jacob deGrom and Rafael Montero to the major leagues, Montero was regarded as the better and more advanced prospect. By the end of the season, deGrom was the National League Rookie of the Year.And remember, Baseball Americaranked the Yankees own Joba Chamberlain as the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball heading into his 2008 rookie yearahead of Clayton Kershaw, who was also a rookie.Chamberlain, who signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers this winter, is the most-cited example of what can go wrong, especially with Yankee prospects. The difference now is the depth of talent and the organizations commitment at developing them.The commitment will likely be tested, because some of the young pitchers will struggle. The Yankees have already seen that with Luis Severino. After looking like a future ace in a late-season 2015 audition, Severino was so bad as a starter in 2016 that many believe his future is in the bullpen.Severino could still make it, but the Yankees hope is hell soon be pushed by the next wave that features Kaprielian, Sheffield, Adams and the others. While the younger group doesnt include anyone expected to compete for a major league job this spring, scouts see a chance some could contribute by the end of the year.Kaprielian, a 22-year-old right-hander who was a 2015 first-round pick out of UCLA, might be the one to watch in 2017. After missing much of the last minor league season with a strained right flexor tendon, Kaprielian was throwing 97 mph in the Arizona Fall League.Sheffield, acquired from the Cleveland Indians in last summers Andrew Miller trade, has also been clocked as high as 97 mph.A lot of people love him, one National League executive said. His name is out there. When teams talk to the Yankees about trades, hes the one they ask for.While the Yankees would rather hold onto all the talented arms theyve accumulated, the reality is some could be dealt away. Thats particularly true if the Yankees want to trade for a major league ready ace, as the Boston Red Sox did when they picked up Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox in December.Michael Kopech, who went to the White Sox in that deal, is seen by some scouts as a future ace.The Yankees dont have anyone like that, one of the NL scouts said. There are not a lot of givens with their guys. They could end up with the best pitching on the planet, or they could have problems.The Yankees want their fans to believe it will be the former. Like any rebuilding team, theyd like to think theyre developing future stars.I think its exciting times for us, general manager Brian Cashman told reporters last week, as relayed by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "We have a lot of quality, young, hungry talented players, and we still have some veterans mixed in here. I think if we stay healthy and perform up to our capabilities, I think we can start writing a new chapter in Yankee-land with exciting futures ahead."Cashman wasnt just talking about the pitchers. Catcher Gary Sanchez, outfielder Clint Frazier and shortstop Gleyber Torres were also featured in the Winter Warm-Up. Sanchez, who hit 20 home runs in just 201 major league at-bats in 2016, might already be the teams most popular player.For the rebuilding plan to work, the guys he catches will need to become just as good.Danny Knobler covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report.Follow Danny on Twitter and talk baseball.
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