One of the most refreshing parts of the MLB draft is to see how a team’s selections flourish down the road. The New York Yankees have had some phenomenal draft selections over the years. One subject of long-term focus in the Yankees farm system is the 24-year-old right-hander Zach Messinger, who is showing plenty of promise at Double-A Somerset.
Messinger was a 2021 MLB draft pick by the Yankees. He was selected in the 13th round (393rd overall), which makes his current success all the more intriguing. Messenger was selected out of the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
He was immediately assigned to A-ball where his quest for success began. The nature of his low draft position led to neglected attention and expectations for the righty. However, so far in his third organizational year, Messenger is turning heads and stating a case for the future of his career. The Yankees struck the right chord in not dealing the righty at the deadline.
Progress and Key Notes on Yankees Double-A Prospect Zach Messinger
Right-hander Zach Messinger has showcased really well in 2024. From 2022 to the present day, he has shown constant improvements in his craft. Command and approach have both been impeccable within the righty’s pitch selections and count management.
Messinger pounds the zone and is aggressive in all counts. He continues to attack early in the count, staying ahead and keeping his opposing hitters in vulnerable spots. All of his options are generally worked within the strike zone.
The downside to aggressively working the zone leaves room for more mistakes to be made. As he advances further up the chain toward the big leagues, he’ll need to occasionally work more off the plate to stay out of danger zones.
Messinger has been very reliant on his slider, which breaks quickly and dips below its linear plane. It looks juicy and flat on release, but it quickly moves, forcing a ton of ground-outs on contact. His fastball still works with life and bite.
Messinger’s Numbers Make a Strong Case for Promotion
Messinger Masterclass@Yankees No. 18 prospect Zach Messinger was dealing.
7 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 4 K pic.twitter.com/YKueI5PPKO— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 8, 2024
The right-hander has been on a quest this season to eventually earn his spot on the Bronx staff. He has been competing in arguably the hardest level in minor league baseball, in Double-A. Messinger recorded a 3.40 ERA this season.
He put up a 4.66 RA/9 and struck out 114 batters while only walking 39. He’s at an 8.4 in SO/9 and a 2.9 BB/9. It is clear that he’s a strikeout machine with a repertoire that competes during all counts. Free bases are a rare thing for Messinger.
Evaluators seem to think that Messinger will be a starter, and that couldn’t be more clear at this point. He’s thrown 121 2/3 innings this year. He has longevity in his outings, averaging five innings a game. The Yankees can expect to have Messinger considered for a starting spot by 2025. Spring training will determine his status and where he’ll fit in.
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