Rob Refsnyder: 2014’s Breakout Prospect

Prior to the 2014 season, Rob Refsnyder was no more than a fringe-prospect at second base.  He didn’t appear on any top prospect lists, and he was viewed as a poor defensive second baseman with no real Major League future.  That was all about to change in 2014.

After spending two years in A Ball, the Yankees promoted Refsnyder to Double-A Trenton to start the season.  The expectation was for him to build on his .283 batting average at High-A, and hone his defensive skills at second base.  But Refsnyder surpassed all expectations, dominating the Eastern League with a .342 batting average, a .933 OPS, and 6 home runs (equaling his entire 2013 total) in just 60 games!  Many were skeptical of such a torrid start for an under-the-radar player, but Refsnyder was eager to prove all the doubters wrong.

On June 10th Refsnyder was finally promoted to Triple-A Scranton.  It took the hot-hitting second baseman some time to adjust to the more advanced pitching, but Refsnyder settled in and continued his breakout season.  Currently, Refsnyder is hitting .299 with a .396 OBP and 7 home runs for the Railriders.  While these numbers aren’t quite as stellar as those of Double-A, Refsnyder has shown that his Double-A numbers were no fluke.

“He’s rising like a meteor” and “he’s forcing us to pay attention” Brian Cashman, Yankees’ GM, on Rob Refsnyder

Even after acquiring Martin Prado and Steven Drew prior to the trade deadline, there is still a gaping hole at second base for the New York Yankees.  While Brian Cashman has said that he plans to keep Rob Refsnyder in Triple-A for the remainder of the season, that does not eliminate the possibility of Refsnyder opening next year with the big club. An improvement on defense coupled with a solid spring training could grant the young Korean not only a roster spot, but a starting job in 2015.  For a fringe-prospect coming into the season, that’s not too bad.