Andrew Brackman

Health-wise, Brackman’s 2009 season could be considered a success in that he threw 106.2 innings in his return from Tommy John surgery. His performance was more of a mixed bag. Relying heavily on his mid-90s fastball, he fanned an impressive 103 batters, but to call his command wild would be an understatement. He was all over the place, walking 76, throwing 26 wild pitches, hitting 10 batters and finishing with an ERA of 5.91. Some of the turbulence can be attributed to post-surgery adjustments, but he’ll likely remain at Low-A to begin the year and won’t see a promotion until he demonstrates some semblance of control. If he does harness his considerable ability, he'll have just as much upside as any pitcher in the Yankees' system.

Brackman had Tommy John surgery in August 2007 and didn't return until the Hawaiian Winter League in 2008, but his velocity was touching 96 mph and his curveball was sharp despite shaky overall numbers. The most important thing right now for the 2007 first-round draft pick is staying healthy, so look for the Yankees to deploy him rather cautiously as they try to put him in a position to hit the ground running once spring training open in February. Brackman is in the process of working in a new change-up, a pitch that he didn't have in college, while he's also changed his delivery to lessen the strain on his surgically-repaired elbow. He has the raw potential to move quickly through the system, but he'll need to work out his post-surgery command issues and prove that he can stay healthy before getting onto the fast track.