C Andrew Yerzy
C Andrew Yerzy
Hometown: Toronto Ont.
B-T: L-R
Ht: 6’ 3”, Wt: 208.
Teams: Toronto Mets/Canadian Jr National Team/C-Notre Dame
Previous teams: Toronto Blue Jays Scout Team, Yankees Scout Team.
Coaches: Chris Kemlo, Ryan McBride, Greg Hamilton.
2016 season _ Dominican summer trip: Two hits, plus an RBI in win over MLB Prospects, giving him 13 RBIs on the trip ... Two doubles, four RBIs in win over Brewers ... Singled, knocking in a run against the Phillies, threw out a runner at second attempting to steal ... Run-scoring single, two-run double, three RBIs against Cubs ... Single, RBI against Astros ... RBI single facing Rays ... Singled in a run in win over Twins ... Singled against the Mets ... Threw out a runner attempting to steal against the Tigers ... PBR Ontario ProCase: 1.94 pop time .... Extended spring trip: Homered at Dunedin off Jays Joel Espinal, 19, who was 1-2 with a 2.18 ERA in 19 games for the rookie-class Dominican Summer League Blue Jays, walking 19 and striking out 46 in 53 2/3 innings ... 4-for-4 with three RBIs vs. Tigers ... Doubled and singled facing the Astros ... Doubled against Braves ... Batted .346 (9-for-26) with three doubles, home run, four RBIs, 1.010 OPS ... In Florida spring trip: Homer, single, two RBIs vs. Detroit Tigers minors leaguers ... Bases-loaded triple vs. Puerto Rico ... Singled vs. Philadelphia Phillies minor leaguers ... At London Major League Scouting Bureau camp: “Looked great in BP. Has plus power from the left side. Threw well in the throwing drills.”
Baseball America Scouting Report: Yerzy homered in last summer’s Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field and has shown consistent hitting ability and present power from the left side. He’s shown the ability to handle velocity at the plate with Canada’s junior national team, playing top competition in trips to Florida and Arizona in the fall and spring. He’s a tough profile for the draft in some ways, though, because of his lack of a defensive home. While he’s improved behind the plate, he has fringy arm strength and some stiffness in his strong, 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame. Many scouts see him moving to first base, and it may be tough to buy him out of his Notre Dame commitment.
MLB Pipeline Scouting Report: Andy Yerzy | Rank: 157
School: York Mills Collegiate Institute (Ont.) Year: Senior
Position: C Age: 17 DOB: 7/5/1998
Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6’3” Weight: 215 lb.
Commitment: Notre Dame
Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 45
Yerzy, a native of Toronto, really put himself firmly on the map during the High School Select home run derby held over the All Star Game weekend in Cincinnati, advancing to the finals and getting to swing with the Major Leaguers in the main event on Monday. Team Canada’s annual tour through Florida this spring gave Yerzy the chance to raise his stock, and he took advantage.
Scouts made a note of Yerzy’s left-handed power, something he showed at other showcase events over the summer, and his ability to square up the baseball showed up consistently this spring. He’s more power than hit, but it’s easy power, and while he may never hit for a high average, the home run pop should play in games. His play behind the plate is a bit more crude. He has an average arm that’s accurate, even though he needs to improve his footwork. His hands work decently, and he should become an adequate overall receiver in time.
Catchers are always in high demand, especially ones with left-handed power who have a chance to stay behind the plate. Yerzy’s spring tour had teams discussing the Notre Dame commit in the Draft’s first few rounds.
Perfect Game Scouting Report: 395. Andrew Yerzy, c, York Mills Collegiate S.S.
L-R, 6-3/210, Toronto, Ontario
College Commitment: Notre Dame
Yerzy is a big and strong lefthanded hitting catcher from Canada who has played with the Canadian National Junior team since he was 15-years old and performed very well at high-level events over the past year. His best tools are his bat and his raw power and he has shown enough potential offensively that he would still be considered a prospect even if he has to move out from behind the plate defensively. Yerzy has plenty of arm strength to remain catching but will have to continue to improve his quickness and lower-half athleticism.
2015 season: At Worlds in Osaka 4-for-26 (.154) with one RBI ... At Australia 1-for-23 (.043) one RBI in Friendly Series ... At Jupiter: Doubled as the Toronto Blue Jays Scout Team beat the Texas Drillers 5-2. Hit .357 (5-for-14) with two doubles ... Hit .154 in eight games at World Juniors in Japan, one homer, four RBIs, four walks, seven strikeouts ... Hit .043 (1-for-23) on warm-up tour of Japan one RBI, one walk, five strikeouts ... Was 3-for-11 for Yankees scout team at Area Code Games in Long Beach with a single in two at-bats against the Reds 6-4 with the ball coming off his bat with a 91.5 exit speed, 1-for-3 with an exit speed of 98.6 mph in a 4-0 loss to the Reds, 1-for-3 in a 6-4 loss to the Nationals and 0-for-3 in a 5-2 loss to the A’s with an exit speed of 111.27 mph. ... MVP in Baseball Factory’s Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field, where he homered into the basket ... 1.98 pop time (34th) at Perfect Game USA National Showcase in Fort Myers. Velocity 80 MPH (17th).
Honors: 2016: Rawlings/Perfect Game All-Region selection from Canada/Puerto Rico region ... 2015: 17th annual Perfect Game World Wood Bat Championship All-Tourney in Jupiter Fla. ... Tied with Ron Washington Jr. in Junior Home Run Derby at Great American Park in Cincinnati ... MVP in Baseball Factory’s Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field,
What they are saying: "A very good day with the bat and behind the plate at Dunedin in front of Blue Jays GM (Ross Atkins)" ... Prototypical US HS catcher. Does he have enough power? If he does is he better as a corner INF? ... "He's the HSer from Canada all the scouts are talking about."
On other lists: 395th (down from 118th) on Perfect Game’s top 500 HS list ... 250th on Baseball America's top 500 ... 11th on PG's list of HS catching prospects.
Alexis Brudnicki _ Special season continues
Photo: Eddie Michels.