Though the Yankees paid out $34 million in bonuses and tax penalties for their 2014-15 international signings, one of their best investments was the mere $30,000 they used to land Yajure out of Venezuela. After performing well in two years of Rookie ball, he missed all of '17 following Tommy John surgery. He regained his feel for pitching quicker than most pitchers who have their elbows reconstructed, and his stuff bounced back last year as well.
Yajure's 92-95 mph four-seam fastball is rather pedestrian compared to those of the several flamethrowers in the system, but his command and feel for his entire arsenal allowed him to lead New York farmhands with a 2.14 ERA while reaching Double-A last season. His best pitch is a solid to plus changeup and the addition of a cutter with similar upside made a huge difference in 2019. He also can spin an average curveball for strikes.
Because Yajure isn't overpowering, he'll have to prove he can continue to miss bats against more advanced hitters. He throws strikes and commands his stuff better than most of the system's pitching prospects, generating a lot of weak contact. He has a high floor as a likely No. 4 or 5 starter.
