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Baseball season is almost here.

New York Yankees pitchers and catches report on Tuesday, with their first workout on Wednesday, and soon enough it’ll be opening day for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

After a flurry of trades during the second half of the season last year, the Yankees have a an influx of talent throughout their organization heading into spring training. So much so, the Yankees have one of the top farm systems in baseball.

What does this meaning for the RailRiders in 2017? Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has the potential to be just as good as it was last season — when it captured both the Triple-A National Championship and the International League title — if not better.

“This should be one of the best teams in the International League this year,” Baseball America national writer Ben Badler said. “I think you’re going to see some of the same guys returning. You’re going to have Clint Frazier there. Gleyber Torres is probably going to come up at some point and help reinforce that club. More pitching is going to be on the way. I imagine (left-handed pitcher Justus) Sheffield is going to be there at some point to help out.”

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman hopped on WFAN last Thursday afternoon and discussed a variety of pressing issues with Mike Francesa. Two of which could directly impact the RailRiders.

Cashman told Francesa that if Aaron Judge can’t beat out Aaron Hicks for the starting job right field, the 24-year-old outfielder will likely start the season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre so he can play every day and he’ll be “waiting in the wings” if something happens in the Bronx.

Cashman also mentioned that Tyler Austin will compete at both first base — with Greg Bird and newly-acquired Chris Carter — and right field. However, if Austin doesn’t make the Yankees in a “capacity at first or right field or riding a bat off the bench or something like that” he’ll also go back to Triple-A and receive every-day at-bats.

“Just the simple fact that (the Yankees) have one of the best farm systems in baseball and they have a lot of upper-level talent and we’re talking about the fact that you might see guys like Austin and Judge back there,” MLBPipeline.com senior writer Jim Callis said. “It could have potential to have legitimate big leaguers at just about every position in the lineup. … The pitching staff should be in pretty good shape too.”

Frazier, Torres the next set of Baby Bombers?

Last season saw the start of the Yankees’ youth movement, and leading the charge was catching prospect Gary Sanchez, Judge and Austin.

The trio helped the RailRiders get off to a dominate start in 2016 before each were called up in August. Sanchez, by far and away, made the biggest impact in the Bronx, with 20 home runs and 42 RBI in 53 games and finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

While there isn’t a trio that stands out like Sanchez, Judge and Austin this season, there is a duo: Frazier and top prospect Torres.

Badler credits Frazier’s bat speed, strength and raw power for reasons that will lead to an all-star berth one day.

“He’s been able to actually trim his swing-and-miss rate from what he was in the lower levels with the Indians by quieting down his swing and just getting a better understanding of how pitchers are trying to attack him,” Badler said. “I think that if he’s able to continue to do that, continue to mature as hitter, in terms of his plan and approach, I think you’re going to start to see more of that power getting unlocked and you’re going to see the home run totals spike for him once he’s able to do that.”

Frazier is expected to start the season in Triple-A.

At this point, Torres has been touted a top-5 prospect by most prospect services and could be a cornerstone for the Yankees for years to come.

After an impressive Arizona Fall League, where he batted .403, and received an invite to the Yankees’ Major League camp, Torres is expected to start with Double-A Trenton before making his way to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at some point.

“He’s extremely talented and its a good combination of average-to-plus tools across the board and a very high baseball IQ,” Badler said. “He’s smart, he’s savvy. He’s a very well-rounded player, too. There’s not many weaknesses in his game.”

Tate an X-factor?

One player outside of Baseball America’s top-1o Yankees prospects that could make some moves is right-handed pitcher Dillon Tate.

Tate, who came to the Yankees from the Texas Rangers in the trade for Carlos Beltran, is a prospect full of potential that struggled mightily last year. However, Badler believes there’s hope.

“He was really struggling when the Yankees traded for him and they bought low on him, but when he pitched out of the bullpen in the Arizona Fall League you started to see the stuff come back some,” Badler said. “I think that if the Yankees want to develop him as a reliever, I think that’s the role that suits him well and if things click for him this year — back in a bullpen role — it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him move quickly.”

McKinney the next Austin?

Austin had quite the rise last season.

After getting dropped from the Yankees’ 40-man roster at the end of the 2015 campaign, Austin excelled in the Arizona Fall League before carrying his momentum to Trenton at the start of last year. The first baseman then quickly rose from Trenton to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to the Bronx.

Billy McKinney, an outfielder the Yankees acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Aroldis Chapman trade, is a prospect that both Badler and Callis can envision seeing an Austin-type rise.

“I’ve always liked him,” Badler said. “He has a good understanding of the strike zone. He doesn’t swing and miss much. He has a good approach. He just doesn’t have the power and he’s kind of not good enough defensively for center field, which puts more pressure on his bat.”

“Billy McKinney, a couple years ago was considered one of the top hitting prospects in the minors, kind of like Tyler (Austin),” Callis added. “He’d be the candidate because he’s followed that same path — a really good hitting prospect derailed by injuries.”

What’s ahead for Severino?

Right-handed pitcher Luis Severino has been a bit of an enigma for the Yankees the last couple of seasons.

In 2015, Severino blew the lid off the competition once he got to the majors. In 11 starts, Severino had record a 5-3 record to pair with a 2.89 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 62.1 innings.

However, last season saw Severino bounce up and down between Triple-A and the bigs. The Dominican Republic native started the season with the Yankees, but struggled throughout, finishing with a 3-8 record, 5.83 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 22 games and 11 starts.

Turning 23 later in the month, the Yankees are still giving Severino time to be a starter. If he doesn’t win one of the open spots in the rotation this spring, Severino could start in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to build confidence in his repertoire.

“He’s still so young I think you have to give him an opportunity,” Callis said. “It seems to me like if he doesn’t make the rotation out of spring training that you’d want to have him get some regular innings in Triple-A. I still believe in him. He was pretty good in Triple-A when he came back down. I think he needs a more-consistent breaking ball.”

Now that 2016 National League home run king Chris Carter is aboard, first baseman Tyler Austin, right, will get some looks at right field and in a bench role this spring, according to Brian Cashman. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_Tyler-Austin-NYY.jpg.optimal.jpgNow that 2016 National League home run king Chris Carter is aboard, first baseman Tyler Austin, right, will get some looks at right field and in a bench role this spring, according to Brian Cashman. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

After struggling for much of 2016, Baseball America’s Ben Badler believes pitcher Dillon Tate could rebound this season and find himself pitching with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by year’s end. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins, File)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_Dillon-Tate.jpg.optimal.jpgAfter struggling for much of 2016, Baseball America’s Ben Badler believes pitcher Dillon Tate could rebound this season and find himself pitching with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by year’s end. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins, File)

New York Yankees prospects Clint Frazier, right, and Gleyber Torres are at the forefront of the Bronx Bombers’ youth movement. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_Torres-Frazier.jpg.optimal.jpgNew York Yankees prospects Clint Frazier, right, and Gleyber Torres are at the forefront of the Bronx Bombers’ youth movement. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders outfielder Clint Frazier is expected to be a force at the top of the lineup in Moosic this season.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_rr_pork3_faaCMYK2017131135027630.jpg.optimal.jpgScranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders outfielder Clint Frazier is expected to be a force at the top of the lineup in Moosic this season. Fred Adams file photo | For Times Leader
Yankees’ youth key for 2017

By DJ Eberle

[email protected]

IMPORTANT DATES

Feb. 15 — Pitchers and catchers’ first workout

Feb. 19 — First full-squad workout

Feb. 24 — First spring game (vs. Philadelphia at 1:05 p.m.)

March 17 — First AAA/AA and A+/A games

April 2 — Opening day at Tampa Bay, 1:10 p.m.

April 6 — RailRiders opening day at Buffalo, 2:05 p.m.

Reach DJ Eberle at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @ByDJEberle