Antonio Gomez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #27 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Gomez was signed in 2018, when he ranked as one of the top players in the class and yet other talented catcher who hailed from Venezuela. He ranked among the top players in the Florida Complex League in both 2019 and 2021. He spent most of the 2022 season with Low-A Tampa, where he showed flashes of his upside on both offense and defense.
  
  Scouting Report: Gomez's two calling cards revolve around his power, both in his bat and his throwing arm. Despite a middling line, scouts who saw Gomez this year in the Florida State League graded him as with potentially double-plus grades for his raw power and his throwing arm. The former translated into an excellent average exit velocity of 87 mph while the former led to a caught-stealing rate just north of 30% and pop times regularly below 1.9 seconds. He has plenty to improve with his overall hittability, and his in-zone miss rate of 27% is particularly concerning. Gomez is extremely athletic and shows good footwork behind the plate, but the quality of his framing and blocking varies between average and well below-average. He's a 30-grade runner on the 20-80 scouting scale.
  
  The Future: Gomez will move to High-A in 2023, when he'll try to continue to polish his rough edges and reach his ceiling of a well-rounded backup.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 30. Fielding: 45. Arm: 70.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #22 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Yankees inked Gomez, who ranked as the No. 14 player available in his signing class, in 2018. He opened his career by ranking No. 5 on the 2019 Gulf Coast League Top 20, then placed No. 10 on the 2021 list.
  
  Scouting Report: Injuries and the pandemic limited Gomez to just 15 professional games entering 2021, when he more than tripled that total by playing in 46 games between the FCL and Low-A. For now, Gomez’s loudest tool is his throwing arm, a true plus-plus weapon which helps him regularly produce pop times below 2.0 seconds. He needs lots more polish when it comes to receiving and blocking, both of which scouts have pegged as inconsistent at best. At the plate, he needs to improve his plate discipline. He believes he can hit anything, which leads him to swing at anything. He has power to his pull side, but scouts also noted that he needs to close a hole on the outer half before he can tap into his raw juice regularly. As would be expected from a catcher, Gomez is a well below-average runner.
  
  The Future: Gomez made his full-season debut in 2021 and is likely to return to Low-A. Right now, he has the ceiling of a defensive-minded backup with the skills to hit toward the bottom of an order.
  
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #22 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Gomez ranked as the No. 14 player in the 2018 international class and then got enough at-bats in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to rank fifth among its Top 20 prospects despite a bout with biceps soreness.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gomez was lauded as an amateur for his blend of offensive and defensive tools, and both have shown up in his brief pro career. His swing stays in the zone long enough and with sufficient loft to both pull balls with authority and go the other way when necessary. He's a mature, athletic defender who has adapted well to the Yankees' new knee-down catching technique. He regularly produces pop times in the 1.8-1.9-second range, and in 2019 threw out 50% of attempted basestealers.
  
  THE FUTURE: The novel coronavirus pandemic kept Gomez from working in-person with Yankees coaches in 2020, even at the team's instructional league in the Dominican Republic. He might return to the GCL to start 2021, but should find his way to low Class A at some point.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #21 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: After ranking as the No. 4 player available in the 2018 international class, Gomez signed with the Yankees and immediately cemented himself as one of the best defensive catchers in the system. His first test as a pro was delayed by triceps soreness that limited him to 14 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (plus one more in the DSL).
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The scouts who got the chance to see Gomez while he was healthy were impressed. He showed off plus arm strength behind the plate with a chance to reach a true 70-grade arm with further refinement. He also shows strong blocking and receiving abilities and works well with his pitching staffs. The Yankees praise Gomez for his ability to separate offense and defense as well and his fluent English speaking. At the plate he shows a patient, disciplined approach that has a chance to produce both average and power as he matures. He needs to gain strength so he can catch up to high-velocity fastballs.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gomez had surgery on his non-throwing arm after the season but should be ready for 2020, which is likely to begin back in extended spring training. Gomez has little experience but one of the more exciting upsides in the system.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #29 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Gomez ranked No. 14 among the 2018 July 2 class, and signed with the Yankees on the strength of phenomenal defense and burgeoning offensive abilities shown at international showcases.
  
  Scouting Report: Gomez’s strongest tool is his throwing arm, which ranks as a 70 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. That arm was on display at at February 2018 showcase, when he threw out four runners, including one from his knees, with a pop times as low as 1.83 seconds. He’s got quick feet as well, but could stand to improve his receiving. Offensively, Gomez’s bat-to-ball skills improved as he matured, and his power slowly grew. That trend could continue as he learns to incorporate his lower half into his swing more often.
  
  The Future: The Yankees have been aggressive with their most talented international prospects recently, and Gomez could join one of the team’s two clubs in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League come June.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #10 prospect in 2021
  Gomez was one of the top catchers in the 2018 international class, though health and the loss of the 2020 season due to the pandemic had limited him to just 15 pro games entering 2021. Gomez opened the year in the FCL, hit well there, then slowed down when he got to Low-A Tampa in August and hit .197/.310/.328 in 71 plate appearances there. The best tool Gomez has is his arm. It rivals the best arm for a catcher at any level of professional baseball, with some giving it an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Gomez put in considerable work to improve his receiving over the last two years, which was evident in games in 2021. Gomez hit well in the FCL, though he is more of a defensive-oriented catcher at this point. He has a good plan at the plate, but he projects to likely hit toward the bottom of the order if he develops into a big league regular.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #5 prospect in 2019
  Gomez was one of the top catchers in the 2018 international class when the Yankees signed him out of Venezuela for $600,000. When the season started, Gomez didn’t play due to pain in his left triceps, but he returned for the final month of the season. Gomez has the tools to be an elite defensive catcher, starting with one of the best arms in the minors even though he’s still 17. It’s a 70 arm, with throws to second base in the upper 80s and pop times regularly in the 1.8s. His quick footwork and swift exchange help his arm play up even more, helping him erase 50 percent of basestealers. He’s a solid blocker and receiver for his age as well, while his fluent English, intelligence and outgoing personality help him manage a pitching staff. Gomez has an upright stance with solid bat-to-ball skills. He can square up high-end velocity and does a good job driving the ball to the opposite field, with a strong frame and a chance to grow into average power.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Gomez was signed in 2018, when he ranked as one of the top players in the class and yet other talented catcher who hailed from Venezuela. He ranked among the top players in the Florida Complex League in both 2019 and 2021. He spent most of the 2022 season with Low-A Tampa, where he showed flashes of his upside on both offense and defense.
  
  Scouting Report: Gomez's two calling cards revolve around his power, both in his bat and his throwing arm. Despite a middling line, scouts who saw Gomez this year in the Florida State League graded him as with potentially double-plus grades for his raw power and his throwing arm. The former translated into an excellent average exit velocity of 87 mph while the former led to a caught-stealing rate just north of 30% and pop times regularly below 1.9 seconds. He has plenty to improve with his overall hittability, and his in-zone miss rate of 27% is particularly concerning. Gomez is extremely athletic and shows good footwork behind the plate, but the quality of his framing and blocking varies between average and well below-average. He's a 30-grade runner on the 20-80 scouting scale.
  
  The Future: Gomez will move to High-A in 2023, when he'll try to continue to polish his rough edges and reach his ceiling of a well-rounded backup.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 30. Fielding: 45. Arm: 70.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Gomez was signed in 2018, when he ranked as one of the top players in the class and yet other talented catcher who hailed from Venezuela. He ranked among the top players in the Florida Complex League in both 2019 and 2021. He spent most of the 2022 season with Low-A Tampa, where he showed flashes of his upside on both offense and defense.
  
  Scouting Report: Gomez's two calling cards revolve around his power, both in his bat and his throwing arm. Despite a middling line, scouts who saw Gomez this year in the Florida State League graded him as with potentially double-plus grades for his raw power and his throwing arm. The former translated into an excellent average exit velocity of 87 mph while the former led to a caught-stealing rate just north of 30% and pop times regularly below 1.9 seconds. He has plenty to improve with his overall hittability, and his in-zone miss rate of 27% is particularly concerning. Gomez is extremely athletic and shows good footwork behind the plate, but the quality of his framing and blocking varies between average and well below-average. He's a 30-grade runner on the 20-80 scouting scale.
  
  The Future: Gomez will move to High-A in 2023, when he'll try to continue to polish his rough edges and reach his ceiling of a well-rounded backup.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 30. Fielding: 45. Arm: 70.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  August Update: Gomez scuffled to begin the season at Low-A before being sent back to extended spring training for roughly three weeks. In the last few months, Gomez, who is still just 20 years old, has begun performing better, particularly when it come to managing the strike zone. He&#39s shown exit velocities up to 105 mph of late as well. He&#39s thrown out 31% of runners during his time at Low-A and has done a better job blocking as well.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Yankees inked Gomez, who ranked as the No. 14 player available in his signing class, in 2018. He opened his career by ranking No. 5 on the 2019 Gulf Coast League Top 20, then placed No. 10 on the 2021 list.
  
  Scouting Report: Injuries and the pandemic limited Gomez to just 15 professional games entering 2021, when he more than tripled that total by playing in 46 games between the FCL and Low-A. For now, Gomez’s loudest tool is his throwing arm, a true plus-plus weapon which helps him regularly produce pop times below 2.0 seconds. He needs lots more polish when it comes to receiving and blocking, both of which scouts have pegged as inconsistent at best. At the plate, he needs to improve his plate discipline. He believes he can hit anything, which leads him to swing at anything. He has power to his pull side, but scouts also noted that he needs to close a hole on the outer half before he can tap into his raw juice regularly. As would be expected from a catcher, Gomez is a well below-average runner.
  
  The Future: Gomez made his full-season debut in 2021 and is likely to return to Low-A. Right now, he has the ceiling of a defensive-minded backup with the skills to hit toward the bottom of an order.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Gomez was one of the top catchers in the 2018 international class, though health and the loss of the 2020 season due to the pandemic had limited him to just 15 pro games entering 2021. Gomez opened the year in the FCL, hit well there, then slowed down when he got to Low-A Tampa in August and hit .197/.310/.328 in 71 plate appearances there. The best tool Gomez has is his arm. It rivals the best arm for a catcher at any level of professional baseball, with some giving it an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Gomez put in considerable work to improve his receiving over the last two years, which was evident in games in 2021. Gomez hit well in the FCL, though he is more of a defensive-oriented catcher at this point. He has a good plan at the plate, but he projects to likely hit toward the bottom of the order if he develops into a big league regular.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Gomez ranked as the No. 14 player in the 2018 international class and then got enough at-bats in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to rank fifth among its Top 20 prospects despite a bout with biceps soreness.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gomez was lauded as an amateur for his blend of offensive and defensive tools, and both have shown up in his brief pro career. His swing stays in the zone long enough and with sufficient loft to both pull balls with authority and go the other way when necessary. He's a mature, athletic defender who has adapted well to the Yankees' new knee-down catching technique. He regularly produces pop times in the 1.8-1.9-second range, and in 2019 threw out 50% of attempted basestealers.
  
  THE FUTURE: The novel coronavirus pandemic kept Gomez from working in-person with Yankees coaches in 2020, even at the team's instructional league in the Dominican Republic. He might return to the GCL to start 2021, but should find his way to low Class A at some point.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Gomez ranked as the No. 14 player in the 2018 international class and then got enough at-bats in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to rank fifth among its Top 20 prospects despite a bout with biceps soreness.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gomez was lauded as an amateur for his blend of offensive and defensive tools, and both have shown up in his brief pro career. His swing stays in the zone long enough and with sufficient loft to both pull balls with authority and go the other way when necessary. He's a mature, athletic defender who has adapted well to the Yankees' new knee-down catching technique. He regularly produces pop times in the 1.8-1.9-second range, and in 2019 threw out 50% of attempted basestealers.
  
  THE FUTURE: The novel coronavirus pandemic kept Gomez from working in-person with Yankees coaches in 2020, even at the team's instructional league in the Dominican Republic. He might return to the GCL to start 2021, but should find his way to low Class A at some point.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After ranking as the No. 4 player available in the 2018 international class, Gomez signed with the Yankees and immediately cemented himself as one of the best defensive catchers in the system. His first test as a pro was delayed by triceps soreness that limited him to 14 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (plus one more in the DSL).
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The scouts who got the chance to see Gomez while he was healthy were impressed. He showed off plus arm strength behind the plate with a chance to reach a true 70-grade arm with further refinement. He also shows strong blocking and receiving abilities and works well with his pitching staffs. The Yankees praise Gomez for his ability to separate offense and defense as well and his fluent English speaking. At the plate he shows a patient, disciplined approach that has a chance to produce both average and power as he matures. He needs to gain strength so he can catch up to high-velocity fastballs.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gomez had surgery on his non-throwing arm after the season but should be ready for 2020, which is likely to begin back in extended spring training. Gomez has little experience but one of the more exciting upsides in the system.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After ranking as the No. 4 player available in the 2018 international class, Gomez signed with the Yankees and immediately cemented himself as one of the best defensive catchers in the system. His first test as a pro was delayed by triceps soreness that limited him to 14 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (plus one more in the DSL).
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The scouts who got the chance to see Gomez while he was healthy were impressed. He showed off plus arm strength behind the plate with a chance to reach a true 70-grade arm with further refinement. He also shows strong blocking and receiving abilities and works well with his pitching staffs. The Yankees praise Gomez for his ability to separate offense and defense as well and his fluent English speaking. At the plate he shows a patient, disciplined approach that has a chance to produce both average and power as he matures. He needs to gain strength so he can catch up to high-velocity fastballs.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gomez had surgery on his non-throwing arm after the season but should be ready for 2020, which is likely to begin back in extended spring training. Gomez has little experience but one of the more exciting upsides in the system.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Gomez was one of the top catchers in the 2018 international class when the Yankees signed him out of Venezuela for $600,000. When the season started, Gomez didn’t play due to pain in his left triceps, but he returned for the final month of the season. Gomez has the tools to be an elite defensive catcher, starting with one of the best arms in the minors even though he’s still 17. It’s a 70 arm, with throws to second base in the upper 80s and pop times regularly in the 1.8s. His quick footwork and swift exchange help his arm play up even more, helping him erase 50 percent of basestealers. He’s a solid blocker and receiver for his age as well, while his fluent English, intelligence and outgoing personality help him manage a pitching staff. Gomez has an upright stance with solid bat-to-ball skills. He can square up high-end velocity and does a good job driving the ball to the opposite field, with a strong frame and a chance to grow into average power.