Yankiel Gonzalez is a scrappy, right handed hitting shortstop that has lead his Bonanza Bengals to a 5-1 record so far this Spring. At the recent Southern Nevada Scout Day, he improved both his 60 Time, 7.39 Laser Timed, and his Infield Velocity, topping out at 79 mph across the diamond. Gonzalez has been the spark plug in the lead off spot for the Bengals this season hitting .313 with a .522 on base percentage also leading the team in triples with two through 6 games. This a prospect that has continued to improve both physically and statistically throughout his high school career. 

Offensively, Gonzalez has an athletic, squatted stance, hands starting shoulder high with a rhythmic load leading into hip high leg kick and slight hand drop load maintaining balance throughout his swing. At both the Southern Nevada Scout Day as well as the Uncommitted Upperclass event, he showcased his ability to spray the ball from gap to gap with flashes of power to the pull side. 

Defensively, the 5-foot-10, 180 pound, athletic build shortstop has consistently shown his ability to make plays to both the forehand and backhand sides with a clean actions and footwork to position himself to stay fluid throughout the fielding process with excellent glove presentation and a smooth transition through the midsection. He has the ability to throw from multiple different arm angles, naturally releasing from the high 3/4 slot with a short, quick arm action. He projects to be able to play at any of the three infield position with an arm that can handle playing on the left side of the infield and the lateral quickness to stay up the middle. 

Gonzalez was a standout at the Southern Nevada Scout Day

Uncommitted ‘20 IF Yankiel Gonzalez, @yanki_jr, is a continuously improving prospect earning a new best 79 mph across the IF after a line drive filled round of BP that lived in the middle of the yard. A scrappy player looking to make me a big impact for @BonanzaBaseball #BeSeen pic.twitter.com/KQVtpSIadF

— PBR_Nevada (@PBR_Nevada) February 10, 2020

 

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