MOOSIC, Pa.—Zach Kroenke is from Nebraska. He pitched for the University of Nebraska. He’s a Yankees prospect.
But no, he is not anything like Joba Chamberlain. Kroenke, who was Chamberlain’s teammate for one season with the Cornhuskers, isn’t really that tight with his old—and very possibly future—teammate.
“I got called up to big-league spring training, we said hi and all,” Kroenke said. “When we were in college, I had a girlfriend the whole time. I didn’t party too much.”
Kroenke, though, may yet be the second of the Yankees’ two Nebraska products to make the big club soon. The 25-year-old left-handed reliever isn’t on the 40-man roster but he has been rising steadily in the Yankees’ system since he was converted from a starter to a reliever in 2006, while in Class A.
He is one of the best left-handed setup men in Triple-A this season. In 12 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Kroenke is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA, having allowed three runs in 21 1/3 innings.
“It’s a continuation of what’s been going on,” said Mark Newman, the Yankees’ senior vice president of baseball operations. “I wouldn’t even call him a situational guy. He’s got the pitches to get left-handers and right-handers out.”
It’s not as if the Yankees’ scouting staff came to see Chamberlain at Nebraska in 2005 and noticed Kroenke, who is a year older.
“Zach was on our radar screen,” Newman said.
The main difference between Kroenke and Chamberlain may be their hometowns. Kroenke is from Omaha, Chamberlain from Lincoln, and it’s a pretty serious rivalry in high school baseball.
“We got him pretty good my junior year,” Chamberlain said.
Kroenke was selected in the fifth round of the 2005 draft. Chamberlain went to the Yankees with the 41st pick of the 2006 draft and was in pinstripes a year later, drawing raves in the Bronx while Kroenke was busing around the Florida State League.
After making the move to the bullpen, Kroenke’s stock rose. Last season he went 7-0 with a 2.85 ERA for Double-A Trenton, and had 54 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings with Scranton.
He’s still somewhat of a power pitcher, with a low to mid-90s fastball and 14 strikeouts through his 12 appearances. But it’s the 11 walks that concern the Yankees.
“Yup, that’s about it,” Newman said.
Another area Kroenke is trying to improve is keeping runners from stealing on him. “I’m also trying to get faster to the plate, so that guys aren’t standing on second base by the time my catcher has the ball,” Kroenke said.
He hasn’t gotten a lot of work in Triple-A yet because pitchers such as David Robertson, Mark Melancon and Anthony Claggett, all on the 40-man roster, have needed relief work. But Kroenke has his role carved out now and could fill the spot occupied by Damaso Marte, who is on the disabled list.
“Not too worried about that just yet,” he said. “I just want to get some more work in here and then who knows what can happen.”
