I wanted to know more about Ramiro Pena, the Yankees’ utility infielder de jour, and Will Weiss hipped me to a piece that Aaron Moore wrote about Pena and Eric Duncan for the YES Network back in June of 2005.

Dig:

While Duncan holds the title of the Yankees’ top prospect, the distinction of most intriguing minor leaguer belongs to the 19-year-old Pena. At 19, he is the youngest player on any Eastern League roster.

The master plan was to keep Pena in Class-A for the season, but he has done more than hold his own as Trenton’s everyday shortstop. The Yankees signed the Monterrey, Mexico, native last February as an international free agent.

The organization was forced to move Pena up from Tampa after
Columbus needed Trenton’s Andy Cannizaro to fill its void at shortstop. During Pena’s short stint in Tampa, he hit only .247 with an on-base percentage of .321.

Since joining the Thunder, those numbers have increased nicely as he continues to show no signs of being overmatched by Eastern League pitchers. Through his first 14 games in Double-A, Pena has an impressive .327 average with three RBIs and no home runs.
He will never play the role of the modern shortstop like Miguel Tejada, who puts up gaudy power numbers. Pena is more in the mold of an Ozzie Guillen. A shortstop who fields his position brilliantly, hits around .270, but more importantly, moves runners over while hitting toward the bottom of the lineup.

Regardless of what he hits in the minors, Pena’s glove will eventually get him a trip to the majors. And that’s what Thunder manager Bill Masse told Pena on his inaugural day in New Jersey — to focus on defense. In his short time with the Thunder, Pena has already provided a number of highlight-reel plays.

With his fantastic lateral speed, Pena ranges well into the hole on ground balls and does not shy away from contact while covering second base. His spin-move throw to first base is all ready major league worthy. In a recent series against Reading, Pena took away two hits by fielding ground balls on the right-field of second base and making quick accurate throws to beat the runners.

Even though he is still a teenager, Pena has a silent confidence about him that speaks well for his chances of succeeding in New York.
At this point, Pena’s main deficiency is his size. Walking around the clubhouse in a tee-shirt and shorts, he is hardly bigger than a batboy.

That should change as he physically matures and improves his workout routine.

Pena’s arm is not Jeteresque. However, his exceptional range and quick feet hide his lack of a cannon arm.

And he already has a big fan in the player who lines up on his left.

“He is so good, so smooth, carries so much range,” Duncan said. “It’s not like I am playing with a 19-year-old, it’s like I’m playing with someone who has been there a while.”

For some, being away from home and playing with teammates much older and seasoned could be a problem. This is not the case for Pena.

“It’s not been that big of a change for me,” said Pena, with the help of teammate Omir Santos’ translation. “I’ve always played with guys older than me. No big deal for me. If I was still in Mexico I would be playing with guys in a league that is like Double-A here.”
Both Duncan and Pena are aware that their chances of playing together in the Bronx are unlikely anytime soon, with Jeter and Rodriguez locked up to long term deals. Even though they have made rapid movements up the organizational ladder, neither focuses on the players above them.

“I don’t really think about it,” Pena said.

“All I can do is go out every day and work as hard as I can,” Duncan said. “If it’s with the Yankees, that’s great. If not, it will have to be for another team. It’s just the way it is.”