#4. Jose Tabata, OF
Position: OF Full Name: Jose Nicolas Tabata
Born: August 12, 1988 Anzoategui,Venezuela
Height: 5-11 Weight: 160 Bats: R Throws: R

Jose Tabata was signed in 2005 out of Venezuela. Tabata joins the likes of Marcos Vechionacci, Irwill Rojas, and Luis Nunez as prospects the Yankees have signed in recent years out of baseball's newest talent hotbed, Venezuela. Jose won't be 20 until this August! Tabata's progress in the Yankee Minor League system has been slowed due to a wrist injury that occurred in July of 2006. He eventually had the hamate bone removed via surgery in August of 2007. Despite the fact that Tabata has been injured, he has still put up decent numbers hitting above or near .300 in his three seasons at Rookie and A level ball.

There are question marks about his power (or lack of) and whether or not his body thickness could limit his pure athletic ability. But he remains a likely replacement for Bobby Abreu in right field...as soon as 2009. He rates as an above average fielder with good range and a decent arm. Baseball America rates Jose Tabata as their number 3 Yankee prospect in 2008.

Look for a healthy Tabata to put up big numbers at AA Trenton this season; moving along to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre later in the season. Tabata will become an option should one of the Yankee outfielders go down this year (Matsui, Abreu, Cabrera, Damon). Keep an eye on Tabata and his numbers this season in the Minor Leagues. Big numbers could come early and earn Jose a fast promotion to the Yankees.