T.J. Sikkema

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #16 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Sikkema made a name for himself early in his college career at Missouri, where he led the staff in wins in both his freshman and junior seasons. That pedigree got him drafted by the Yankees with the 38th overall pick, starting his pro career with four effective starts at Short-season Staten Island. Sikkema went two years without pitching in an official game due to the canceled season in 2020 and lat and shoulder issues in 2021. He returned in 2022 with a productive year at High-A Hudson Valley, where he struck out 13.4 batters per nine and walked 2.2 per nine. He was swapped to Kansas City at the trade deadline and finished the year at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, followed by an assignment to the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Primarily a two-seam/slider lefty, Sikkema delivers an average fastball in the 88-91 mph range, which plays up thanks to the deception he gets from the various arm angles he uses in his delivery. He drops his arm down to the side and then later climbs to create a different angle and create a different break from his slider and fastball. His above-average slider averages 79 mph with plenty of spin and comes from behind his back--which makes it tough for lefthanded hitters to pick up. His 83-mph changeup with sink is an effective pitch against righthanders. Sikkema is athletic and throws strikes but needs to improve his command.
  
  The Future: Sikkema is not yet on the 40-man roster but will likely get an invitation to big league camp. Opinions are still mixed as to whether he's a starter or reliever long term.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #15 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Sikkema broke onto the scene as a member of Mizzou's bullpen, where he tied Tanner Houck's record for freshman wins. He transitioned into the rotation as a sophomore and then used a combination of stuff and guile to earn a supplemental first-round selection. He spent 2019 in the shortseason New York-Penn League, where he struck out 13 against one walk in 11 innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: In a system starved for lefties, Sikkema leads the way at the position. He stands out for the varied ways he uses his arsenal. He brings a four-seam fastball that sits in the low 90s and tops out at 95. He backs it up with a deep, powerful slurve and a potentially average changeup. He also adds deception by changing arm slots from true overhand to low three-quarters. The move reduces the velocity on the fastball but adds running life to Sikkema's armside.
  
  THE FUTURE: The loss of the minor league season and the Yankees' lack of domestic instructional league meant that Sikkema missed a year of in-person development. He should jump to high Class A to begin his career, and has the ceiling of a back-end starter.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #15 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Sikkema started his college career as a high-end piece of Missouri's bullpen and immediately made an impact by tying Tanner Houck's school record for wins by a freshman. He moved into the rotation in the middle of his sophomore season and spent the next year and a half impressing scouts with his combination of aggressiveness and stuff.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Sikkema starts his pitch mix with a low-90s fastball that he can run up to 95 mph and spot to both sides of the plate. He backs up the fastball with a full complement of secondaries, including a slurve that shows both power and depth. He also throws an average changeup. To mess with hitters' timing, Sikkema alternates between an overhand arm slot and a lower, three-quarters arm slot. His fastball ticks down in velo from the lower slot but gains significantly more armside run. Sikkema's body is maxed out already, so he likely has little projection remaining.
  
  THE FUTURE: His ceiling is as a back-end starter or high-pressure reliever, and he's advanced enough to handle a jump directly to high Class A Tampa in his first full season as a pro.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #80 prospect in 2019 draft
  In a year in which it's hard to find pitchers scouts like, Sikkema is one pitcher scouts truly love. They love his feisty mound presence, his feel for pitching and his craftiness. And they also love his long, illustrious track record. The son of a baseball coach, Sikkema was Missouri's moment-of-truth reliever as a freshman, when he tied Tanner Houck's school freshman record with eight wins. Midway through his sophomore season, Sikkema moved from being the Tigers' closer to taking over as the Friday night starter and excelled immediately. As a junior, he's been consistently dominant as the club's Saturday starter, going 6-3, 1.22 with an .180 opponent average as of early May. Sikkema is a thick-bodied pitcher without much, or any, projection left. He uses both an over-the-top arm slot as well as a three-quarter slot, switching back and forth to mess with hitters. He can reach up to 93-95 mph with his fastball when he raises his arm slot in short stints, but he generally sits 89-92 mph as a starter with plenty of arm-side run from the lower slot. He mixes four pitches, none of which is a plus offering, but all four are average or better. He throws an above-average slurve from his lower arm slot that has some power and depth and a more traditional, average curveball from over the top. He willingly mixes in an average changeup as well. All of his offerings play up because Sikkema fills the zone with strikes to both sides of the plate. If a team wants to move Sikkema back to the bullpen, he could move quickly. But he has likely worked his way high enough in the draft to get sent out as a starter, where a team would count on his feel and bulldog mentality to make up for any deficiencies in his pure stuff.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Sikkema made a name for himself early in his college career at Missouri, where he led the staff in wins in both his freshman and junior seasons. That pedigree got him drafted by the Yankees with the 38th overall pick, starting his pro career with four effective starts at Short-season Staten Island. Sikkema went two years without pitching in an official game due to the canceled season in 2020 and lat and shoulder issues in 2021. He returned in 2022 with a productive year at High-A Hudson Valley, where he struck out 13.4 batters per nine and walked 2.2 per nine. He was swapped to Kansas City at the trade deadline and finished the year at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, followed by an assignment to the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Primarily a two-seam/slider lefty, Sikkema delivers an average fastball in the 88-91 mph range, which plays up thanks to the deception he gets from the various arm angles he uses in his delivery. He drops his arm down to the side and then later climbs to create a different angle and create a different break from his slider and fastball. His above-average slider averages 79 mph with plenty of spin and comes from behind his back--which makes it tough for lefthanded hitters to pick up. His 83-mph changeup with sink is an effective pitch against righthanders. Sikkema is athletic and throws strikes but needs to improve his command.
  
  The Future: Sikkema is not yet on the 40-man roster but will likely get an invitation to big league camp. Opinions are still mixed as to whether he's a starter or reliever long term.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Sikkema made a name for himself early in his college career at Missouri, where he led the staff in wins in both his freshman and junior seasons. That pedigree got him drafted by the Yankees with the 38th overall pick, starting his pro career with four effective starts at Short-season Staten Island. Sikkema went two years without pitching in an official game due to the canceled season in 2020 and lat and shoulder issues in 2021. He returned in 2022 with a productive year at High-A Hudson Valley, where he struck out 13.4 batters per nine and walked 2.2 per nine. He was swapped to Kansas City at the trade deadline and finished the year at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, followed by an assignment to the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Primarily a two-seam/slider lefty, Sikkema delivers an average fastball in the 88-91 mph range, which plays up thanks to the deception he gets from the various arm angles he uses in his delivery. He drops his arm down to the side and then later climbs to create a different angle and create a different break from his slider and fastball. His above-average slider averages 79 mph with plenty of spin and comes from behind his back--which makes it tough for lefthanded hitters to pick up. His 83-mph changeup with sink is an effective pitch against righthanders. Sikkema is athletic and throws strikes but needs to improve his command.
  
  The Future: Sikkema is not yet on the 40-man roster but will likely get an invitation to big league camp. Opinions are still mixed as to whether he's a starter or reliever long term.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Midseason Update: Sikkema was the Yankees&#39 supplemental first-rounder in 2019 but had his career waylaid by the pandemic and a series of injuries to his lat, shoulder and elbow that cost him the 2021 season and kept him out this season until May 8. Now he&#39s back and throwing a high percentage of strikes with a quality three-pitch mix that includes a low-90s fastball, a sweeper slider and a fading changeup. The entire arsenal is amplified by the deception created in his low-slot, crossfire delivery.""
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Sikkema broke onto the scene as a member of Mizzou's bullpen, where he tied Tanner Houck's record for freshman wins. He transitioned into the rotation as a sophomore and then used a combination of stuff and guile to earn a supplemental first-round selection. He spent 2019 in the shortseason New York-Penn League, where he struck out 13 against one walk in 11 innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: In a system starved for lefties, Sikkema leads the way at the position. He stands out for the varied ways he uses his arsenal. He brings a four-seam fastball that sits in the low 90s and tops out at 95. He backs it up with a deep, powerful slurve and a potentially average changeup. He also adds deception by changing arm slots from true overhand to low three-quarters. The move reduces the velocity on the fastball but adds running life to Sikkema's armside.
  
  THE FUTURE: The loss of the minor league season and the Yankees' lack of domestic instructional league meant that Sikkema missed a year of in-person development. He should jump to high Class A to begin his career, and has the ceiling of a back-end starter.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Sikkema broke onto the scene as a member of Mizzou's bullpen, where he tied Tanner Houck's record for freshman wins. He transitioned into the rotation as a sophomore and then used a combination of stuff and guile to earn a supplemental first-round selection. He spent 2019 in the shortseason New York-Penn League, where he struck out 13 against one walk in 11 innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: In a system starved for lefties, Sikkema leads the way at the position. He stands out for the varied ways he uses his arsenal. He brings a four-seam fastball that sits in the low 90s and tops out at 95. He backs it up with a deep, powerful slurve and a potentially average changeup. He also adds deception by changing arm slots from true overhand to low three-quarters. The move reduces the velocity on the fastball but adds running life to Sikkema's armside.
  
  THE FUTURE: The loss of the minor league season and the Yankees' lack of domestic instructional league meant that Sikkema missed a year of in-person development. He should jump to high Class A to begin his career, and has the ceiling of a back-end starter.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Sikkema broke onto the scene as a member of Mizzou's bullpen, where he tied Tanner Houck's record for freshman wins. He transitioned into the rotation as a sophomore and then used a combination of stuff and guile to earn a supplemental first-round selection. He spent 2019 in the shortseason New York-Penn League, where he struck out 13 against one walk in 11 innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: In a system starved for lefties, Sikkema leads the way at the position. He stands out for the varied ways he uses his arsenal. He brings a four-seam fastball that sits in the low 90s and tops out at 95. He backs it up with a deep, powerful slurve and a potentially average changeup. He also adds deception by changing arm slots from true overhand to low three-quarters. The move reduces the velocity on the fastball but adds running life to Sikkema's armside.
  
  THE FUTURE: The loss of the minor league season and the Yankees' lack of domestic instructional league meant that Sikkema missed a year of in-person development. He should jump to high Class A to begin his career, and has the ceiling of a back-end starter.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Sikkema started his college career as a high-end piece of Missouri’s bullpen and immediately made an impact by tying Tanner Houck’s school record for wins by a freshman. He moved into the rotation in the middle of his sophomore season and spent the next year and a half impressing scouts with his combination of aggressiveness and stuff.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Sikkema starts his pitch mix with a low-90s fastball that he can run up to 95 mph and spot to both sides of the plate. He backs up the fastball with a full complement of secondaries, including a slurve that shows both power and depth. He also throws an average changeup. To mess with hitters’ timing, Sikkema alternates between an overhand arm slot and a lower, three-quarters arm slot. His fastball ticks down in velo from the lower slot but gains significantly more armside run. Sikkema’s body is maxed out already, so he likely has little projection remaining.
  
  THE FUTURE: His ceiling is as a back-end starter or high-pressure reliever, and he’s advanced enough to handle a jump directly to high Class A Tampa in his first full season as a pro.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Sikkema started his college career as a high-end piece of Missouri's bullpen and immediately made an impact by tying Tanner Houck's school record for wins by a freshman. He moved into the rotation in the middle of his sophomore season and spent the next year and a half impressing scouts with his combination of aggressiveness and stuff.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Sikkema starts his pitch mix with a low-90s fastball that he can run up to 95 mph and spot to both sides of the plate. He backs up the fastball with a full complement of secondaries, including a slurve that shows both power and depth. He also throws an average changeup. To mess with hitters' timing, Sikkema alternates between an overhand arm slot and a lower, three-quarters arm slot. His fastball ticks down in velo from the lower slot but gains significantly more armside run. Sikkema's body is maxed out already, so he likely has little projection remaining.
  
  THE FUTURE: His ceiling is as a back-end starter or high-pressure reliever, and he's advanced enough to handle a jump directly to high Class A Tampa in his first full season as a pro.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  In a year in which it's hard to find pitchers scouts like, Sikkema is one pitcher scouts truly love. They love his feisty mound presence, his feel for pitching and his craftiness. And they also love his long, illustrious track record. The son of a baseball coach, Sikkema was Missouri's moment-of-truth reliever as a freshman, when he tied Tanner Houck's school freshman record with eight wins. Midway through his sophomore season, Sikkema moved from being the Tigers' closer to taking over as the Friday night starter and excelled immediately. As a junior, he's been consistently dominant as the club's Saturday starter, going 6-3, 1.22 with an .180 opponent average as of early May. Sikkema is a thick-bodied pitcher without much, or any, projection left. He uses both an over-the-top arm slot as well as a three-quarter slot, switching back and forth to mess with hitters. He can reach up to 93-95 mph with his fastball when he raises his arm slot in short stints, but he generally sits 89-92 mph as a starter with plenty of arm-side run from the lower slot. He mixes four pitches, none of which is a plus offering, but all four are average or better. He throws an above-average slurve from his lower arm slot that has some power and depth and a more traditional, average curveball from over the top. He willingly mixes in an average changeup as well. All of his offerings play up because Sikkema fills the zone with strikes to both sides of the plate. If a team wants to move Sikkema back to the bullpen, he could move quickly. But he has likely worked his way high enough in the draft to get sent out as a starter, where a team would count on his feel and bulldog mentality to make up for any deficiencies in his pure stuff.