Report: Yankees call up top prospect Justus Sheffield

The New York Yankees are about to get some pitching help for the stretch drive from one of their brightest youngsters.

New York has called up left-hander Justus Sheffield - the team's top-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline - from the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Conor Foley of the Scranton Times Tribune reported Saturday.

Sheffield will apparently join the Yankees in time for Tuesday's home game against the rival Boston Red Sox, according to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic.

Word of Sheffield's call-up came just a few minutes after the RailRiders lost the International League championship series to Durham on Saturday afternoon. Sheffield pitched one inning in the decisive game and allowed three runs, though none of them were earned.

Sheffield began this season at Double-A Trenton but was promoted to Triple-A in May. He was a member of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's rotation until mid-August, when he was shifted to the bullpen in a move that appeared to foreshadow a possible September call-up to the majors. Still, the Yankees waited until halfway through the month to bring Sheffield to the show, perhaps because of the RailRiders' playoff run.

In 25 regular-season outings in the minors this season (20 starts), Sheffield posted a 2.48 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 123 strikeouts and 50 walks. He's also allowed only four homers this year.

The 22-year-old was initially drafted 31st overall in 2014 by Cleveland, and was traded to the Yankees at the 2016 trade deadline as part of a package for ace reliever Andrew Miller.

Sheffield isn't the only Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitcher on his way to New York, as the Yankees also reportedly recalled right-hander Domingo German on Saturday, according to Foley.