“When it rains, it pours” – a saying that aptly describes the New York Yankees’ recent rollercoaster week. Tuesday and Wednesday saw the Bronx Bombers unleash an offensive onslaught, hitting 14 home runs in 25 hours in Tampa, Florida, after a nearly two-hour rain/lightning delay. This power surge seemed to signal an offensive resurgence, but the celebratory mood was quickly extinguished on Thursday when they returned home to face the Red Sox, who delivered a harsh dose of reality.
The contrast in the Yankees’ performance between the two-game set in Tampa and their home stand against Boston was stark and, honestly, perplexing. It’s one thing to see a developing player, such as a Yankees prospect on the GMS Field back field – affectionately known as “The Tank” – commit numerous errors in a season; their performance is still under development, and mistakes are part of the learning process. However, the same leniency cannot be extended to seasoned Yankees players in the Majors. The defensive lapses have become a concerning trend. Jazz Chisholm, Jr., for instance, recorded his 14th error of the year last night, while Anthony Volpe has accumulated an alarming 16 errors this season, just as he has the previous two years. These figures are not mere blips; they highlight a fundamental issue that needs immediate attention.
Yankees 3B Jose Caballero commits a fielding error with a missed catch on August 19, 2025, in Tampa, FL (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
This week alone, the Yankees have committed a staggering seven errors in just four games. The defensive struggles began on Sunday with two errors in St. Louis, followed by one on Tuesday in Tampa, and a frustrating four errors last night in The Bronx. Of these, Jazz Chisholm, Jr. is responsible for two, both being throwing errors, further underscoring the team’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Jazz Chisholm says the four errors tonight don't concern him:
"I feel like we have great fielders on the team, we've got a bunch of Gold Glovers in the infield" pic.twitter.com/5z18DyckFu
The Yankees’ internal narrative, championed by manager Aaron Boone, dismisses any fundamental issues despite glaring on-field inconsistencies. The media struggles to challenge Boone’s strategic decisions, facing significant pushback when questioning the team’s performance. This resistance to scrutiny raises concerns among fans and analysts, who doubt the team’s self-assessment aligns with reality.
Boone said they liked the matchup with Jazz vs. Matz. That’s why they didn’t pinch hit. Asked why, Boone repeated he liked the matchup.
What seems more mind-boggling is how the Yankees’ offensive performance has been so wildly inconsistent. On Wednesday in Tampa, the Yankees managed 2 runs over 6 innings against Rasmussen, a pitcher who boasted a career ERA against the Yankees under 1 going into that game. The ultimate outcome was particularly frustrating, especially considering the near-perfect game bid by Schlittler on the Yankees’ side. The relief pitching left a lot to be desired, particularly that from the newly acquired David Bednar, who consequently blew the game but earned the win.
Aaron Judge gets the scoring started in Tampa on August 19, 2025, with a home run (40) to center field (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
The Yankees’ dominant offensive performance against Baz on Tuesday, despite a rain delay, was somewhat expected. Baz had been struggling, allowing 23 runs in his previous 25 innings (an 8.28 ERA). However, the extent of the Yankees’ offensive explosion, 16-for-42, hitting .381, was unanticipated. This makes their subsequent struggle against Boston even more frustrating. The stark contrast is jarring: against the Red Sox, the Yankees regressed significantly, going a mere 8-for-35 for a paltry .229 batting average. The question remains: why can’t the Yankees find a consistent rhythm at the plate? This inconsistency, showcasing both offensive brilliance and perplexing futility within days, is a constant source of bewilderment for fans.
Aaron Boone addresses the media ahead of the game versus the Rays at Steinbrenner Field on August 20, 2025 (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
The New York Yankees are at a critical point. Despite internal reassurances, their current performance is unacceptable, stemming from issues in the front office, analytics, or player execution. Fan patience is wearing thin after a disappointing 2023 season, plus there is a 15-plus year championship drought that is lingering. Two theories exist: either the Yankees know what adjustments are needed but fail to implement them, or they are actively experimenting to maximize the roster’s potential (my bet is on the latter). Individual successes like Trent Grisham’s and Giancarlo Stanton’s strong offensive performances this season suggest some positive analytical or coaching impacts, but these haven’t translated to overall consistent team performance. The organization’s future depends on identifying and solving these core issues before fan apathy takes hold.
The similarities between the Yankees’ owned-and-operated Tampa Tarpons and the Major League Club have been very apparent in August, after the Tarpons won the 4-game set in Fort Myers (Twins), and they had an incredibly lopsided win versus Bradenton (Pirates) to open their last home stand of the season on Tuesday night. A significant part of Tampa’s recent success has been on the back of 2025 1st round selection Dax Kilby, who since recording his first pro hit on August 14, has gone 12-for-30, hitting .400/.471/.500/.971 in the past 7 games with 2 doubles, a triple, and 6 RBI, including a 4-for-5 night with 3 RBI and a triple on August 26. .400/.471/.500/.971
Kilby’s late season performance is similar to that of which the Major League Yankees are experiencing with Giancarlo Stanton. In the last 15 games, Stanton is hitting 17-for-37, good for a .459/.535/1.108/1.643 and has driven in 18 RBI. Obviously, they’re two totally different hitters, and I’d be plenty happy to see consistent contact from Kilby if it’s not the insane kind of power that Stanton provides the Yankees, but both have been having an incredible past few weeks.
The Yankees have done incredibly well drafting shortstops the past few years, with their #1 prospect as their 2023 1st round pick, George Lombard Jr, doing decently well in Double-A Somerset (.208/.330/.339/.669). Then we get to Volpe, who did decently well in the Minors, like Lombard, but is one of the worst hitters in baseball, currently.
Anthony Volpe’s story was one that tugged on your heartstrings. The kid that grew up in Manhattan with Derek Jeter as his idol, then in a borough just outside where the Somerset Patriots play, was selected as a 1st round pick in 2019 by the Yankees. He debuted with (then) Short Season Pulaski in the Appalachian League in 2019, hitting .215 in 34 games. Draftees don’t typically do well their first year as they adapt to pro ball, so that’s a stat that one could usually toss aside.
He made his full-season debut in 2021, splitting exactly half the season with Low-A Tampa for the first 54 games and 55 games with High-A Hudson Valley.
In 2021, he slashed .294/.423/.604/.1.027. His performance that season got both scouts and fans excited about the potential that Volpe had. He was completing plays efficiently, but still recorded 13 errors that season between Tampa (6) and HV (7). He would duplicate that in 2022, recording 13 errors between Somerset (11) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (2). Both his offensive and defensive performances have only worsened since his Minor League career, though, with Volpe recording 17 errors in 2023, 16 in 2024 and 17 to date in 2025. While Volpe only spent 22 games in AAA, he hit similarly there to what he did last year: .236/.313/.404/.717 in 22 G, 24.7 K% in AAA; .243/.274/.400/.674, 26.7 K% in MLB, 2024.
However, while this season by Volpe seems worse than any others on the surface, in many respects, it is still better than that of his rookie campaign. It’s definitely fair to say that that’s a low bar. While the batting average is similar (.204 to date versus .209 in 2023), he has more doubles (26 vs 23), more RBI (65 vs 60), and is striking out at a better rate (26.8% vs. 30.9%). While obviously those numbers aren’t spectacular, and he’s most definitely in a slump of some kind of late, hitting 18-for-106 in his last 30 games (.170/.207/.368/.575), it’s possible that the changes to his swing mechanics are what’s causing the decline in offensive performance.
Returning to the Tarpons and Yankees, both teams have not had a spectacular last few weeks in the standings, with Tampa sitting at 2nd from last in their division at 9.5 GB, despite going 6-4 in their last 10 games, and have been a .500 team in August (11-11). The Yankees, having played one more game than Tampa, are at an incredibly similar 12-11 (.522). Where things start to differ is when you look at the run differential. The Yankees have a positive run differential of over 100, while the Tarpons are +30 on the season.
Both the Yankees and Tarpons have unreliable bullpens. Case in point: On August 28, Allen Facundo threw 4 shutout innings, only allowing 2 hits and 5 walks, but reliever (and former two-way player) Josh Tiedemann came in to relieve Facundo, and gave up 3 runs in 2 IP, blowing any chances of the Tarpons winning since they only scored one run.
Where does that sound familiar? Maybe you can refer to Luis Gil’s game on August 21 vs. Boston where he went 5 IP, allowed 1 ER (2 R) on 4 H and 5 BB with 3 K but got no run support. Further, Camilo Doval came in behind him, and recorded a blown save (his 6th!) by allowing 1 run (earned) on 2 H and a BB. Like the Tarpons’ situation, the Yankees failed to provide their pitching any run support.
While it’s fair to criticize a minor league team in certain respects (the Tarpons have been frustrating to watch at times), one needs to remember that the farm teams exist purely to develop young men into potential Major League talent. It’s a gamble. I don’t think anyone predicted that Ben Rice would be performing as well as he is in the Majors when he took his first few ABs in the Yankees system in 2021. He looked impressive while he was in Tampa, but not this impressive. On the flip side, considering Volpe was named Florida State League Player of the Month for June 2021 on his last month in Tampa, he looked every bit the superstar he was touted to be.
Do we, both fans and media, need to give Volpe a little more time to figure things out? I think that time has ended. His stats are consistent, and this is who he is. The Yankees can possibly unlock something, since, after all, they have 5+ years of video and analytics to look at. There truly is no good option here, especially when you look at possibly sending him down to AAA or even AA, other than sitting him for a while as they possibly work on things in the background, and they play Jose Caballero instead.
Where do the Tarpons fit in here? They have a similar shortstop situation. They also have a shortstop/2B that’s been very inconsistent the past two seasons, and that’s likely why he’s been passed up on promotions over others like Lombard, named Roderick Arias. In July, he slashed .213/.330/.375/.705 and drove in 13 RBI in 80 AB. In August so far, he’s slashing .298/.392/.429/.821 with 14 RBI in 84 AB. Compare that to the .155/.302/.254/.556 slash he had in April. It’s just like last season, too.
The Yankees need to take a hard look at their team and the organization as a whole, as there are too many consistencies between the Tarpons and Yankees, plus their shortstop situation with the two teams is rather ironic. On behalf of both fans and media, this needs to happen soon, because too much talent is going to waste in the Bronx and too many of those guys deserve a ring.
I was fortunate to have been able to get a brief first look in the first half of a doubleheader in Tampa recently at some of the kids drafted by the Yankees in the 2025 MLB Draft. This isn’t the full class, of course; pitchers won’t make their professional debut until the 2026 season at the earliest (barring any potential injury or surgery), and a handful of position players like Kaeden Kent, Core Jackson and Robbie Burnett went straight to High-A Hudson Valley. Regardless, it was good to finally put faces with names, and see what some of them were capable of. Additionally, I was even more fortunate to have been able to see 1st rounder, Dax Kilby, record his first professional hit. It should be noted that I did not have access to batting practice, so I cannot comment on any power potentials.
I will grade Kilby, since he was who I paid the most attention to, but will have blurbs for the others that I saw. I will also include videos of the respective players (if available) from a YouTube video I have uploaded to the YS channel.
Kilby has a tall, thin frame with long levers and lots of room to grow. He stands with a very slight crouch at the plate, in the center-rear of the left-handed batter’s box, holding the bat at a nearly directly vertical angle with moderate bat waggle. Kilby has a quick, compact-ish swing given his frame, and has a small leg kick, only enough to pick up his foot an inch or so off the ground.
There is a lot to like here, and I can see why the Yankees chose Kilby as their first round selection. His speed was the initial thing to impress: he nearly beat out a dribbler that ultimately went 6-3 by running from HP to 1B in 4.01 seconds. While it took him until his 4th game and 9th professional at-bat to record his first hit, Kilby hit it over second base at 96.7 MPH as a line drive into shallow center field. Kilby obviously has a good sense for swing decisions, considering that despite that hitless deficit he had yet to record a strikeout, and It’s difficult to gauge true power without having access to batting practice, so he earned an “average” there just to seem neutral. Kilby was quick on his feet to field balls hit to him and did not hesitate to quickly discard balls over to the first baseman.
OF Richie Bonomolo, Jr.
DOB: 10/30/2003 (21)
HT: 5-11
WT: 190
H/T: R/R
Acquired: 2025 7th Round (Alabama)
Highest Level: Low-A
ETA: 2029
2025 Rank: Unranked / 50 OFP
Yankees OF prospect Richie Bonomolo Jr. (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
Bonomolo has a compact but muscular frame, similar to that of Brett Gardner (also 5-11, 195). He stands in the back corner of the right-handed batter’s box. Bonomolo has a high and prolonged leg kick, placing a lot of his weight on his back leg ahead of the swing. He also has the quickest swing speed of the group I saw, reminding me of when I saw Clint Frazier in Tampa.
Bonomolo put up solid power numbers with Alabama, but has yet to go yard professionally. Considering how high his leg kick is and his upper-body musculature, expectations are high for Bonomolo to put up 20+ HR/season. I didn’t get a spectacular look at Bonomolo, offensively speaking, but he’s mechanically sound and there is nothing of immediate concern to me with his game play. He ran good routes, but were not incredibly efficient and will need some work. Regardless, he executed plays well, and has an average arm. If the Yankees get even a significant fraction of the output that Gardner had as a 7th round pick, Bonomolo will become a solid prospect. He is unranked currently as there are other prospects more deserving of Top 30 placement, but I can see him landing on a list before too long.
1B Kyle West
DOB: 11/02/2002 (22)
HT: 6-4
WT: 195
H/T: L/R
Acquired: 2025 13th Round (West Virginia)
Highest Level: Low-A
ETA: 2029
2025 Rank: Unranked / 50 OFP
Yankees INF prospect Kyle West (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
Like Kilby, West has a tall, thin frame (taller than Kilby at 6-4 vs 6-2) with long levers and room to grow in the torso. West’s frame reminds me of that of what Spencer Jones looked like shortly after he was drafted from Vanderbilt. I think that kind of musculature should be something that can be expected of West. West has a rather open, erect stance in the back of the batter’s box, holding his bat above his shoulder nearly parallel with the ground. He also has a moderate leg kick with what appears to be average swing speed.
The most impressive part of West’s game is his defense, and he made a difficult pick off of a very off-line throw to first base in one situation. West went 0-for-3 in this game, but the swing mechanics are sound, even if the swing decisions may not be just yet. It’s still incredibly early to offer offensive predictions, but he does appear to be a streaky hitter. However, he suffered an ankle injury in Saturday’s game and has since been placed on the 7-day injured list.
Martin-Grudzielanek has a tall, athletic build with room to grow, with a frame reminiscent of Derek Jeter (6-3, 195). Considering he has been playing 3B, I don’t know if building a lot more muscle is the way to go. Martin-Grudzielanek has an open stance with a slight crouch, standing at the back of the batter’s box. He has a very minor, and quick, leg kick with average bat speed.
Martin-Grudzielanek has been the most impressive of the group drafted considering the Yankees selected him at the end of the draft in the 20th round, and a lot of that may be attributed to the bloodline with his father, Mark. Martin-Grudzielanek has a good feel for the game at 3B, and his athleticism and ability to read plays is above-average. His arm is average to above-average, and he has good range, but he did make an off-line throw to 1B where the 1B had to really stretch to make the play. Despite this, Martin-Grudzielanek has well-below-average speed running down the line. Martin-Grudzielanek’s bat is average to above-average, and on the day of the game, he had the highest batting average (8-for-23, .348) of the team, and the second-highest OPS (.878) behind Marshall Toole (2024, 15th round).
“Cash-god” made LOTS of moves at the deadline. It was without a doubt one of the biggest trade deadlines we’ve seen in a while across all of baseball (unless your team is named the Braves) in what we were told was going to be one of the quietest years because “no one was available”.
The Yankees completed 10 trades ahead of the deadline, with the majority coming on deadline day. The team experiences big improvements in both talent and depth overall, and many can see this as a Brian Cashman masterclass.
However, looking at the moves made at the trade deadline from the perspective of a prospect hugger, I’m heartbroken as I am every year, despite knowing that many of these guys will get better opportunities with their respective new organizations. Below, I’ll discuss the prospects, something that you won’t necessarily read about. You’ll see countless articles about what the Yankees gained, but not necessarily what they lost in exchange.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired infielder Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league pitchers Josh Grosz and Griffin Herring.
Herring carried most of the weight in this trade as he’s shown so far this season that he could be a potential #2/#3 starter in the Majors. Herring threw 89.1 innings, permitting a 1.71 ERA while with the Yankees’ Low-A (Tampa) and High-A (Hudson Valley), plus a 10.28 K/9, a 3.63 BB/9 and a 0.30 HR/9.
Grosz had 15 starts with High-A Hudson Valley, where he threw a 4.14 ERA in 87 innings. He had a 9.72 K/9, a 3.62 BB/9 and a 0.52 HR/9. Grosz didn’t impress me nearly as much in his time in Tampa last season when compared to Herring, but he provides more starting pitching depth for the Rockies farm system.
This trade can be graded an A, because while the Yankees gave up one of their most-promising newly acquired arms in Herring, Colorado is taking on the full contract of McMahon.
Two days later, the Yankees acquired INF/OF Amed Rosario from the Nationals for RHP Clayton Beeter and OF Browm Martínez.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired infielder/outfielder Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals in exchange for right-handed pitcher Clayton Beeter and outfielder Browm Martínez.
Beeter was easily the one name that most fans knew because of some time spent in the Bronx, but fans were very much in the dark on Martinez, who is an outfielder in the Dominican Summer League.
Martinez spent 2024 & 2025 with the DSL NYY Bombers, hitting a combined .320/.426/.419/.845 in 56 games, including 3 HR this season and 35 total RBI. There’s not much video out there in the wild (in fact none I could find unless I actively watch a broadcast game and cut something myself), but I understand he was one of the better hitters on the DSL Bombers, especially this year. Martinez held a .404 batting average with a 1.139 OPS; something definitely clicked this year.
This trade can be graded a B-, because Rosario is a free agent at the end of this season (a “rental”) and there is so much potential with Martinez given how he’s performed in the DSL. However, players can fall apart that early in their careers, and I’ve seen it happen a handful of times where making the move to the States and playing in the FCL or in Low-A Tampa was too much for a prospect.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have traded right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations.
The return for Carrasco has yet to have been announced, and may not be for a while, but Carrasco provided solid depth, plus veteran experience, to the Triple-A RailRiders.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired outfielder Austin Slater from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league pitcher Gage Ziehl.
Ziehl was a 4th round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Miami (FL) and had been doing well this season (4.17 ERA in 82-⅓ IP), recently earning himself a promotion. In fact, Ziehl only made one appearance with High-A Hudson Valley, where he allowed 1 run (earned) on 3 hits, no walks and struck out 3.
This trade can be graded an A-, because the Yankees had to make a move with the potential that Judge is out for the rest of the season. Slater is a “rental”, but he’s also a minimal hit to the salary cap at $564,540, so the one-for-one deal is solid.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor league catchers Rafael Flores and Edgleen Pérez, and minor league outfielder Brian Sánchez.
While I completely understand the level of talent the Yankees acquired with this deal, this trade hurt the most. I had liked what I had seen of all of these prospects, especially Flores, but even Pérez and Sánchez had shown a lot of promise in Tampa this season.
The way I view this move is that they were making room for other talent to shine within the system. Flores is an easy fit for Pittsburgh with their former #1 overall pick, Henry Davis, really struggling at the plate, but it’s kind of crazy to think that a JuCo kid that went undrafted has the potential to be the #1 backstop ahead of a top pick in the prior draft. A lot of that speaks to the quality of talent that Flores is, but also is kudos to the Yankees scouting team under Damon Oppenheimer. A lot of this trade deadline is, to be fair.
Pérez and Sánchez have the potential to be very good pieces in the future, but I struggle to project Sánchez favorably given what I have seen. Sánchez had a relatively high K rate (23.4%) but also worked a lot of walks (12.6%). He also had a slash of .281/.373/.438/.811 in Low-A Tampa with a 129 wRC+.
Pérez had a lot of commonalities at the plate with Sánchez in that he also worked a lot of walks (17.9%) and had a moderately high K rate (19.5%), slashing .209/.369/.236/.604 with a 91 wRC+. He was by far a defense-first catcher, and that’s mostly what the Pirates are getting here.
For those not familiar with the headlining piece of the return, Rafael Flores was a 2022 undrafted free agent out of Rio Hondo Junior College in California. Between AA and AAA this season, Flores played in 97 games, batting a combined .279/.351/.475/.825 with a wRC+ of 141.
This trade can be graded a B-, because while Bednar will be a restricted free agent that will likely end up in arbitration, at the end of the day, he may end up being a “rental”. Most of what the Yankees are paying for in prospects was with Flores, and he seemed to be lined up to be Wells’ backup in the Bronx this September. It’s too early to properly project how the other two prospects in the deal will perform. The Yankees are only taking on $1.87M in contract responsibility in 2025.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired right-handed pitcher Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league infielder Roc Riggio and left-handed pitcher Ben Shields.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees have designated OF Bryan de…
Roc Riggio, aside from having an incredible baseball name, has been one of the most fun baseball players to watch in a while. Riggio was acquired in 2023 as a 4th round selection out of Oklahoma State. He struggled in his first few games with the org., spending 22 games between FCL and Tampa, batting under the Mendoza line. However, his grit while on defense was what caught my attention. Riggio’s MLB comparison is frequently Dustin Pedroia, and between the lefty bat and that aforementioned grit, I totally see it. 2025 has been his best season yet, despite starting the year on the IL because of a wrist injury. Riggio has spent the bulk of the season in AA Somerset, where he batted .261/.335/.542/.877.
Shields was a teammate of Riggio’s in AA Somerset and was one of their more consistent starters. The lefty thrower held a 3 ERA throughout much of 2025, along with a 1.23 WHIP, and he’s roughly held the same kind of stats throughout his career. Shields was originally an undrafted free agent in 2021 out of UMass, as he is a Boston native.
This trade can be graded an A, given Riggio will likely land a starting second-baseman role with the Rockies since he currently has no path considering the performance that Jazz Chisholm, Jr. has been producing in the Bronx. Shields is more minor league depth and may end up as a back-end starter or long reliever type.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired minor league outfielder Wilberson De Peña and international bonus pool money from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for INF Oswald Peraza.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired minor league outfielder Wilberson De Peña and international bonus pool money from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for INF Oswald Peraza.
I think it’s safe to say that everyone reading this knows very well who Peraza is, so let’s discuss the return in this trade.
— MiLB Angels HR Video (@MiLBAngelsHR) July 29, 2025
The 18-year-old prospect played for the DSL Angels in both 2024 and 2025 with exceptionally consistent stats: 226/.340/.394/.734. De Peña hit his first professional home run, plus 3 more, this season as he appears to have discovered some pop in his bat, while reducing his walk rate. De Peña hit 6 doubles and a triple this year in addition to those 4 homers, compared to a double and a triple and no home runs last season.
This trade can be graded as an A+ because Peraza truly had no home in the Bronx, as awful as that may be to write. He proved that he was more qualified than Volpe for the starting shortstop role in 2023, but they went with the kid from Jersey over the Venezuelan for reasons we may never know. Peraza may be more bench depth with Zach Neto at SS and Yoan Moncada at third, but that’s for the Angels to decide.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired infielder/outfielder José Caballero from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for outfielder Everson Pereira and a player to be named later or cash considerations.
This is also a pretty cut-and-dry trade as no prospects were dealt.
This trade feels like an A+ in the respect that Pereira has the opportunity to play every day with the Rays and will be closer to home if he’s assigned to the big league club, and Caballero will be an upgrade over what they already have with Oswaldo being on the IL considering the utility and speed.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired RHP Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for minor leaguers C Jesús Rodríguez, RHP Trystan Vrieling, INF Parks Harber and LHP Carlos de la Rosa.
This trade was quite a haul, as one would expect, considering what Doval can potentially bring to the table. With the bullpen completely gassed, Doval can potentially be inserted in as set-up man, closer, etc. Truly however Aaron Boone sees fit.
Jesús Rodríguez and Trystan Vrieling were the headliners in this trade, and in my opinion, more the former than the latter. Rodríguez has become quite the utility player over the past few years with the Yankees, as he has developed into another Oswaldo Cabrera of sorts. Rodríguez can play every position on the diamond except for second base and pitcher, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he could end up in either spot in a pinch. In 78 games with AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Rodríguez slashed .317/.409/.430/.839 with 14 doubles, 3 triples and 5 home runs.
Yankees C prospect Jesus Rodriguez has been red-hot lately. Last 20 AAA games: .301/.414/.494, 4 HR (2 on Sunday), 7 XBH.
Scrappy player, great bat to ball. Throwing out 36% of attempted base stealers. Still just 23 years old. pic.twitter.com/LQ7tT7erYu
Vrieling has had a number of struggles a bit lately in AA Somerset and his stats reflect that. Originally drafted as a 3rd round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, he missed all of 2023 due to injury, and made his professional debut in Double-A in 2024, throwing a 4.58 ERA. This season, he started the season late due to injury, but in Somerset, threw in 46 innings, recording a 4.50 ERA, an 8.22 K/9 and a 3.52 BB/9. There is definite potential, though, and especially of late, and hopefully the Giants can unlock it.
Must see T-V! 📺
Trystan Vrieling (@Yankees No. 21 prospect) continues to shove in July with five innings, allowing three runs on four strikeouts.
Parks Harber was a 2024 UDFA signing out of North Carolina, but has been one of the more impressive undrafted bats of his class. Harber was promoted at the end of April to High-A Hudson Valley after recording a .304/.422/.551/.973 slash in Tampa but has kept up that performance, hitting over .300 in HV. I mostly saw Harber play first base, but he’s listed as a third baseman in his MiLB profile, and has better stats at 1B (.992 fpct vs .943 fpct at 3B).
17-year-old left-handed pitcher Carlos de la Rosa spent the entire season in the Dominican Summer League, appearing in only 7 games and 22 innings of work. He recorded a 5.32 ERA and has never truly had a quality start with the DSL NYY Yankees, allowing at least 1 run with a handful of hits in an average of 3 IP. That said, he’s striking batters out at an insane rate of 14.73 K/9, with a remarkably low 2.05 BB/9. There’s definitely talent there, but he needs to control his pitches a teeny bit better to truly take advantage of that K/9 and BB/9.
This trade can be graded an A, considering the talent acquired and what was sent to the Giants in return. I think the true headlining prospect in this exchange was Rodríguez, with Harber being a close second. As noted previously, it’s difficult to project future potential in guys like Harber and de la Rosa, especially with the latter, because you don’t know how they will handle the more advanced levels as they progress through the respective team’s system.
Overall, Cashman did exceptionally well in this trade deadline. His work, and that of the scouting team and the player development team deserve kudos by Yankees fans and prospect fans alike. I think no one got “fleeced” too much, per se, and the Yankees didn’t give up any significant names like Jones, Lombard or Lagrange. This all deserves an A-.
What would have made it a little better was to secure players with a little more control and have the sending teams absorb the salary hit, like that of McMahon.
The MLB trade deadline is less than a week away, and teams are typically scurrying around to various Minor League affiliates of the organizations they want to make deals with. In regard to the upcoming trade deadline, teams may seek to flip prospects they’ll have to protect by adding to the 40-man roster instead of losing them for essentially nothing in December. What tends to happen is that teams are more likely to part with Minor League Players that they’re hesitant to protect in potential trade talks with other teams in exchange for a Major Leaguer that can help the team now. It’s typically a huge risk for both the team sending the prospect away and the one taking on the responsibility of developing that prospect into a quality talent that can one day help the Major League team.
With rumors swirling as always this time of year, the Yankees have a number of decisions to make when dealing with other teams. In addition to the 32 players already “Rule 5” eligible, the Yankees have a number of other players soon to be eligible, as seen in the chart below. In regard to the upcoming Rule 5 draft, the Yankees have to urgently decide on 30 prospects, as we’ll get into below.
Of the 30 players that are Rule 5 eligible this December, a handful are recognizable among those who follow the system, and have the potential of getting called up when rosters expand in September.
Spencer Jones
OF Spencer Jones (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
If there’s anyone with household name recognition of the prospects listed, it’s likely Spencer Jones. “The lefty Judge” has been demolishing baseballs (they have a mother, you know) in Triple-A. In Triple-A, he’s on such an insane home run hitting pace, that in a 162-game season, he would hit 110 home runs. I had to check my math a few times, but he has hit 13 homers in 19 games, which works out to .68 HR/game. While his K% is still high (25.8%), it’s the lowest since his very abridged time in Tampa.
Regardless, it feels fair to expect that either the Yankees flip him for a significant name that they can retain for a few years, or he gets protected by getting added to the 40-man around the beginning of December.
Rafael Flores
C Rafael Flores (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
An undrafted free agent in 2022, the same year that Jones was signed, out of a junior college southeast of LA, Flores broke into pro baseball with a literal bang. While he only spent 4 regular season games in the Florida Complex League (Rookie-level), he slashed .429/.429/.929/1.358 with 6 RBI, then in 3 postseason games where the FCL Yankees won the League Championship, he slashed .545/.583/1.182/1.765 with 3 RBI. The Yankees apparently liked that performance enough that he skipped Low-A Tampa entirely and started 2023 in High-A Hudson Valley.
The Yankees have been playing Flores like a lot of their other catchers in the system (think Ben Rice) in that he also plays 1B in addition to catcher, but he has nearly 5x the time behind the plate compared to at 1B this season. Of the group listed, Flores is the most likely candidate to get traded unless the Yankees trade Escarra, then he may be protected and possibly called up in 2026 (they would likely defer to calling up Jesus Rodriguez first since he’s already on the 40-man).
Chase Hampton
RHP Chase Hampton (Courtesy: Somerset Patriots)
It’s a little difficult to predict what the Yankees may do with Hampton or how they value him considering the injuries he’s dealt with in the past 18 months. Hampton missed significant time last season, only pitching in 18-2/3 innings in 2024, with 13 of those innings on rehab. It was then announced this March that he would have to have season-ending Tommy John surgery, so likely we won’t see him until around April. However, Hampton has still put up decent numbers in his time with the organization, throwing a combined 3.63 ERA, along with a 12.23 K/9 and 3.12 BB/9.
Hampton may be a part of trade discussions, but it’s unclear whether they may or may not protect him.
Jace Avina
OF Jace Avina (Courtesy: Somerset Patriots)
Avina was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in November 2023 as part of the trade that sent them Jake Bauers, and he’s done well since he’s been with the Yankees. Nothing particularly stands out about Avina other than he has solid bat-to-ball skills and has a good sense of his speed (which he has plenty of). Avina isn’t much of a power hitter, but in 61 games, he has already matched the amount of homers hit last season (10).
Avina may be a small part of trade discussions because of the consistency he’s provided to the Yankees, but otherwise don’t expect him to go anywhere.
Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz
Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (Courtesy: Hudson Valley Renegades/Dave Janosz)
Rodriguez-Cruz, or ERC as he’s affectionately called by many on social media, has been an outstanding return in exchange for C Carlos Narváez from the Red Sox. While he’s struggled early after getting promoted to Double-A, Rodriguez-Cruz posted a 2.26 ERA in High-A, along with a 10.65 K/9 and 3.98 BB/9 in 83-2/3 IP. He mostly throws a fastball/sinker combo that sits high-90s and reaches 97 MPH, along with a low-90s change-up and a high-70s 12-6 curveball, and has good command of the zone.
I would expect that if Rodriguez-Cruz is dealt, it’s likely as part of a package (like with Jones) for someone that the Yankees can hang on to for a few years, considering he seems like a sure bet to be a Major Leaguer some day. I would also expect that the Yankees protect him in whichever way possible.
Geoffrey Gilbert
Yankees LHP prospect Geoffrey Gilbert winds up to throw a pitch (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
Gilbert threw in only 7 IP last year before landing on the 60-day, then full-season, IL, but he only allowed a hit and two walks in that span. Fast-forward to this year, and while Gilbert doesn’t have that kind of quality, he’s still throwing exceptional, reliable relief innings as a setup man: 2.42 ERA, 13.15 K/9, 4.15 BB/9. In his heyday, Mariano Rivera wasn’t throwing strikes anywhere near that rate. Of note, Gilbert somehow isn’t on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 (he would be on my Top 30), so it’s unclear how the Yankees value him.
I would imagine, though, considering he was used in a relief inning this past February during Spring Training, that he’s valued at least somewhat high. At the same time, most prospects can be moved for the right price/player, and I suspect that’s the case here.
Allen Facundo
LHP Allen Facundo (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
Facundo is only just returning from a lengthy Tommy John recovery and rehab, but given the numbers he’s put up in the few outings since being back, it’s likely that he’s on someone’s radar. In his most recent outing in Dunedin, Facundo was averaging mid-90s on his heater, with velos nearly reaching triple digits (99.7), something new for him. He also threw a mid-80s slider, which I recall moving like a Wiffle Ball, along with one change-up which was thrown at 90 MPH.
Like Gilbert, I’m unsure how the Yankees value Facundo, as like Gilbert, he’s missed the last year so he’ll need some time to get re-ranked in the system. I suspect he stays put until at least next season, where he’ll be moved up and exposed to scouts in the Northeast.
Below you can find all (or most at least) players that are Rule 5 eligible, along with those having eligibility nearing, in PDF form. Data is courtesy Fangraphs.
Carsten Charles (CC) Sabathia Jr. is only a few days away from immortality, with his Baseball Hall of Fame induction only a little over a week away. The ceremony will be held on July 27, 2025, in Cooperstown, NY, a quiet hamlet a few hours west of Albany, tucked away in the Catskills.
Sabathia had an incredible career: A 6-time All-Star (3 consecutive years, 2010-2012, with the Yankees), Cy Young winner (2007, Cleveland), 2009 ALCS MVP, 2009 World Series champion, MLB wins leader in 2009 & 2010, over 3,000 strikeouts (3,093) and 251 career victories. Sabathia also ended his career with a career ERA of 3.74 and a win-loss record of 251-161 (61%)
Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia throws a pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics Monday, June 25, 2007, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. Sabathia was credited with his 11th win of the season in the Indians’ 5-2 victory. Photo Credit: Jeff Glidden/AP
Originally drafted by the (then) Cleveland Indians in 1998 as their first round selection (20th overall), Sabathia made his Major League debut on April 8, 2001, as the youngest player in the Majors at 20 years old, where he pitched in 5-2/3 innings versus the Orioles, allowing 3 hits and 3 earned runs while walking 2 batters and striking out 3. Later in 2001, he would end up 2nd voting for the AL Rookie of the Year behind fellow Class of 2025 Hall of Famer, and former fellow Yankee, Ichiro Suzuki.
Sabathia had an incredible career with the Indians over the course of the next 7 years, amassing an ERA of 3.83 and 1,265 strikeouts in 1528-2/3 innings of work over 237 games, including being named to the All-Star team 3 times (2003, 2004, 2007).
Sabathia spent one year in Milwaukee after being traded by the Indians on July 7, 2008, helping the Brewers clinch the NL Wild Card by pitching a complete-game against the Cubs, allowing only 4 hits, a walk and a run, while striking out 7 batters. He only pitched in one postseason game that year, allowing 5 runs (all earned) on 6 hits, 4 walks and a home run in 3-2/3 innings pitched. However, despite that poor postseason showing, Sabathia recorded a 2.70 ERA in 35 starts between both Cleveland and Milwaukee going into free agency.
The Yankees signed Sabathia to a seven-year, $161 million contract on December 18, 2008, the largest contract for a pitcher in MLB history (at the time). It’s probably fair to say that most readers here can remember where they were when the deal was announced, and again when Sabathia was introduced to the media while wearing the Yankee Pinstripes for the first time.
Sabathia was the starter for the 2009 season, where he went on to pitch 230 innings, and recorded 197 strikeouts (a figure he would also record two more times over the next three years), while ending the regular season with a 3.37 ERA. In 36-1/3 innings of work in the 2009 postseason, Sabathia threw a 1.98 ERA, allowing only 8 earned runs, while striking out 32 batters. This led him to be named the 2009 ALCS MVP.
Sabathia’s best season with the Yankees was in 2011, where he tossed a neat 3 ERA in 237-1/3 innings pitched, while striking out 230 batters, the most strikeouts he would record in pinstripes. However, he was one of the most consistent starters the Yankees had during the 2010s. In 1688 innings between 2010 and 2019, Sabathia threw an ERA of 3.87 (725 ER), while recording 1,503 strikeouts (8.01 K/9) and 509 walks (2.71 BB/9).
Sabathia may be best known by Yankees fans for his “bulldog” attitude, though. He was nearly always fired up on the mound, and the Yankees haven’t had that kind of presence out there since he retired at the end of the 2019 season. Probably most memorably for fans was the moment in 2018 where Sabathia forwent a $500,000 bonus as a result of hitting Jesus Sucre after the Rays zipped a fastball by Austin Romine’s ear.
An 11-0 margin in the final game between the @RaysBaseball and the Yankees this season. Sure, go ahead and intentionally hit a person. Today's game is live on FOX Sports Sun and FOX Sports Go. #RaysUppic.twitter.com/p4tPs06CHo
— FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun (@FanDuelSN_FL) September 27, 2018
Ironically, Sabathia’s 3,000th strikeout came on former Yankees prospect John Ryan Murphy on April 30, 2019, the final year of the career. The Baseball Hall of Fame have a fantastic interview conducted by the BBHOF after that moment to read for those interested.
Since being retired, Yankees fans most commonly see Sabathia as an invited guest to Spring Training, where this past year, he met with current Yankees starters Carlos Rodón and Max Fried, along with retired starters Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. Sabathia works with pitchers during bullpens and stands behind the netting the Yankees place behind the mound on the main field at Steinbrenner Field with other guests and Yankees coaches.
L tor R: Carlos Rodón, Roger Clemens, Steve Donohue, Andy Pettitte, Max Fried, and CC Sabathia (John Brophy/John Brophy Baseball)
During Sabathia’s media availability earlier this afternoon, he noted that right after he was named an inductee as part of this year’s class, he had to keep reminding himself why people were congratulating him, saying “Every time I see somebody they, like, they say, congratulations. And I’m like, “for what?” So, you know, just, you know, having that, you know, since January to now, you know, it’s kind of been like a celebration, you know? Every time you see somebody, it’s you know, “Congratulations”, and “How’s the speech coming along?” And so, you know, you get the daily reminder every day.”
Sabathia also noted about how he’s looking forward to Hall of Fame Weekend: “Um, you know, for me, it’s, uh, just exciting to be able to have my family there. Have so many different people from my hometown, um. So, I’m just I’m ready to be, you know, up there and be present. And you know, I’m not, you know, I have a lot of anxiety about the speech, obviously. If anybody knows me, I don’t like to really talk in front of people. So, a 10-minute speech in front of a crowd is gonna be, uh, interesting, but I’m ready to be in the moment and be excited and be with my family, and, and, uh, and celebrate the moment.”
Sabathia also stated that other Hall of Famers have been in contact with him lately, offering congratulations and other words, from teammate Derek Jeter, to Chipper Jones, whom he met in Atlanta during the All-Star festivities, to Ferguson Jenkins, Ken Griffey Jr. and Eddie Murray.
Sabathia also discussed what it meant to him to be a black ace pitcher and the third Black pitcher with 3,000 strikeouts, and how he’s helping the next generation of Black pitchers through The Players’ Alliance. Sabathia named Rays pitcher Taj Bradley, and Reds pitchers Chase Burns and Hunter Green, saying that he doesn’t want to be the last Black pitcher to win 20 games or last Black pitcher Hall of Famer and that he was excited to help motivate the next generation of Black starting pitchers.
Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe asked about his most memorable Yankees vs. Red Sox game, to which Sabathia noted “probably the Tyler Austin fight”.
Sabathia: “I remember, I feel like my kind of, like, “Welcome to the Yankees”, when I became a Yankee moment happened against the Red Sox, um, late in 2009, I had to start against them early August. It’s a big series. I think we were kind of chasing. I don’t think we were in first place yet. And I went out, I got through eight innings, gave up one run, and um. That picture that I that, you know, Ari (Ariele Goldman Hecht) took the Yankee photographer. It’s kind of like, my favorite picture, um, that I’ve had as a Yankee, you know, walking off, like, kind of being hyped, and um, I feel like that was my like, “Welcome to the Yankees”. I became a Yankee in that moment, so that that’s the the biggest moment I think I’ll take away from the rivalry was being able to have a big game, and you know, pitch well.”
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge puts Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Joe Kelly in a headlock after Kelly hit Yankees’ Tyler Austin with a pitch during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (Charles Krupa/AP)
“But yeah, I mean, I’m serious about the Tyler Austin fight because in 2000… I think that was in 2017, um, we had that fight with Boston, and then we had a, another fight with the Tigers in Detroit. And I was, you know that team was young. That was a young Aaron Judge, that was a young Gary Sanchez, and you know, after, we kind of, you know, took up for each other in those moments, I’m like, “Oh yeah, this team has a chance to be really good.” And you know, that was a year we went off to the ALCS, so play in game seven. So, um, you know, you have those moments, and it kind of brings you together. And you know, that moment we had in Boston 2017 with that team was one of those.”
In June 2023, they played 23 games and went 11-12 (.478); this past June, they played 27 games and went 13-14 (.481).
The Yankees are very nearly playing like they did in 2023, the worst season they’d had since the early 90s. The only move the Yankees made at the trade deadline was that they acquired reliever Keynan Middleton for minor league pitching prospect Juan Carela. Nearly a month later, Middleton went on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation and would be out the rest of the season. However, Middleton did have a 1.88 ERA in 14.1 IP with the Yankees, but he hasn’t been in the Majors since and is currently a free agent.
The New York Yankees are acquiring right-handed reliever Keynan Middleton from the Chicago White Sox, sources tell ESPN.
With Boone saying that Clarke Schmidt is “likely” headed for UCL repair surgery (Tommy John surgery), the Yankees are reportedly calling up RHP Cam Schlittler to fill Schmidt’s place in the rotation. It’s possibly the best the rotation has looked in a little while.
It may be fair to say that the rotation, like a lot of the team, is in a shambles currently. Carlos Rodón looked awful in his latest start versus the Mets on Saturday afternoon, throwing in 5 innings, but allowed 7 runs (6 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks, including 2 homers. The bullpen is a mess currently, especially with the team not having a reliable reliever, including Luke Weaver, who has not looked the same since returning from the IL.
More and more fans on social media are starting to sound alarm bells on how the coaching staff (namely manager Aaron Boone), the players (namely Aaron Judge) and the front office have been deafeningly quiet regarding the recent performances on the field.
Aaron Boone on his level of frustration with the Yankees' losing streak:
"It's been a terrible week.. As corny as it sounds these are the moments that build character within a team" pic.twitter.com/yaNaFJTHcA
At this point, ownership needs to make some kind of move to make a statement to fans. Otherwise, the perception amongst fans will be that the team is placating fans for a cash grab. Fans are tired of the same nonsense and poor performance put up by this team from the past few seasons. “It’s right in front of us” isn’t good enough anymore.
Hypothetically speaking, what kind of moves are practical?
It doesn’t make sense to change the outfield. Overall, they’ve been the best performers compared to the rest of the team.
The infield could use a refresh, however. Including Saturday’s home run, Anthony Volpe is hitting 5-for-30 (.167/.194/.300/.494) in the past 7 games. The Yankees aren’t going to move him or demote him. That logic amongst fans needs to be dismissed. If anything, he needs to be sat for a few games to regroup, and in his place, either Oswald Peraza can play or they can call up Jorbit Vivas.
Regarding 2B/3B, the Yankees should move Jazz Chisholm over to his natural position (and where he wants to play), and they should call up Jesús Rodríguez from AAA. 3B isn’t Rodríguez’s natural position; that’s behind the plate. However, Rodríguez can still move well for a catcher, and plays 3B decently. More importantly, he may provide an offensive impact to the team that desperately needs it.
With that, what happens with DJ LeMahieu? His offensive performance of late has been solid, hitting 26-for-83 (.313/.380/.386/.766) in the last 30 games, but has only recorded 9 RBI in that span. LeMahieu should become the DH temporarily, interspersing Giancarlo Stanton at times (pinch hitter, etc.), considering Stanton has not been performing very well since returning from the IL. In 49 at-bats, Stanton has only recorded 11 hits for a slash of .224/.333/.306/.639 with 7 RBI.
As noted earlier, Weaver has not performed the same since returning from the injured list on June 20. Since then, he has a 13.50 ERA, allowing 8 earned runs on 8 hits in 5.1 IP. In the last 3 games, Weaver has a 32.40 ERA (7 runs, 6 earned on 5 hits, including 3 HR, plus 1 walk). Some say he should go back on the IL because possibly he didn’t recover properly. Maybe that’s true that he hadn’t, but an IL stint may not resolve his issues, unless he truly isn’t 100% recovered.
Most importantly, either Boone needs to put his foot down and manage strictly or the Yankees need to make a change. The favorite seems to be Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre manager Shelley Duncan, although Ausmus can probably “pinch hit” temporarily until they find someone externally.
Fans are calling for Brian Cashman to go, but things would likely have to be catastrophic for Cashman to be released from his contract, especially if he was retained after the 2023 season. At the very least, changes need to be made, and quickly. There’s still time to recover from this slide, but if they continue to be stagnant, the hole may be too significant to get out of, and we will indeed see another repeat of 2023.
I had the opportunity to catch up on Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Carson Coleman earlier today after a brief appearance in Tampa, FL on rehab.
To catch things up, Coleman was signed as a free agent during the pandemic in June 2020, and didn’t debut until May 5, 2021 with Low-A Tampa. He spent the full season there, struggling throughout, ending the 2021 season with an ERA of 6.11.
Coleman turned heads the following season after posting a 0.47 ERA in 19-1/3 innings with High-A Hudson Valley, then a 2.86 ERA with AA Somerset. He missed the 2023 season after having Tommy John surgery, then was selected by the Texas Rangers on December 6, 2023 during the Major League portion of the Rule 5 draft. Coleman told me, “It was great. I mean, I got to have the opportunity to be around a big league club. Obviously, injuries didn’t go the way I would like, but that was awesome. I mean, it was a great experience. Texas was an amazing organization, and I was thankful for the opportunity, but happy to be back with the Yankees too.
Coleman then missed all of 2024 with a right shoulder surgery via his MiLB profile, which Coleman said was a nerve transposition surgery, but that is actually a surgery that’s typically done in the elbow. It involves surgically relocating the ulnar nerve from a position where it’s compressed, typically behind the elbow, as a result of cubital tunnel syndrome.
Coleman noted that he was happy to be back in Tampa, where the Yankees have been “very welcoming”. He added that, “when you come back to a place [the Yankees] that loves and respects you, and, you know, looks at you in a good way. It’s nice to be back”
After missing two years due to injury, Coleman has thrown four perfect innings on rehab assignment, split evenly between Rookie-level Florida Complex League and Low-A Tampa. Coleman added, “I feel good getting back to it. It’s been nice to finally get back on a game mound for the first time in a long time.” Today, Coleman threw a mix of a sinker and a curveball, hitting 97 on the sinker while sitting in the upper 70s with the curveball.
RHP Carson Coleman (John Brophy/Yankees Savant)
Coleman noted that the mound at “The Tank”, the field that the Tarpons are playing on this year, is similar to that of the main field at Steinbrenner Field. He noted that, “It’s always fun, especially having [Aaron] Bossi as a manager. One of my coaches in, uh, in Somerset. Bossi’s the man, so it’s always good to pitch for him.” Bossi was previously the Defensive & Baserunning Coach for Somerset.
Coleman was unsure what the next steps were, but said he expected to be going up to Hudson Valley in the next week or two to continue the rehab.
If he continues pitching how he did today, and has so far while on rehab assignment, he could very well be in line for a late-in-the-season call-up.
The Rule 5 draft is always an exciting and nerve-wracking time for anyone who follows a team’s farm system, and this year is no different.
On November 19th, the Yankees protected two players, adding utility player Jesus Rodriguez and infielder Caleb Durbin to their 40-man roster.
Durbin had recently played in the Arizona Fall League on the Salt River Rafters with a few other Yankee prospects, but he stood out the most, being named the Breakout Player of the Year. In 24 games in the desert, Durbin batted a slash of .312/.424/.548, while stealing 29 bases in that span, good for the AFL stolen base record. He played in the AFL last year, but was unable to clinch the record due to injury, and said in an interview that that breaking the record was his goal last year. It should be noted that when it was last set in 1994 by the Phillies’ Rick Holifield, the AFL season was 50 games compared to the current 30 games played.
Durbin suffered a wrist injury after he fouled off a ball off of home plate, sidelining him for two months, but still played in 90 games in 2024, mostly for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Durbin batted .275/.388/.451 in the regular season with 60 RBI, 25 doubles, 2 triples, 10 homers and 53 walks. He also stole 31 of 35 bases successfully (88.6%), ranking fifth among other Yankee prospects in steals.
During a Zoom call with reporters in November, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “I think he’s a stud, frankly. Great bat-to-ball, elite ability on the bases as a base stealer, good defender in the middle of the diamond at second base. Really competitive, a hard-nosed, tough player. I’m excited about him and I think he’s going to play a big role for us this upcoming season.”
While it’s not mentioned much given the Yankees’ need for a second baseman with Gleyber Torres now as a free agent, Durbin spent some time in the outfield where they could take some advantage of his speed. Durbin spent 8 games in left field and one game in center field; he recorded a 1.000 field percentage. The Yankees likely won’t use him in this role, especially with Oswaldo Cabrera on the bench, but it’s still interesting to see that they’ve been trying him out in various roles, similar to this next prospect.
Jesus Rodriguez has been one of the sleeper prospects, in a way, given he’s been on the same team as other names like Spencer Jones, Rafael Flores, Chase Hampton and Brock Selvidge, to name a few. Rodriguez spent the majority of the 2024 season in High-A Hudson Valley (56 games) where he hit a slash of .332/.412/.507/.919 before getting promoted to Double-A Somerset in mid-June. Rodriguez, a Venezuela native, hit .226/.278/.417/.695 in 23 games with Somerset. Despite a solid slash (combined .302 batting average and .856 OPS), he’s hit around 10 home runs per season the last two years. Rodriguez missed about 6 weeks of the second half of the season, and will likely start back in Somerset in 2025 unless Yankees brass see something in Spring Training that makes him stand out from the nearly half dozen other catchers.
What may make him stand out is that despite being a natural catcher, he played nearly the entire field in 2024, except for shortstop, center field, right field and pitcher. He did, however, spend most of the season behind the plate, a total of 272-⅓ innings (35 games), nabbing 21 of 103 runners (20.4%)
All this said, the Yankees have 33 other prospects that are Rule 5 eligible, and have the potential to be poached by other teams in a few weeks.
Via MLB, “Any player eligible for the Rule 5 Draft and not added to his organization’s roster by 6 p.m. ET [on 11/19] will be available to be selected by another organization. The Draft will take place at the Winter Meetings in Dallas on Wednesday, Dec. 11 [at 2 p.m. ET].
Players first signed at age 18 or younger must be added to 40-man rosters within five seasons or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 process. Players signed at 19 years or older have to be protected within four seasons. Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. If that player doesn’t stay on the 26-man roster for the full season, he must be offered back to his former team for $50,000.
For this year, that means an international prospect or high school draft pick signed in 2020 at age 18 or younger had to be protected. A college player — or 19-year-old high school player — taken in the 2021 Draft was in the same position.”
In addition to the Major League phase, the Rule 5 draft also has a minor league phase. This phase is less publicized, but still offers opportunities for player movement.
Eligibility: Players eligible for the minor league phase are those who are not on their organization’s Triple-A reserve list. This typically includes players in lower levels of the minor leagues.
Selection Process: The selection order in the minor league phase is the reverse order of the previous year’s standings. Teams can select players from other organizations’ minor league rosters.
Roster Requirements: Unlike the Major League phase, there is no requirement to keep selected players on the active roster. They can be assigned to any level of the minor leagues within the selecting organization.
Compensation: A smaller fee is paid to the original team for players selected in the minor league phase compared to the Major League phase.
Impact on Minor League Players:
Opportunity for Advancement: The minor league phase provides a chance for players in lower levels of the minors to be seen by other organizations and potentially move up to a higher level.
Organizational Change: For some players, it can be a fresh start with a new organization that may offer different development paths or playing opportunities.
Less Pressure: Unlike the Major League phase, there isn’t the immediate pressure to perform at the highest level, allowing for more development time.
Most recently, right-handed pitching prospect Gabriel Barbosa was selected away from the Colorado Rockies in the first round of the Minor League phase, with right-handed pitching prospect Kervin Castro selected away from the Houston Astros in the second round. Castro missed all of 2024, while Barbosa spent the entire season in Single-A Tampa (5.09 ERA, 120-⅓ IP, 128 K, 1.30 WHIP). By comparison, the Yankees lost 4 prospects: INF Eric Wagaman (LAA, DFA on 11/19), C Mickey Gasper (BOS), RHP Michael Gomez (TB), and INF Marcos Cabrera (PIT).
The Yankees also lost three pitchers, RHP Mitch Spence to the A’s and RHP Matt Sauer to the Royals. Sauer was returned to the Yankees in May, and declared free agency in early November. RHRP Carson Coleman was selected by Texas, but missed all of 2024 as a result of a right shoulder surgery, and was returned to the Yankees on November 19.
The Minor League season has officially ended, so it’s time for us to renew our Top 30 prospects. Some players that you like may have been left out because this is a purely subjective ranking. Everyone will have their opinions on players, and that’s fine. I have also left off some players like Ben Rice, Oswald Peraza, etc., because they have “graduated”.
For example, Rice and Peraza have played in more than 30 games; Will Warren and Yoendrys Gómez have been left off because they have pitched more than 10 innings. They may still be considered “rookies”, of which the official definition is as follows: “130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues. 45 total days on an active Major League roster during the Championship Season (excluding time on the Injured List).”
The acronym OFP you’ll see below is an “overall future projection” as to how the prospect is projected to turn out. It’s difficult to say how one player will pan out; there are superstar looking prospects that fizzle out before they get to the Majors, and there are very quiet prospects that aren’t really on anyone’s radar that surprise you when they make the Major Leagues.
Buckle up, this is a bit of a read!
Of note: this article was originally written in September 2024, but has been slightly modified to add in more up-to-date video for those who participated in the Arizona Fall League.
30: OF Jackson Castillo – ETA: 2027; OBP: 40; Risk: High
Castillo was very impressive in many facets of the game, from his bat to his fielding. Castillo, a lefty bat, maintained a batting average over .300 in the few games spent with High-A Hudson Valley (he lost a week in mid-August to a 7-day IL stint). Castillo held a wRC+ of 148 in High-A and 131 in Low-A, plus had a K% under 20%. In the last 7 games of the regular season, Castillo batted .381, recording a hit in 6-of-7 games, including a game versus Jersey Shore where he went 3-for-5 and hit 2 doubles. Impressive stuff given his small-ish 5-foot-9 frame.
Castillo spent most of the season in CF (607.1 innings) and has only committed 2 errors. He runs efficient routes, but his arm is an underwhelming average.
Carr debuted this past April with High-A Hudson Valley, which surprised some given the rocky start he had there. Carr settled in once the calendar flipped to June, throwing his first career shutout in 5 innings of work. While Carr is capable of solid outings, throwing a 0.95 ERA in the first 4 outings in August (2 ER in 19 IP), but then had a rough 7 hit, 6 run, 4 earned runs where he threw in 4 innings of work in the last start in August.
Carr’s K/9 and BB/9 are about average and given he has been capable of 8 strikeouts in a game, the challenge for next season will be to see more of that. Carr has a mix of fastball that sits upper-90s and a slurvy slider looking pitch as a breaking ball that sits low-90s. Both pitches have good command, but what needs some work is getting batters to chase, since he doesn’t have a true breaking ball.
Of balls in play, Carr has a nearly 50% ground ball rate, with nearly equal splits of line drives (22.9%) and fly balls (27.4%). Also, Carr has a BABIP of .313, which is a little concerning. It should also be noted, however, that Carr was part of a combined no-hitter this past July, as seen in the video below. The talent is absolutely there, but like other arms in the lower levels, he must become more consistent. You may get a shutout, or you may get a blowout, but this is what the Yankees expected for a 3rd round selection.
Tejeda had a handful of injury issues this past year, ending his season in June after tumbling down the 1st base line, suffering a lower leg injury and landing on the full-season IL in late July. That said, despite only playing in 48 games, Tejeda batted well over .300 (.326 between FCL and Low-A), and likely would have been promoted to High-A at some point in the season had been not been injured so much. Tejeda has a very polished swing for an international player in only his 3rd year of pro ball and is just as smooth on the field. Tejeda, if his leg is healed for the start of the 2025 season, should start at High-A.
27: Trystan Vrieling – ETA: 2026; OBP: 40; Risk: High
Vrieling has not had a great season, despite a strong first few games with Somerset in April. His ERA stayed close to 5 for much of the season, and has an average K/9 of 8, and average BB/9 of 2.80. Vrieling’s mid-90s fastball has some late sink to it, and he also has a mid-80s cutter he uses as an “out” pitch where the bottom falls out just before it hits the plate, along with a high-70s/low-80s curveball. Vrieling’s command is not great but does flash brilliance at times when he happens to catch the corner of the zone.
Vrieling may be better used down the road as a middle-inning reliever where he only pitches an inning or two. While he has limited splits in the latter part of a game, Vrieling has only allowed 1 hit and no runs in 7 IP between the 7th and 9th innings of games this season.
Flores, a UDFA selection out of Rio Hondo Junior College in California, has been impressive even since his first pro game back in 2022, where he had a very small sample size of 7 games but went 6-for-14 in the regular season with 2 homers and 2 RBI (4 games) 6-for-11 in the playoffs with 3 RBI (3 games). Since then, he’s averaged a .272 BA and an OPS of .809 and has a wRC+ of 150.
Flores is a lot like Ben Rice in that while he’s a capable catcher, he seems to fit best at 1st base. Also like Rice, Flores packs above-average power in that plus bat. Given he spent most of the season in AA Somerset and did well there, he may begin 2025 with AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre if the Yankees feel aggressive enough.
Cohen was an undrafted free agent selected out of George Washington in 2022, and ever since he debuted in 2023 has been dominant. Even in a brief 3-1/3 inning stint in AA Somerset, Cohen didn’t allow any runs and threw an above-average 8.1 K/9 but walked too many batters at a 5.40 BB/9. This year, Cohen is throwing his usual excellent 10+ K/9 and had an insane 0.47 BB/9 for an ERA of 0.93 in 2024. Some injuries sidelined him for much of the 2024 season, so there may be some future concern there, but the injury didn’t seem to affect his throwing abilities, obviously.
Cohen has something in common with Mariano Rivera is that he’s a bullpen piece and only throws a fastball (a four-seamer, specifically) and a cutter. He also has a changeup and slider Yankees PD is playing with, but they’re thrown so infrequently that it’s almost worth saying he doesn’t have them in his arsenal. The fastball is mid-90s with a max of 96 and the cutter sits in the mid/upper-80s with a max of 89 MPH.
Schlittler has been having a decent year between High-A and Double-A, maintaining a K/9 of 11 or greater, in part because of a plus slider and above-average fastball that both induce a lot of whiffs. Schlittler is one of the many excellent middle-of-the-draft picks (7th round, 2022; $205,000 bonus) the Yankees have selected over the last few years.
If there was anything to be concerned about with Schlittler, it’s his BABIP. When a batter makes contact, it’s at a nearly 40% rate (.390) in Double-A Somerset. He was down to .264 in High-A, a career low rate. His ERA has been floating around the 3.80-4.20 mark throughout the season. Most of his contact was against that fastball. The fastball (mid-90s, max 96) has a lot of sweep to it and runs away from his throwing arm across the plate but doesn’t have enough movement to justify calling it a slider or sweeper. The slider (upper-80s) has more of a tail at the end like a cutter would. Schlittler has a below-average curveball (low-80s) that he uses infrequently and has poor command. Command overall is average, and an improvement in command and control would move him significantly up the ranking.
Part of the return in the trade with the Dodgers for Joey Gallo (one-for-one), Beeter has been exceptional in Triple-A this season, throwing an ERA of 2.53 in 32 IP, despite missing significant time to a shoulder injury. The injuries and missed time he’s experienced in the past 18 months drops him down the list significantly. If he can stay healthy, Beeter can play a large role with the organization, if he’s not used as a trade chip for another player.
It’s a little curious why the Yankees have him sitting in the Minors with stats like he’s putting up. A 12.44 K/9 in Triple-A is exceptional, and that’s likely why the Yankees have been slowly moving him to the bullpen and using him in the back end of games. In his first game with AAA Scranton this season, Beeter threw an even split of a four-seam fastball and slider mix. The fastball sat mid-90s with a max of 98 MPH and the slider sat mid/upper-80s with a max of 90 MPH.
Beeter’s biggest challenge right now, and the reason aside from injury why he’s ranked so low, is that his command is average if not below-average for where he is in the system right now. In the aforementioned outing, he threw 24 pitches, with 15 of them hitting the strike zone. That said, hitters swung at half of his pitches, with only two of those pitches landing outside of the strike zone.
If Beeter worked on his command and stayed healthy, he could move up the ranking next year, if he didn’t already make the Opening Day roster for the Yankees. The shoulder injury is a concern, though, since he was just shut down for a few months. Is it possible Beeter ends up fine and doesn’t need surgery? Yes, of course. Still, keep the injury in the back of your mind when watching his outings this year. It’s also possible that the reason he’s being used in the bullpen is because that allows them to get Beeter some innings without putting unnecessary strain on his shoulder and arm.
22: OF Brendan Jones – ETA: 2026; OFP: 40; Risk: Low
Jones (no, not that one) quickly got off to a hot start once he started playing in Low-A Tampa at the end of July, proving to be one of the better picks of the 2024 Draft. The Yankees didn’t select a lot of bats, but he has proven to have been a solid choice in the limited time he’s played for the organization. Jones has shown in only 24 regular season games that he has the bat, power and arm to play pro baseball.
Jones is a tricky one to project, especially given the limited sample size. Some prospects can have really hot first few weeks as a pro player, especially in the lower levels, and fizzle out once they get to Double-A and Triple-A. It should be expected to see him spend a majority of the 2025 season in High-A, or at least the first half, unless he blows the socks off of Yankees PD management in Spring Training. It is entirely possible to see Jones start in Double-A, depending on what depth looks like going into 2025. Like many outfield prospects, the depth and logjam in the outfield (Spencer Jones, Jasson Dominguez, Everson Pereira, etc.) will likely hinder promotion speed.
All of Jones’ scouting scores are above-average (55) or better, and he’s got 80-grade speed (3.80 seconds or better as a RHB). Based on the trend he was on in the short time he played with the Yankees org. In 2024, he was on pace to hit 20 home runs, and stole 18 bases in 104 PA and has yet to have been caught stealing.
To be honest, he probably deserves to be higher on the list, but I’m holding out to see what next year looks like. If he keeps this pace up, and hits closer to .300, Jones could land in the Top 10.
Despite throwing only 7 innings and landing on the injured list at the end of April, Gilbert shows a lot of promise in the bullpen. Gilbert allowed only 1 hit and 1 walk in his short stint with High-A this season, with an incredible .043 OBP and 0.43 WHIP. In his last 5 appearances of 2023 with Low-A Tampa (7 IP, 1 ER), he threw a 1.29 ERA, allowing 1 hit and 4 walks, good for a 0.71 WHIP.
Gilbert leans on a four-pitch arsenal: four-seamer, changeup, slider and sinker. Gilbert doesn’t have a ton of velo, which is fine. It’s the command that is a concern, or at least it was last season according to ABS data (all pitch data here is sourced from last season). Using the eye test, Gilbert threw several excellent pitches. In one game, the slider (upper-70s/low-80s) looked like an above-average to plus pitch, and almost resembled the tumble of a curveball. Batters stood in the box confused because they didn’t know what was coming in. The fastball is an average pitch, with velo sitting low to mid-90s, with a max of 94 MPH. Gilbert also has a changeup he used that sat low-80s, and used a slider that sat at 90 MPH. A pitcher with less-than-average velo, say like Nestor Cortes, is not unusual, if they have pitches with a lot of movement like Cortes has with the sweeper slider and his low to mid-90s fastball (almost identical pitch to that of Gilbert).
The Yankees have drafted many tall American-born-and-raised pitchers in recent years, and Lagrange adds a Dominican flair to that list. The 6-foot-7 righty uses his size to reach triple digits on his fastball.
Lagrange mostly uses that double-plus fastball, a four-seamer, which sits in the upper-90s, and a cutter that sits in the upper-80s, and an infrequently used mid-80s slider and upper-80s changeup. The incredible velo on the fastball is fun to see but it doesn’t matter if he can’t throw it where he wants it to go. Command will be a significant thing for Lagrange to work on in the coming months and years, because aside from any potential injuries that may arise from throwing at that kind of speed, the below-average command may hinder his progress.
That said, despite Lagrange’s rather elevated ERA in his limited time in Low-A this season (6.91 in 14-1/3 IP), he maintained an exceptional K/9 of 11.93. His trouble is that with the below-average command comes a lot of walks, at a rate of 8.16 BB/9. Lagrange needs to lower that to under 3 to be considered “average”. If he can sort out the command and get the walks down to under 3, or even better under 2.5, he has the potential to be a top 10 prospect.
To be fair, Ureña would be much higher on a top 30 list with other organizations, but the Yankees are so deep with talent that he sits in the top 20. My caution with Ureña is that he missed all of 2023 to injury, along with much of 2022. He has played all of 51 games of pro baseball, so we don’t know how “durable” he can be, especially in the role of catcher. That shouldn’t diminish his talents, but should be something to be aware of, and drops him a little lower in this list.
Ureña batted a slash of .301/.420/.564/.984 in 2024 with the rookie-level FCL team and drove in 31 RBI in 133 at bats. Ureña had one of the highest wRC+ on the team at 161 and spent more time at 1B (127-1/3 innings) than behind the plate (84 innings). 2024 was Ureña’s first year playing 1B, and he was perfect with 108 total chances and no errors recorded. The same can’t be said while as catcher, where he allowed 16 stolen bases in 18 chances, throwing out 2 runners.
I wouldn’t totally rule out Ureña moving up in the list next season, but he needs to be able to prove he won’t be injury prone. His stats are solid, but there’s lots of depth in the catcher role in the Yankees’ system (there are three catchers on this list).
Messinger has proven to be yet another gem of a mid/late draft selection, as the 13th round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft has had an ERA of 3.06 through the 2024 regular season. While Messinger didn’t have the solid K/9 and BB/9 stats of last year in High-A (10.48 and 4.92, respectively), it should make sense to exchange a bit of compromise there when he gave up half of the homeruns year-over-year compared with last year (1.21 HR/9 vs. 0.54). Also consider that Double-A is considered a significant jump over both Single-A levels given the advanced competition.
Messinger shows a mix of fastball, slurve (could be considered a slider with sink or a curve, depending which camp you’re in) and a sweeper
Depending on how aggressive the Yankees are in the upcoming off-season into Spring Training with their prospects, there’s a good possibility that Messinger is one of the September or even mid-season call-ups
Perez was one of the most impressive players on the FCL team in my opinion given the total package offered and is yet another incredible IFA catcher signing by the Yankees, including that of Agustin Ramirez, who was part of the trade with Miami for Chisholm.
Perez has a loud bat (.283 BA, .346 BABIP, 138 wRC+) with decent at-the-plate numbers (20.8% BB%, 16.2% K%), but also has good defensive skills. While he may not have the most elite pop time, there’s still a few years until he’s potentially MLB ready.
The concern, if any, with Perez is that he was signed so young; he just turned 18 in May. I look at that in a positive light: the Yankees can make a more significant impression in how to become an excellent catcher. There’s no reason Perez doesn’t start in Low-A Tampa next year, and depending on how that goes, he may be on your Top 10 radar sooner than later.
16: OF Francisco Vilorio – ETA: 2030; OFP: 40; Risk: Low
There’s not a lot to work with here, given Vilorio isn’t stateside yet, so bear with me. Vilorio was the top IFA the Yankees signed in 2024, so given it’s his first year in pro ball, he’s just learning how to ride a bike with training wheels. I don’t look too much into DSL stats, so the K% of nearly 33% and batting average under .200 doesn’t concern me. Vilorio only played in 42 games with the DSL Bombers (one of the two DSL teams the Yankees have).
Vilorio had a success rate of 67% with stolen base attempts (8-for-12), so once he gets in more games, especially in FCL where he’ll face a mix of international and American players, we should get a better idea of how his jumps are, what his speed is like, etc.
As far as his defense goes, we can really only scout the statline, as the saying goes. Vilorio committed 5 errors in 70 total chances with 64 putouts and 1 assist for a fielding percentage of .929.
Cade Smith was one of those players that I and a few others were baffled by why he was spending so much time in Low-A. In Smith’s last full month in Tampa (July), he put up insane numbers for the level: a 1.35 ERA, a 12.6 K/9, a 3.6 K/9, a .094 BAA and a 0.70 WHIP. I’ll get to why I don’t like using Major League player comparisons later, but he was as dominant as that of former FSL-er Orion Kerkering, who had a small part in the Phillies’ playoff run last season. If the Yankees were as ambitious as the Phillies were last season with Kerkering, Smith may have gotten the call up to the Majors… if he didn’t get hurt.
In a game where Smith had 10K in 5-2/3 innings, he threw a mix of a slider, four-seamer, curveball and sweeper. The slider was his most used pitch, leaning on it half of the time, inducing 13 whiffs on 42 pitches (31%). The slider was mostly in the mid-80s, but had a wide range of velo, going from 81 MPH to 89 MPH. The fastball was low/mid-90s with a max of 95 MPH, while the curve and sweeper were low/mid-80s.
Smith can show some incredible control, nailing the corners on a significant number of pitches, but other times gets really wild. It should be noted that the strike zone in the Florida State League is non-standard, so a ball or strike call here may not apply to the rest of pro baseball.
Look for Smith to potentially be a #2/#3 starter in a few years, similar to how Rodón and Cortes are used currently, if not in a mix-and-match role like what Stroman is doing going into the end of the regular season.
This goes for both Cunningham and Rivas (who you’ll see mentioned next), but the jump from college to pro ball can be tricky. Carr is the closest lateral pick (Carr went in the 3rd round because Yankees didn’t have a 2nd rd. pick in 2023) to Cunningham, and you may notice that he placed at #29.
I don’t necessarily hold a ton of stock in collegiate stats. There are too many things that are different compared to professional baseball. College uses metal bats compared to wood bats. Pitchers can go longer in an outing; look at how Skenes went over 120 pitches with LSU.
That said, a strikeout is a strikeout, just like a 4-ball walk is a base on balls. Cunningham had a K/9 of 10.21 in his junior year of 2024 and a BB/9 of 3.61, both solid stats.
It remains to be seen how the Yankees use Cunningham, but he should place as a #1/#2 starter given how well he did with Vanderbilt.
As mentioned previously, it can be difficult to place prospects making the jump from amateur to pro ball, but I think Rivas may have been the steal of the draft if he can stay healthy. If he hadn’t had “Tommy John” (UCL reconstruction) surgery, he may have pitched this season and gone top 3 rounds next year as a 5th-year senior. Instead, the Yankees signed him in the 16th round this past July.
In a previous article with Inside the [Ole Miss] Rebels, he noted that he should be ramping up to a throwing program again by this past August, pending whatever his draft team decides. Basically, his doctor, Dr. Keith Meister cleared him to begin the rehab process. It’s possible he’s a part of “fall instructs”, but with that closed to the public, we won’t know unless video is leaked out.
While Rivas had a 6.35 ERA in his Junior year (2023), he did record a 11.78 K/9 in 68 innings of work. The Ole Miss coaching staff thought highly enough of Rivas that they wanted to make him their ace.
Where Rivas slots in with the Yankees is yet to be determined, but it should be fair to expect them to handle him with kid gloves. If they manage to have acquired a gem lefty pitcher for a bargain, he could fly through the system.
12: RHP Eric Reyzelman – ETA: 2025; OFP: 50; Risk: High
Despite starting the season late due to injury, Reyzelman had an incredible season in 2024. He only allowed 5 earned runs in the regular season, and didn’t allow any earned runs dating to August 15th. That’s a span of 10-2/3 innings without allowing an ER, and only allowing 3 hits, while striking out 16 batters. All of that works out to a K/9 of 13.51 and a BB/9 of 6.75.
That speaks to how Reyzelman has been throughout his career. He hasn’t pitched a lot given his role as a closer, but he has a career K/9 of 14.13; exceptional K/9 is considered anything over 10. And a lot of this is with the many injuries Reyzelman has experienced. He missed much of 2023, only throwing 7-2/3 rehab innings with FCL, and didn’t really start his 2024 season until the All-Star Break.
The most recent Statcast data we have for Reyzelman is from August 2022, where he threw 24 pitches with Low-A Tampa. He used a 4-pitch mix of sinker, changeup, curveball and four-seamer. I typically group the sinker and fastball together with Savant data in the FSL, so those pitches sat low-90s with a max of 95 MPH. The changeup sat around 80 MPH, while the curveball sat in the mid/high-70s.
Considering Reyzelman pitched all of 38-2/3 innings this year and he threw an ERA under 2 (1.93) in Double-A, it’s very possible we see Reyzelman in the Bronx next year if he’s not used as a trade piece at some point.
11: OF Spencer Jones – ETA: 2025; OFP: 50; Risk: High
OF Spencer Jones (Photo: John Brophy)
Are we starting to see the cracks in Jones’ game? Possibly, as 2024 was by all accounts the worst year he’s had to date. That said, a .259 batting average and .789 OPS is nothing to sneeze at, but there are a few concerns worth noting. First and foremost is that K%. Yes, it’s what the data nerds are drooling over, and striking out 200 times in 544 plate appearances is not great. The reason that number (the percentage, not the actual number of times) is concerning is that the pitching is only going to get more advanced from here on out. If Jones has any plan to be successful in the Majors, he needs to rein in the strikeout percentage and be a bit more patient at the plate. If there’s anything positive to look at with his plate discipline, it’s that he has maintained the same high walk rate of 9% or greater (9.9%, specifically in 2024).
Something that Jones has is power and hit ability, and while his batting average was the lowest in 2024 compared to the rest of his short pro career, his BABIP was at its highest since he’s played in full-season ball at .401. That also translates to a higher wRC+ over last year at High-A Hudson Valley; 124 in 2024 vs 114 in 2023. His slash was not great towards the end of the season, hitting 44 for 145 for a .233/.189/.418/.607 with a 31% K% and 6.9% BB%.
The comparison with Jones often is that of a “lefty Judge” and I was one of those who put his opinion in on that as soon as I saw Jones take his first pro at-bat in 2022. The similarities are there. But just as Anthony Volpe may not be “the next Jeter”, the same can be said for Jones. When Aaron Judge was in AA, nearly all of his stats were better than the year Jones had this past year. The only marks where Jones excels are speed and BABIP. Is it fair to compare prospects to other Major Leaguers? Not always. Let’s get rid of this one.
While the most significant talking point of Jones’ 2024 season has been his elevated K% (37.8%), that shouldn’t diminish the potential Jones can have with the Yankees, or possibly another team. The strikeout rate did set him a bit lower in the ranking, given the pitching in AAA will be better than that of what he faced in AA, that will likely be the true test in whether he’ll be capable of dealing with Major League-caliber pitching.
Jones absolutely has the talent to be an everyday starting outfielder, but as of now does not have the right path to get to the Bronx. It’s difficult to project him to go one way or another given his previous, albeit limited, history of an elevated K% and while the power is absolutely there, hitting one in less than 3% of at-bats is not necessarily going to make you an all-star. I hope Jones can prove me wrong next season, because Dominguez already has.
10: UTIL Jesus Rodriguez – ETA: 2026; OFP: 50; Risk: High
This ranking may or may not be a surprise if you’ve been following High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset this year, but Rodriguez has been one of those players quietly doing his thing with others like Rafael Flores and Spencer Jones stealing some of the thunder. Rodriguez spent some time in the outfield briefly last season but spent significantly more time in left field this year with High-A Hudson Valley. Mostly, however, he spent his time either at 1B or behind the plate.
Spending a majority of his season with the Renegades, Rodriguez put up some crazy stats, with a slash of .332/.412/.507/.919 in 56 games along with a wRC+ of 160, and led the organization in hits for a period of the season. Like many prospects, he has dealt with an adjustment period in Double-A, but in the last month of the season (August), batted .234 with an OPS of .633 compared to a BA of .182 and an OPS of .672 (his slugging was higher in July).
The utility aspect is what really sells me on Rodriguez though. A player that can play C, 1B, and left field well, plus has pop (Rodriguez has had BABIP numbers over .300 throughout his career aside from the short time in Double-A) has me really excited about his future.
However, Rodriguez is Rule 5 eligible. The Yankees may need to decide if he’s worth protecting or if they want to leave him exposed. They also need to decide if they want to include him as a part of a trade package so they don’t lose him for nothing like they would in the Rule 5 Draft. Given how little 1B depth they have, it would make sense for the Yankees to concentrate on molding him to that role. They have plenty of catchers and outfielders but having that versatility can be useful under injury situations. Look at how useful the versatility of Oswaldo Cabrera was for the Yankees a few years ago.
9: LHP Henry Lalane – ETA: 2027; OFP: 50; Risk: High
Lalane is one of those special prospects you know is going to do serious damage, but fortunately, he’s with the Yankees farm system. Lalane is similar to that of Randy Johnson (although Johnson was 3 inches taller) in that both are/were lefty pitchers. Lalane doesn’t have the heat that Johnson had (that’s #20 Carlos Lagrange’s game), but has a good mix of four-seamer/sinker, changeup and slider.
Lalane can get the fastball up to 92 but usually sits upper-80s/low-90s, while the changeup sits in the low-80s, and the slider sits in the mid-70s.
Lalane had some trouble in Low-A Tampa, despite a very limited set of games, and the very limited pitch counts he was on skewed some of his numbers. There is sometimes an adjustment period with pitchers when they make the jump to full-season ball from the complex league because of the bigger stadiums, playing in front of a crowd and at night, etc.
Lalane shows a lot of promise and threw some impressive games in the complex league last season but was also inconsistent like a handful of other pitchers out there. His biggest issue currently is overall command. His pitches are all over the place. If he can sort that out, the potential is there for Lalane to be a top part of a starting rotation in a few years. We don’t really know how long Lalane can go since he hasn’t gone more than 4 innings since being stateside.
If there is a major concern, it’s that he has been injury prone of late. He started and ended the 2024 season on the IL. That may lower his stock next time we evaluate the farm, but for now we look forward to the promise Lalane offers. If Lalane can sort out his command issues, he could easily be a #2 or possibly #1 starter in the future, but the command and injury concerns can hold him back.
The Yankees have been doing incredibly well with their un-drafted (UDFA) signings lately, and Sellers has shot straight to the top of the list. Oregon State is not necessarily well known for producing a significant number of high-quality prospects, especially pitching prospects, but current MLB’ers Matthew Boyd (2.72 ERA in 2024) and Drew Rasmussen (3.04 ERA in 2024) are fellow OSU Beavers. The most well-known OSU alum to Yankee fans is likely Jacoby Ellsbury; hopefully we see better luck with Sellers. For what it’s worth, the number 1 overall prospect in the 2024 MLB Draft, Travis Bazzana, was drafted out of OSU and was teammates with Sellers.
Sellers spent all but an inning and two-thirds in High-A (he threw in one game for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In Hudson Valley, he threw a 2.09 ERA, and maintained a 10.76 K/9 and 4.06 BB/9. While the latter stats aren’t necessarily mind-blowing, he only allowed 3 home runs all season and was charged with 19 earned runs and 37 walks in 82 innings of work in High-A. Sellers’ BAA (batting average against) was an incredible .148 while his BABIP (batting average, balls in play) was .214. It may be wild to think about this, but from June 25 through the end of the season (Sept. 4, in this case), Sellers only allowed 4 runs, 2 earned. That’s 46-2/3 innings pitched for an ERA of 0.39.
Sellers has a five-pitch arsenal according to Statcast (he threw in one game for SWB): a four-seamer that sit low-90s and hits 93, a cutter that sits high-80s, a change-up that sits low-80s, a sinker that sits high-80s/low-90s, and a slider (only used once) that sits mid-80s. The 4SFB and cutter were the most often used pitches, but the curve was his best “out” pitch.
Although it was an incredibly limited showing in Triple-A for Sellers, we can still see that he was able to handle it in a way. His K rate maintained the same levels as in High-A, although he did walk more batters than what he did in Hudson Valley. It’s not unreasonable to expect to see Sellers in Triple-A next season, considering he should be expected to start in Double-A Somerset. It’s also not unreasonable to potentially see Sellers as a September call-up next season, but with the reluctance of how the Yankees call prospects up, that likelihood remains to be seen, of course. Most likely, he will likely get called up in 2026 unless he’s acquired by another organization in some fashion. Sellers started 9 of the 32 games he threw in, but topped out at 4 innings in an appearance, so he will likely be used as a middle-inning reliever out of the ‘pen or could be used as a starter in a “bullpen game”.
Selvidge was the Yankees’ starter in the Spring Breakout prospect showcase game this past March, and for good reason. Selvidge went 4 innings in the 7-inning game, allowing only 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 8 against the Blue Jays’ prospects. His first month of the season (4 starts) went just as well, as Selvidge recorded a 1.71 ERA, but things started falling apart in mid-May. Selvidge may have possibly been trying to throw through an injury as he landed on the 7-day, then the 60-day IL, on July 22. Despite this, Selvidge was still recording games with 6, 8 and 9 strikeouts per 5 to 6 inning appearance and he also recorded the most innings pitched in a season.
Stats aren’t necessarily everything though, as Selvidge has a deadly 4-pitch arsenal. In the Breakout game, Selvidge threw a mix of mid-80s slider, low/mid-90s four-seam fastball, low-80s sweeper and mid-80s change-up. He had the most contact with his slider, but the sweeper, which had nearly twice as much horizontal movement, was his deadliest pitch.
There’s not always a lot of speed difference between pitches like you would traditionally see with an elite pitcher. For example, Gerrit Cole threw a mid-90s 4SFB and mixed that with a low-80s knuckle curve in the game that clinched the AL East for the Yankees on Sept. 26. Selvidge doesn’t have that kind of velo on his fastball, which is fine (neither does Nestor Cortes), but Selvidge also doesn’t have the same kind of pitch movement or command like Cole and Cortes do.
Selvidge has a potential ceiling of a #1 or #2 starter, but needs to get his K% up a bit and his BB% down. Right now, those stats look roughly like that of Carlos Rodón of 2023. Next year, if Selvidge can get back to what I saw in 2023 when he was in Low-A, his stuff can be a good replacement for 2026 when Marcus Stroman is eligible for free agency.
I’ve seen many top international prospects come through Tampa over the past decade plus that have not necessarily met expectations (Deivi Garcia, anyone) and Mayea may be one of the first ones that’s really impressed me. Granted, it was only the Complex League in 2024 for Mayea, but there was a lot to like.
Mayea missed the first few weeks of the FCL season with an injury, but ended the season with a bang, slashing .343/.395/.429/.921 in the month of July with a double, a triple and 4 RBI. Yankees scouts supposedly comp him to Gary Sheffield, but I don’t see it. Mayea doesn’t show elite bat speed, but he does hit consistently in the zone, overall. We didn’t see Mayea hit any home runs this season so I can’t speak properly on his power, although he did go pretty deep a few times I saw him.
Not only is his offense impressive, but so is his defense. Mayea runs clean, efficient routes in center field, and he looks like a seasoned fielder out there. His arm, in the very few long throws I saw, was unimpressive, but his frame could take on more muscle, which could improve his long-distance throwing ability.
I couldn’t find that I had had video of Mayea running to 1B, but if I recall, I had had him timed as double-plus (70) speed. That puts him in with the likes of Anthony Volpe or Jazz Chisholm Jr.
All of this in a relatively still young package, so I wouldn’t be very surprised to see Mayea in the Bronx before too long… if there’s a spot for him to play. That’s an issue we have seen with other outfield prospects, especially with the high regard the Yankees hold Jasson Dominguez. If Aaron Judge and presumably Juan Soto are in the outfield for the next decade, will there be a battle for that corner outfield spot? Professionally, Mayea hasn’t played anything other than CF, so some experimentation may be coming in the next few years. If the Yankees move him over to left field like how they’ve done with Jasson and find better defensive success than what we’ve seen with The Martian of late, Mayea may be in a competition for the position with Dominguez and Spencer Jones. That may prove to be a lot of fun to watch.
I’ll be honest, I’m kind of taking a leap of faith with Hess with everything I’ve seen (video, written and stats) by ranking him 5th overall. I’ve said this a number of times: it’s difficult to rank college players in a pro top 30 because the jump to pro ball isn’t always easy. However, Hess seems like he should be able to handle it, especially considering he’s coming from a Division I SEC school (Alabama).
Just to go over some of the stats Yankees fans can look forward to, Hess holds the ‘Bama career record for K/9 with 13.34 (205 K/138.1 IP). He also had a 5.80 ERA (44 ER/68.1 IP) with a team-high 106 K compared to 35 BB; that’s good for a 13.96 K/9 and a BB/9 of 4.61. Hess was ranked 8th in the SEC in strikeouts, including 35 looking Ks which was good for 5th in the SEC.
While Hess was used as a starter throughout his 2024 Junior season, he spent his freshman season of 2022 as a starter that moved to the bullpen at the end of the year. The Yankees will likely choose to use him in the starter role but considering how high his K/9 numbers have been, don’t be surprised to see him get moved to the bullpen at some point.
Given the pattern we have seen the past few years, I would expect Hess to make his professional debut with High-A Hudson Valley in 2025. Hampton did so in 2023, and Carr did the same in 2024. I would also expect that if Hess remains as starter, he’s used as a #1/#2 starter, but it’s a bit too early to project that. There’s some concern about past injuries (Hess missed most of 2023 with an injury), so hopefully he can stay healthy in upcoming years.
4: INF George Lombard Jr. – ETA: 2027; OFP: 55; Risk: High
I hate comparing prospects to other players, especially those either in the system or former Yankees farm hands, but Lombard reminds me so much of former SS prospect Trey Sweeney. Like Sweeney, Lombard was also a 1st round pick (Sweeney was selected 1st round in the 2022 MLB Draft), and Lombard also has somewhat of a questionable future with the team. With he and #3 prospect Roderick Arias fighting for playing time in Low-A Tampa, manager James Cooper chose to play Lombard at 2B for a significant part of the season. Lombard also played at 3B in 9 games, but did not do well there, recording a fielding percentage of .750 (5 errors in 20 total chances). Lombard was a better defender at 2B (.974) than at SS (.952), but Lombard ultimately recorded 23 errors in 2024.
Lombard struggled throughout much of the season offensively, ending his time with Tampa with a slash of .232/.344/.348/.692 (81 games in 2024). His month and change with High-A Hudson Valley did not fare better as it does sometimes with prospects, as he had a slash while there of .226/.321/.296/.617. Still, despite this and the late power we saw blossom in Tampa, Lombard has good mechanics and needs a very small adjustment to become an elite hitter. Once fans watch Lombard in person for a few games (you can only really see so much from the MiLB TV streams), they should be able to see the solid mechanics Lombard has. A lot of that can be attributed to growing up in a baseball household. His father used to play Major League baseball, and his brother, Jacob is expected to be drafted in upcoming years. Jacob also attends Gulliver Prep and is part of the Class of 2026 (watch some video from Perfect Game and you’ll see some similarities there).
Lombard is ranked at the #4 position because of the high ceiling he has. He’s still extremely early in his career, all things considered, and has lots of room to grow, both physically and in a performance aspect. It’s questionable as to whether Lombard will hold a role with the Yankees long term, and that may be another commonality he has with Sweeney. I see Arias with a higher ceiling and overall performance potential compared to Lombard, which is why Arias is ranked higher, of course. If I were making the decisions, I would hold onto Arias (read on to learn why) and I would trade Lombard. Still, Lombard holds a lot of potential and he will likely become a Major Leaguer with one of the 30 teams.
Yankees infield prospect Roderick Arias throws home (Photo: John Brophy)
This may sound odd but hear me out on this: I see a lot of Jasson Domínguez in Arias. Both had less than stellar initial Low-A seasons, but as time went on, they figured things out.
Arias really struggled at the plate at the beginning of the season, striking out in 42.9% of at-bats in April (36 SO in 84 AB), but by the time July came around, was down to a 25.6% K rate. Despite the high-ish K rate, Arias still had good plate discipline, working a 12.3% BB%. He still needs to work on his discipline with breaking balls, as that’s his biggest weakness at the plate, in my opinion.
We did see a lot more of Arias’ power this year, as he had the best BABIP of his short career at .331. Using the comparison to Dominguez, there isn’t as much of a disparity when looking at splits between left and right-handed batting. Arias batted .222/.291/.253/.544 as a right-handed batter (versus LHP) and .235/.346/.430/.776 as a lefty batter (versus RHP). It should be noted that Arias batted as LHB in 374 AB and as RHB in 99 AB.
I mentioned with Lombard about how the two interacted with each other this year in Tampa. Having two top middle infielders on the same roster is difficult to manage, and seeing Arias and Lombard swap out 2B and SS every few games was really interesting. As was alluded to previously, Lombard is a better SS than anywhere else on the field, so it works out that Arias is a better second baseman than shortstop.
That said, Arias has had an underwhelming glove throughout his very short career, and that’s the one tool that’s of concern. He owns a .912 fielding percentage in 1108-2/3 innings at SS and had 22 errors this past season in 699-2/3 innings in Low-A Tampa.
Hampton missed most of the 2024 season with various injuries, landing on the IL in mid-August with a groin injury, so we have to base projections off of what Hampton did last season between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset. I think it’s fair to say that Hampton had an off year in 2024 after pitching in less than 20 innings, with 13 of them having been on rehab assignments with FCL and Low-A.
In his last game with Low-A Tampa (where we can reliably get pitch data from), Hampton threw a mix of four-seamer, cutter, curveball, sinker and a slider, leaning predominantly on the fastball. The fastball and sinker sat low-90s, the cutter sat high-80s, the slider sat low-80s and the curveball sat mid-70s. That’s an excellent range of pitch speeds, and the difference in velocity between the fastball at 94 MPH and the curveball at 76 MPH is exceptional. That said, there isn’t a lot of difference in spin between the 5 pitches, so Hampton has to lean on his pitch location, which in this specific outing was very good.
Considering that 2024 was a “throw away” season of sorts because of injury, it should seem fair to discount the lesser stats he put up compared to the 2023 season. Hampton threw a commendable 4.37 ERA in Double-A after only throwing 47 innings in High-A Hudson Valley where he made his professional debut. He put up an impressive 2.68 ERA, a 14.74 K/9 and a 3.09 BB/9, but his BABIP was less than stellar at .283 while in Hudson Valley. Hampton then threw a 10.26 K/9 and a 3.17 BB/9 in 59-2/3 innings in Double-A, with a combined ERA in 2023 of 3.63 and a WHIP of 1.14.
I don’t know if it’s fair to project where Hampton will sit with the Yankees, as his stuff shouts “bullpen” to me. While he was most frequently used in 4-5 inning outings, he has pitched as many as 7 innings in a few instances, throwing 90+ pitches in those outings. He may fare better eliminating the slider, as the cutter and curveball induced more swing and miss in the previously mentioned outing. In some video I saw of starts in 2024, that slider did not show nearly as much movement as the curveball or cutter.
If Hampton is used as a starter, he may fit best as a #3 or #4 starter, although his stats from 2023 in Double-A do line up with a starter like what Carlos Rodón did in 2024. However, I keep thinking of the Yankees’ dynasty era of another homegrown pitcher that had a sharp fastball/cutter combo. It’s entirely possible that’s the direction the Yankees go. Hampton has the confidence and grit needed to be a closer. The possibilities and high ceiling are what make Hampton the top pitcher in the Yankees farm system, but he needs to stay healthy.
1: OF Jasson Domínguez – ETA: 2023; OFP: 60; Risk: High
I know I said in the lead-in that I’d be excluding prospects, but I think an exception should be made for Domínguez for the sole reason that he played about a week in the Majors before he went on the IL and needed Tommy John surgery. Domínguez will likely “graduate” by the time the next ranking comes around. As of this writing, he’s not even at 100 plate appearances.
“The Martian” still has a lot to prove, because left field, as he’s been playing a lot of this time around, isn’t his natural position. You can see he’s been struggling a bit out in left, and his plus speed has saved him a few times. That speed, by the way, looks rather clunky on his stocky frame, but he’s slimmed down quite a bit compared to what I saw in Tampa in his debut season. But, if you look at the stats throughout his Minor League career, his fielding percentages in both LF and CF overall are pretty close. This year seems to be much worse for Domínguez in LF (89-1/3 innings), as he posted a .905 fielding percentage versus .953 in CF (236 innings).
There’s so much promise in the Dominican prospect and I’d be remiss not to rank him the top prospect. That said, the “sophomore slump” other former prospects have experienced this year is real, so I’m not holding too much against Domínguez this season. Domínguez has been working more walks over last season despite not hitting home runs at a truly insane pace.
Domínguez has been a predominantly ground ball hitter throughout his career. If you were to rank those types of hits throughout his career, it would be ground balls at 47%, fly balls at 30% and line drives at 23%. It’s worked for him, and with a “hard hit” rate (balls hit over 95 MPH) in the Majors at 52%, getting balls through the gap is crucial if he’s not going to bloop them into the outfield or hit them over the wall for a home run. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s something the Yankees’ coaching staff is working on, or if they’re trying to get him to elevate the hit ball more for a line drive. He has a lot in common with fellow Dominican outfielder, Juan Soto in that regard; both have similar hit ball stats, except that Soto hits the ball harder, on average.
The progression and maturation of talent by Domínguez that those of us fortunate enough to follow the minor league system has been rather rewarding. I said in a scouting report back in 2021 that he was too stocky to run the speed Yankees scouts had said he was capable of, and even going into the 2023 season, I wasn’t sold on Domínguez’s talents. I still stand by my grades for the most part, bumping the hit tool up to an above-average (55) and the OFP to 60 given he’s made the Majors. Will he be the “occasional all-star” as I noted in that report? That’s for him to prove.
