Pinstriped Prospects

Rule 5 Eligible Prospects : What To Expect As We Enter Trade Season

by Drew Duffy December 6, 2023 (original July 21, 2023)

Dating all the way back to Spring Training, minor league players try to display their ability. Players putting on the uniform take it as yet another opportunity to prove themselves. Sometimes it is convincing their own big league team that they have what it takes to make an impact.

Other times, and perhaps more frequently, it is proving the same to the other 29 clubs in the league. As the Rule 5 draft begins today, here are some prospect names to keep an eye on...

Rule 5 Breakdown:

For those who don’t understand the complexities of the Rule 5 draft, here is a brief explanation. From the MLB website, “players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club’s 40-Man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons”.

This basically means that teams have a certain period of time to “protect” players via their 40 man roster. If the players are on the 40-man, they are untouchable from other teams in the Rule 5 Draft. But 40 man roster assignments are often ones that cause great debate and stress for decision makers. Because of this, a lot of attention is paid towards players in the organization who are “Rule 5 eligible”.

It is impossible to protect everyone that you want to in your organization. Thus, teams have to decide on who they will protect for the upcoming season. This means they must clear space on the 40 man for up and coming prospects. Many teams resort to trading away eligible Rule 5 players from their organizations before the deadline.

This tactic usually nets the organization some players who can help the major league roster. The Yankees are no exception to this. Last season, they traded away Hayden Wesneski, Luis Medina, Ken Waldichuk, and T.J. Sikkema, all of whom were going to be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft.

Let’s take a look at some of these players:

(All stats as of July 20 and prospect rankings from MLB.com)

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Elijiah Dunham / OF / Yankees #16 Prospect

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020, Dunham has been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees organization. Playing mostly left field, Dunham has risen as high as Triple-A this season. He struggled a little bit at the plate in Scranton, mustering a .670 OPS with 87 K in 69 games. Dunham was demoted to Somerset in the beginning of the month.

He has taken his demotion as motivation and is putting together great numbers in his short time back down. His OPS sits at .884. Dunham is in the range of prospects that are heavily looked at as trade pieces for certain major league players. Dunham’s best chance to reach the majors may lie with another team, as there is outfield depth lined up ahead of him currently. The Yankees may lose him in the draft tonight.

Matt Sauer / SP / Yankees #20 Prospect

Taken in the 2nd round in 2017 with an over slot bonus, Matt Sauer has been tough to pin down over the years. His velocities are impressive for a starting pitcher, but has lacked consistent command, leading to Sauer dropping off of of various Yankees’ Top 30 prospect lists

He is a six-foot-four pitcher who has potential to stick as a starter. Sauer has consistently battled injuries, including a UCL reconstruction (Tommy John) surgery, leading to questions about his future in a rotation. In two starts this month in Somerset, he has pitched to a 4.32 ERA with 8 H, 5 BB, and 11 K in 8.1 IP. Unless other teams around the league see high potential in Sauer, it may make the most sense for him to continue his bounce back from injury with the Yankees.

Carson Coleman / RHP / Yankees #26 Prospect

Coleman was pitching incredibly well in 2023. He has a double-plus fastball according to some scouts, which will drive his value up as he continues to better his command. He posted a 2.86 ERA in 44 IP with 15 saves in Somerset before an elbow injury ended his season. An unfortunate end of his season, but someone that the Yankees should keep a strong eye on down the line for a future bullpen arm.

Juan Carela / SP / Yankees #29 Prospect

Carela has spent the entire year in High A with Hudson Valley, posting a 3.51 ERA with 98 K in 77 IP. Carela is still only 21 years old which will be factored into his future with the organization. There is still a lot of time to find out what Carela brings to the table, especially as he grows into his body. Right now, he is measured at six-foot-three and 186 lbs. This projectable frame should be enticing to those in the front office who are expecting good things from Carela. His placement on the 40-man roster will be an interesting evolution.

The Yankees did not protect Carela, as they may think he could fall back to them after tonight. They protected a young and inexperienced pitcher in 2020 with Yoendrys Gómez, though he has still yet to reach Scranton. Carela is an intriguing name to keep an eye on going forward.

Jared Serna / IF / Yankees #30 Prospect

Not to be confused with his cousin RHP Luis Serna (Yankees #17 prospect), Jared Serna has impressed in his first season with the Tampa Tarpons. He has slashed .292/.355/.509 with 18 HR, 18 doubles, and 64 RBI. Still a young prospect (just turned 21), the Yankees might be able to get away with exposing him to the draft and hoping that no one picks him up along the way. Serna could be an intriguing pickup for a team willing to take a flier on a young bat who shined in his first full minor league season. Though he may be two years away from being in the major league conversation, there should still be intrigue around his name tonight. 

Edgar Barclay / LHP / Current Level: Double A

The 25-year-old southpaw has had a great 2023 season. Starting in High-A with Hudson Valley and now being part of the Somerset Patriots, Barclay has carved out a role in the bullpen. So far in Double A, he has pitched to a 1.05 ERA and 38 K in 25.2 IP.

While an older pitcher based on league average, Barclay will still have time to develop and prove that he can continue climbing in the organization. He should be a pitcher that the Yankees would be willing to expose to the draft and hope that he is not selected. There is probably not enough of a track record for teams to fall in love with Barclay, though there is risk in losing him in the minor league portion of the draft. His effective Double A showing should put him relatively high on other teams' lists of prospects in the Rule 5 draft. 

Christopher Familia / OF / Current Level: High A
Familia opened his 2023 campaign scorching hot at the plate. In 21 games with the Tampa Tarpons, Familia posted a 1.402 OPS with 11 HR and 7 doubles. Since his call up to Hudson Valley, Familia has struggled. He has struck out 21 times in 14 games with an unremarkable .493 OPS. The sample size is still small but the 23 year old center fielder needs to pick up his production as we head into the last two months of the season.

As a player in High A ball currently, Familia may not be too high on opposing team’s radars as we look at trades. How he performs in Hudson Valley for the rest of the year will dictate a lot of what his future in the organization will be going froward.

Osiel Rodriguez / RHP / Current Level: Single A

Rodriguez opened the 2023 season in Rookie ball and was fantastic. He appeared in 11 games, compiling 17 IP and 26 K. He was just recently promoted to Tampa (July 18) where he has 1 IP and 1 K. For someone who just reached A Ball, it is surprising to see Rodriguez on the list of Rule 5 eligible players. We have to go back to 2018 to see Rodriguez’s first encounter with the pinstripes.

The Yankees signed him as an international free agent at 16 years old. He was ranked the best international free agent pitching prospect and was compensated as such, earning a $600,000 signing bonus. Rodriguez’s trajectory will be intriguing to follow, as the right hander turns 22 after this season. If the Yankees can keep him, there is potential to see fast climbing through the organization in the next few years.

Mitch Spence / RHP / Current Level: Triple A

Mitch Spence was drafted in the 10th round in 2019 and has been a part of the rotation in Scranton for the last year. His numbers do not drop any jaws and he may have slightly taken a step back in 2023 from 2022. His numbers from 10 starts in Scranton last year are relatively better than his 18 starts this year. He had a higher K/9 and a lower BB/9 and HR/9. He gave up a ton of barrels this season in Triple A with 28. 

While not startling, Spence will need to prove that he can stay in the rotation and continue to develop. Spence may not move the needle too much in one way or the other as this season comes to a close. The Yankees would hope that they can keep Spence for the future to see if they can bring out some of his better pitch qualities.

Rule 5 Effect:

The effect of the Rule 5 draft adds an added layer of excitement in the MLB season and trade deadline specifically. As we watch players grow in the minor leagues, it is natural to hope they achieve their dreams of making it to the big leagues.

Occasionally, they wind up sticking with the organization and contribute at the big league level. The Rule 5 Draft is a great way for players to have an external incentive for playing well, especially if they are blocked in their current situation.

Tonight, we will see who the Yankees are able to hang onto for yet another season, while some of their prospects may be scooped up in the Major or Minor League portions of the draft. Historically, the Yankees value the players in their system much more than they chase after others in the Rule 5. 40-Man roster spots are at a premium for the Yankees, so do not be surprised if they pass on their selections yet again this year.

Ring Ten Bells: The Yankees Finally Promote Everson Pereira

written on August 21, 2023

It happened. It finally happened. The New York Yankees finally called up a top prospect in hopes of salvaging some part of what has been a disastrous season to date. Everson Pereira, the Yankees #3 prospect and #80 overall by MLB.com, has been called to the bigs via Jack Curry on Twitter.

2017 International Free Agency

The Yankees signed Everson Pereira out of Venezuela in 2017 for $1.5 million. In what has become an already star-studded international free agency class, Pereira aims to add his name to the mix. Some of the free agents signed in that year include Luis Robert, Wander Franco, Julio Rodriguez, and, in case you forgot, Shohei Ohtani.

Coming out of Venezuela, Pereira needed to prove that his hit tools would carry over into the minor leagues. Originally thought of as an above average defender in the outfield, Pereira has since developed nicely into a complete player. Let’s look into how he got here:

Low Minor League Seasons

After signing, Pereira was placed in rookie ball with Pulaski in 2018. As a 17 year old, he held his own. In 41 games he totaled 44 hits with a respectable .712 OPS. The following season he was promoted to Low A in Staten Island. Battling through injuries in 2019, he found it tough to stay on the field. Subsequently, he batted a measly .171/.216/.257 over 18 games.

The 2020 season has a wash for minor leaguers. Though, Pereira used this time off to his advantage. Now ranked the #13 prospect in the system, there was hope for steady improvement. He dialed in his hitting abilities and began his quick ascent in the organization. The 2021 season was a coming out part for Pereira. Although he only played in 49 games, Pereira enjoyed a scorching hot stretch. He reached High A in Hudson Valley, where he mashed an incredible 14 home runs in 27 games. At this point, Pereira was beginning to silence some evaluators who did not believe in his hit tool. In all, Pereira finished his 2021 season only playing in 49 games across three levels, but compiling 20 home runs with 10 doubles and a 1.084 OPS. Still, he was not receiving much external love from rankings lists or scouts, who pegged him as the 17th best prospect in the organization.

2022 Season

In the hopes of carrying over his hot hitting, Pereira returned to Hudson Valley for the first half of the 2022 season. While he couldn’t completely replicate his performance at the end of 2021, he managed to put up more than passable numbers in 73 games there. He recorded a slash line of .274/.354/.455 for an .809 OPS before earning a promotion to Double A with the Somerset Patriots. Concluding the year in Somerset, the outfielder, at 21 years old, achieved a .846 OPS in 29 games.

2023 Season

The Yankees needed to see a little but more from Pereira to start this minor league season. His hitting tools had improved drastically since they signed him, but he needed to prove that Double A pitching could not contain him. Well, he answered their uncertainties. In about a third of a season with Somerset, he posted a .908 OPS while cutting down his strikeouts. Thanks to his ongoing progress, the team called him up to Scranton on the Fourth of July.

Quite frankly, all he has done in Scranton is hit. And hit. And…hit! In about 6 weeks of time in Scranton, he became one of the most feared batters in the lineup. His Triple A stats this season: .312/.386/.551 for a .937 OPS. Not too bad for a 22 year old who started the previous season in High A.

What to Hope for in the Bronx?

Pereira continues to show his hitting improvement. The hope for the Yankees is that he solidifies himself as the best option for manning left field for the remainder of the season and beyond. With the merry-go-round that has occurred at that spot over the past few seasons, Pereira will hopefully be a breath of fresh air there.

Hitting wise, Pereira is an interesting study. With Scranton, he has mashed right handed pitching and struggled more against left handers. Though a smaller sample against left-handed pitchers, Pereira will need to continue to make adjustments now in the bigs. An encouraging stat for Yankee fans everywhere should be his proven success with RISP. In Triple A, he has posted a 1.105 OPS with runners in scoring position. For a major league team that has found incredible difficulty in manufacturing runs, hopefully Pereira’s knack for delivering in these spots will rub off on the rest of the lineup.

A solid outfield defender, Pereira may never been a gold glove caliber player, but is more than serviceable in the field. He will make the plays he should make. Unfortunately, that is something that has been overlooked as the Yankees have tried to convert infielders into corner outfielders.

Everson Effect

At minimum, calling up the third-ranked prospect in your system will demonstrate your commitment to his development and signify your dedication to him for the foreseeable future. The Yankees, by waiting to call him up now, are saving a year of service time so long as he does not exceed 130 AB. In a de facto “Major League Spring Training”, Pereira will have the next 40 games to prove his worth. Even if it is a bumpy road for him, the Yankees will find answers for the future. Could this be a waving of the white flag for the season? Maybe. Though, the Yankees are doing something they would have been smart to do a few weeks back if not for service time manipulation.

For Pereira, a new and hungry face in the locker room should be welcomed by the team. For fans, there is a new player to keep tabs on and quite frankly, a reason to watch games for the remainder of the season. It really could be a win-win for everyone involved. At best, the player cements himself as the option in the outfield going forward. At worst, he learns what he needs to improve on in the offseason and comes back ready to roll in February. The year really could not get much worse for the Yankees, so now is the best time to play the kids and see what they can bring to the table.

Danny Watson: A Late Round Steal?

written on August 9, 2023

Sometimes, late round picks in the MLB Draft are often overlooked. Once signing bonus money is standardized, fans often look over some prospects. For the Yankees in 2021, they may have hit gold in the 15th round. With the 453rd pick in the draft, the Yankees selected RHP Danny Watson. Watson hails from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he led the Rams to an NCAA Regional appearance. The 6’7 righty has been developed as a great bullpen piece in the lower minor league levels. Here is a recap on his Yankee journey thus far:

Time in Tampa

After being drafted, Watson was placed in Single-A with Tampa. Only making three appearances on the year, Watson had a bit of trouble adjusting to professional baseball. His final line for the brief 2021 season was a 16.88 ERA in 2.2 IP with a 2.625 WHIP. Watson had experienced trouble commanding the strike zone in college, but his pitch shapes and characteristics showed intrigue. The small sample size should have settled some nerves for evaluators regarding his season’s performance.

After the 2021 season, Watson was again assigned to Tampa in 2022, as he hoped to settle into the swing of pro ball. Watson made improvements over his 38 appearances in ’22. His ERA was down to a more reasonable 4.01 in 58.1 IP. However, he still had issues with his control. He walked 36 batters and hit 13 more in his first full minor league season.

Renaissance in 2023

When the 2023 Opening Day rosters were announced around the affiliate teams, Watson found himself in High-A with Hudson Valley. Soon, Watson would become one of the most trusted arms in the Renegades bullpen. In April and May of this season, he made 15 appearances, allowing 4 ER in 24.1 IP. His 39 K to 8 BB showed marked improvements from last year in Tampa.

At the end of May, Watson’s play earned him a promotion to Double-A with the Somerset Patriots. Since arriving in Somerset, he has been one of the best relievers in the entire minor league system. He currently has the second lowest WHIP in the Eastern League, among pitchers with a minimum of 20 IP (.81 WHIP). He has seen his fly ball % increase since he has reached Double-A, though that should not be an issue if he can avoid giving up the long ball. Opponents in Double-A are only hitting .131 against him with a .467 OPS thus far.

What’s Next

In all likelihood, Watson will finish the 2022 season in Somerset. He will continue to prove that he has found great command of the strike zone. His frame is an intriguing aspect of his game, as the Yankees have been a team to prioritize similar body types in the past coming out of the bullpen.

The 2024 season will be pivotal for Watson for a few reasons. First, after reaching Double-A this year, he will hope to make an immediate impact in the Triple-A bullpen starting early next year. His progression will hinge on his ability to induce soft hit balls in play and continue his strikeout metrics. Secondly, Watson will become Rule 5 eligible following the 2024 season, meaning that he must be added to the 40-man roster by the end of next season if the Yankees want to keep him around.

There is a lot to be excited about as Danny Watson continues his drastic improvement in the Yankees’ farm system. The progression in his pitching should cause intrigue for other late round prospects in the past two draft classes as well. Seeing that the Yankees have spent a lot of their late round draft picks on college pitchers, maybe there is a method to their madness in developing some of these arms. Watson’s name might be able to crack some prospect rankings lists in the next year if he continues at his current pace. Surely, he will be a name to keep an eye on!

The Downward Spiral Of Another Former Top Prospect: Deivi García

written on August 7, 2023

The Yankees activation of relief pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga from the injured list meant that a 40-man roster spot needed to be opened. It was announced that RHP Deivi García was the most recent designation for assignment by the Yankees. As is the case with some other former top prospects, García’s fall from grace has been stark. Let’s recap his timeline in the pinstripes so far:

Signing and Minor League Debut

Deivi García was signed by the Yankees in 2015 out of the Dominican Republic as a 16 year old pitcher. His signing bonus was $200,000, second most by a Yankees pitcher behind fellow Dominican, Luis Medina. Garcia then pitched in the Dominican Summer League the following summer of 2016. His overall numbers were very impressive, posting a 2.61 ERA with an opponent’s average of .149 in 12 starts.

After making three more starts in the DSL in 2017, Deivi made his professional debut in the United States. He finished the 2017 season in Pulaski, then the Yankees rookie league affiliate. In just two seasons, Garcia had reached Triple A Scranton, making 11 starts at the end of the 2019 season. This quick rise in the system shot García up ranking boards all over the sport, as he was now the Yankee’s #3 overall prospect entering the 2020 season. Baseball Prospectus slotted him at #24, Baseball America had him at #65, and MLB.com at #92 in  their respective rankings.

2020 Season

Coming into the 2020 season, there was hope that García could use a good Spring Training performance to launch himself into the Yankees rotation. While a long shot, there was a lot of buzz surrounding Deivi in his first major league spring. Many in the organization had raved about his “make-up” and intangibles, what many people do not see on the field. While a good make-up is important, Garcia had shown that his skill on the mound was impressive as well. With a great breaking-ball, he was able to disrupt timing for batters in the box, then surprise them with his occasional fastball usage.

Though García impressed early in Spring Training, the COVID-19 pandemic caused some wrinkles in everyone’s plans. When the Major League season started back up, the Yankees made sure to use Garcia where they could. He made his Major League debut against the Mets on August 30th, going 6 IP with 4 H and 6 K. Unfortunately, that would wind up being Garcia’s best start in the big leagues so far. Since then, he has failed to carve out a steady role with the Yankees.

2021 and 2022 Seasons

Many in the sport still rode high on García’s potential coming into the 2021 season. In a pandemic shortened season, some believed that there were external factors that held García back from showing his true abilities. The Yankees broke an abbreviated Spring Training in 2021 with Garcia at the Alternate Training Site. He would be called up for only two starts in the MLB in 2021. He was credited with the loss in both decisions, giving up 2 ER and 4 ER, respectively.

In Triple A, he struggled mightily as well. With 90.2 IP, Garcia posted a 1.875 WHIP with a 6.85 ERA.

Coming back in 2022, the Yankees started experimenting him in a bullpen role occasionally. Still, his numbers were brutal. With Double-A Somerset, he posted a 5.40 ERA in 26.2 IP. His stats in Scranton were much worse, with a 7.96 ERA in 37.1 IP. Clearly, something was not working with García and the Yankees as an organization were losing faith in him.

2023 Season

2023 Spring Training saw García working mostly as a reliever. After being assigned to Scranton, Garcia assumed an almost exclusive bullpen role. As of this writing, García has 5.67 ERA in 46 IP. While he has made two appearances with the Yankees, he has only pitched 5.2 IP and has not been relied on for any type of leverage appearance. Both of his showings with the Yankees this season have been when the leading team is up by more than four runs.

It was announced on August 7th that Deivi García would be designated for assignment. García’s potential unceremonious end of his Yankee tenure has shed light on yet another “failed” top-prospect. Many link him to the likes of Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar, Estevan Florial, and Jesus Montero among others. For a former top 3 prospect in the system, it surely is a disappointing trajectory that he has experienced. The good news for García is that he is still only 24 years old and there is a chance that he can revitalize his career elsewhere.

If he is able to find the control that he enjoyed as a teenager, there could be a spot for him in a major league bullpen. For now, García will be placed on waivers and offered to every other team in the league as his future fate remains to be seen.

5 Year Review: Dissecting The Yankees 2018 Top 10 Prospects

written on July 27, 2023

Every season around the end of July, there is a lot of attention paid to prospect rankings in regard to trade discussions. There are usually a few separate camps that fans form around this time of year. Some people are critical of the organization being too willing to depart with homegrown talent. Others would rather have success at the major league level regardless of who makes up the roster. A more recent trend by some of the top teams in the game has been to balance both sides.

Organizations play to their strengths in roster composition. The Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, and even Los Angeles Dodgers, to name a few, are great at developing homegrown talent. Their long-term approach sees certain players as contributors to the big league club. More often, teams are relatively balanced in their roster composition through drafting, trading, and signing free agents. However, the success that teams find in one avenue is able to dictate which direction they rely on or prefer. For example, the Tampa Bay Rays, one of the best teams in baseball this season, are built largely through trades. They sit at 54.5% of their 40-man roster acquired via trade.

Yankees Tendencies:

The Yankees have famously been big spenders in free-agency, that is no secret. Where they capitalize in forming their roster is via trade as well. They currently sit at 37.5% of their 40-man roster made up from traded acquisitions. With this in mind, it is easy to see how the Yankees past moves regarding their Top 30 prospects have been justified. While this could be a combination of certain players and tendencies, it is apparent that the team trusts their pro scouting departments to identify potential contributors.

Here is a quick look back to 2018 at some top prospects. I will list the players, their current team, their FWAR (calculated by FanGraphs), and their current level.

Yankees 2018 Top 10 Prospects (via MLB Pipeline):

1. Gleyber Torres / New York Yankees / 12.0 / MLB

Torres, the starting second baseman for the Yankees, has been a very solid player since coming up in 2018. He is currently enjoying a good year at the plate, with a .768 OPS. Though he has been the subject of trade conversations in the past, Torres has proved a steady and crucial part to the Yankees current core.

2. Estevan Florial / New York Yankees / -0.1 / Triple A

Florial was unceremoniously designated for assignment in the beginning of this season. However, he has taken that in full swing and is mashing in Triple-A with Scranton with a .983 OPS. Unfortunately, he has not proven his hitting skill at the major league level. Florial is still 25 and could be a part of an MLB roster sooner than later.

3. Justus Sheffield / Atlanta Braves / 1.4 / Triple A

Sheffield was originally acquired by the Yankees in a trade that sent Andrew Miller to Cleveland. There was a lot of hype surrounding Sheffield, though it was tough for him to live up to it. He was sent to Seattle in a deal that brought James Paxton to the Bronx. Sheffield has struggled this year in Triple A for the Gwinnett Braves, pitching to a 8.60 ERA in 16 appearances.

4. Miguel Andujar / Pittsburgh Pirates / 2.0 / Triple A

Andujar arrived in the Bronx for his first full season in 2018. He put together an incredible rookie season at the age of 23 and could have won the Rookie of the Year award. Well, that is if Shohei Ohtani wasn’t in the game! Andujar would have a difficult time staying healthy and in the lineup for the Yankees over the next couple of years. His production fell off a cliff and was let go from the organization last season.

5. Albert Abreu / New York Yankees / -1.1 / MLB

Originally coming up the minor leagues as a starter, Abreu has settled into a bullpen role in his second stint with the Yankees. He came over in a 2016 trade from the Houston Astros. Abreu has not been used in many high leverage situations during his Yankee tenure and has mostly been used as a pitcher to eat up some innings. He rounds out a 2018 top 5 prospects that were not overly impressive.

6. Chance Adams / Colorado Rockies / -0.5 / Triple A

Adams was once the Yankees top pitching prospects and was often in discussions as a main trading piece in some discussions. Namely, the Yankees were looking to upgrade their pitching rotation in 2017 and were interested in the likes of Gerrit Cole, Michael Fulmer, and Chris Archer. Many fans didn’t want the team to part with Adams, who was once ranked the #58 prospect in all of baseball. The right handed starter was eventually designated for assignment and traded to the Kansas City Royals.

7. Luis Medina / Oakland Athletics / 0.0 / MLB

The Yankees signed Luis Medina for $280,000 as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic in 2015. Throughout his career, Medina reached as high as Double-A with the Yankees before being traded last summer. He was sent to the Athletics in a trade that brought Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino to the Bronx.

8. Freicer Perez / New York Yankees / – / Top: High A

Perez signed for an inconsequential $10,000 in 2014 but did not make his debut in full-season ball until 2017. A monster figure on the mound, standing at 6’8 and 240 pounds, his build reminds some of former Yankee, Dellin Betances. Perez unfortunately got hit by the injury bug during his professional career. A combination of tough injuries, along with the pandemic really set Perez behind, and he has yet to pitch since 2021.

9. Domingo Acevedo / Oakland Athletics / -0.2 / Triple A

After signing with the Yankees in 2012, Acevedo used his electric fastball to climb the system. He reached Triple A in 2017, though he could not quite make the jump to the major leagues with the Yankees. After the 2020 shortened season, the Oakland Athletics signed Acevedo, and he made his major league debut. Acevedo made 70 appearances in 2022 but encountered trouble in 2023, leading to his designation for assignment earlier this season.

10. Thairo Estrada / San Francisco Giants / 6.5 / MLB

Estrada rounds out the top 10 as the former Yankee prospect with the best major league career. Estrada broke in with the Yankees in 2019 where he played sparingly in a bench role. The Yankees traded Estrada to the San Francisco Giants in 2021 in exchange for cash considerations. Rougned Odor was brought in to fill the vacant roster spot. Estrada has provided a league average bat with the Giants, with an OPS+ of 107 in his three seasons.

Notable Other Top 30 Prospects:

11. Dillon Tate / Baltimore Orioles / 1.2 / MLB

13. Clarke Schmidt / New York Yankees / 1.7 / MLB

14. Jonathan Loaisiga / New York Yankees / 3.3 / MLB

15. Trevor Stephan / Cleveland Guardians / 1.5 / MLB

18. Domingo German / New York Yankees / 5.6 / MLB

22. Giovanny Gallegos / St. Louis Cardinals / 6.3 / MLB

27. Jake Cave / Philadelphia Phillies / 2.8 / MLB

Going Forward:

While the talent level of prospects on a year-by-year basis undoubtedly changes, a look back helps fans understand some decisions. Each case is unique in its own right and rankings matter to a point. However, a trend study paints a better picture about prospects. Sometimes, prospects do not live up to their billing. Sometimes, prospects overachieve from their original rankings.That is why pinpointing the future of someone in the minor leagues is so hard. People within the game refer to prospects as “lottery tickets”, and it is not a bad characterization.

The 2023 Trade Deadline may see the Yankees part with some highly regarded prospects, wherever they may fall on a list. Fans will surely have differing opinions on how some of these trades go down, but that is all part of the experience. Just remember, some of these prospects traded away or brought in may never reach the expectations that are set on them. It is hard not to fall in love with certain prospects, but at the end of the day winning at the major league level takes priority. As we can see from the rankings above, sometimes the lesser known names are the ones who have a big impact. The upcoming week promises to be intriguing as we await the team’s moves, let’s see how it all shakes out!