NY Yankees

If the Yankees want elite post-season play, here’s the player they need to sign

by
carlos correa, yankees

Reports have indicated that the New York Yankees will exit the lockout with an aggressive mentality, ready to spend big money to fill multiple positions of need. After letting most of the starting pitching talent go before the lockout commenced, they’re going to have to take a big risk on a player that may be injury prone, similar to their strategy the past few seasons.

General manager Brian Cashman could view Clayton Kershaw or Carlos Rodon as potential suitors, but it is yet to be seen if they will spend big money on a player with red flags. Kershaw has had his fair share of injury troubles, and Rodon had his first adequate performance in 2021 with Chicago, offering a small sample size of quality play.

However, shortstop remains the big question as we move forward towards Spring Training. The Yankees have a few options on the board and ones that we’ve discussed extensively over the past few weeks. They could execute a trade for a player like Elvis Andrus from the Oakland Athletics, or maybe even sign Andrelton Simmons as a stopgap until one of their stud prospects is ready to take the reins.

One of the Yankees’ biggest downfalls has been during postseason play — a failure to provide offensive production. Their hitters go quiet, and their pitching struggles. If they want elite postseason performances, there’s only one shortstop on the market that can offer them that value.

That player is Carlos Correa, who is coming off a regular-season where he hit .279 with 26 homers and 92 RBIs. Aside from the 2020 season, which was affected by Covid, Correa has never dipped below 15 homers in a single campaign.

During postseason play, though, he’s experienced 334 plate appearances, recording 82 hits, 18 homers, and a .272 batting average.

However, using a Yankee Stadium overlay, Correa’s numbers skyrocket, hitting .385 with 82 hits and 89.6 exit velocity. That is a type of production and quality you pay for, especially since Correa is looking for a 10 year, $300+ million deal.

The Yankees have available funds to offer him a lucrative contract, and if there’s any outstanding reason as to why he deserves it, his postseason play tells the full story. Aside from his incredible regular season stats, the Yankees need that type of efficiency and consistency when the post-season starts to simmer. They have disappeared far too frequently in recent memory, failing to reach the World Series in over a decade.

3 starting pitchers the Yankees could pursue when free agency 2.0 starts

by
clayton kershaw, yankees

Before the lockout commenced, the New York Yankees had a one-year, $25 million deal on the table for Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros. Verlander elected to stay with his present team on a two-year, $50 million deal, which includes a player option for the second season.

Clearly, the Yankees understand they need to find another quality starter to pair with Gerrit Cole, given his inconsistencies toward the end of the season in 2021. They hoped Verlander would offer them that quality, and after missing on the majority of talented players during the earlier portions of free agency, they will have to dabble in the secondary market when the lockout finally ends.

Three pitchers the Yankees should consider when free-agency opens back up:

1.) Carlos Rodon

One of the top starters on the market is Carlos Rodon, who had his best season to date in 2021. Starting 24 games for the Chicago White Sox, Rodon posted a 2.37 ERA, 12.55 strikeouts per nine, and an 82.2% left on base percentage. He collected 13 wins over 132.2 innings, seeing his velocity and spin rate increase significantly. Notably, he used his fastball on 58.7% of his pitches, the highest of his career. His secondary pitches are a slider and changeup, slowly inching away from using his sinker, which he factored in earlier on in his career.

If the Yankees are able to sign Rodon on a shorter-term contract, it might be a good move with high upside. Considering he has just one proven year of fantastic play, committing for more than two years would be overly optimistic. A two-year deal with a third-year team option might suffice.

2.) Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw has dealt with his fair share of injuries in the past but has also pitched in over 100 innings in every one of his 14 MLB seasons, aside from the abbreviated Covid campaign in 2020.

This past year with Los Angeles, Kershaw posted a 3.55 ERA with 10.65 strikeouts per nine and a 71.7% left on base percentage. As a lefty pitcher, the Yankees would love to have more diversity in their starting rotation, but he has seen a significant drop-off in velocity, relying more on his slider in recent years.

Kershaw’s fastball was used on just 36.8% of his pitches, hovering around 90.7 mph. His slider saw a 47.5% usage, the highest of his career. He also incorporated his curveball in a fair amount at 15.1%. Kershaw would likely cost a pretty penny, but the expectation is that he stays with the Dodgers, given his lengthy tenure there. However, if he becomes available, the Yankees will undoubtedly have their name in the hat, considering the lack of options on the market.

3.) Zack Greinke 

If the Yankees want to take a bigger risk, 38-year-old Zack Greinke also presents a historically solid pitcher. This past season with Houston, he earned a 4.16 ERA, winning 11 games and posting a 6.32 strikeout per night rate. Greinke isn’t known for his strikeout abilities but has an awesome sequence of pitches at his disposal.

Greinke contains a fastball, sinker, changeup, slider, and curve ball, using all of them a fair amount. His fastball has experienced a dramatic drop-off in speed, hovering around 89 mph in 2021. However, given his spin rate and great pitch movement, he could be a decent option for one or two years at the back end of his career. He might not be the number two he used to be, but it seems he still has a bit of juice left in his arm.

Yankees News: Winter League performances not encouraging as two young batters struggle

by
New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

With baseball at a complete standstill, the New York Yankees still have a number of players featuring in the Winter League down in the Dominican Republic. Primarily winter ball is utilized for players returning from injury or those who want a bit of extra work during the off-season; one of the team’s big-league starters featured down south this month.

Switch-hitter Aaron Hicks enjoyed 12 games of action recovering from a wrist injury he sustained last season and knocked him out for majority of the year. He only featured in 32 games, leaving the Yankees incredibly thin in the outfield after Clint Frazier was forced out due to vertigo.

In addition to Hicks, they also had multiple minor-league players take the field, looking to get extra work in and prepare for the spring. Some performed better than others, but aside from Hicks, the other two batters struggled considerably to get anything going.

Brendan Kuty of NJ.com listed the stats for each Winter League player:

Aaron Hicks, CF

Stats: .265, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 10 K, 4 BB, 53 AB, 12 G

Wandy Peralta, RHP

Stats: 3-0, 3.72 ERA, 11 appearances, 9 2/3 IP, 15 K, 3 BB

Miguel Andujar, UTL

Stats: .161 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 6 K, 1 BB, 31 AB, 8 G

Estevan Florial, CF

Stats: .167 BA, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 10 K, 7 BB, 24 AB, 9 G

Luis Medina, RHP

Stats: 0-0, 4.92 ERA, 2 starts, 3 2/3 IP, 6 K, 4 BB

Albert Abreu, RHP

Stats: 3-3, 2.25 ERA, 6 starts, 24 IP, 11 K, 10 BB

It is quite disappointing to see Miguel Andujar’s drop off over the past few seasons. After recording a .297 average with 27 homers back in 2018, Andujar has watched his progress stop and regress. He played in 45 games this past season, and while he did hit .253 with six homers and 19 runs, his defensive attributes have become a liability.

The Yankees never wanted to give up on Andujar, testing him at first base, outfield spots, and basically anywhere he could field without making a mistake. Unfortunately, he simply just isn’t a good enough defender to be a Major League player on an every day basis. He’s a solid supplement offensively, potentially as a DH, but the Yankees have too much slugging power to reserve him to that role. They’re better off trading him to a team who can try and re-mold him.

Another disappointing prospect has been Estevan Florial, who hit just .167 during Winter League play. Struggling with injury the past few years, Florial was known as a five-tool prospect and on his way to being a stud major leaguer. However, his development has taken far longer than anticipated. At this point, there’s no guarantee he will reach the majors and become the player he was destined to be a couple years ago when he was the number one prospect in the Yankees’ farm system.

New York Yankees: Don’t waste time, all the news in one place

by
jonathan villar, mets, yankees

Yankee slugger Aaron Judge makes bold prediction

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has been full of surprises this off-season. So far, the headline is that he married his long-time girlfriend, Samantha Bracksieck two weekends ago in a secret tropical wedding at Maui, Hawaii. But, that’s not all; he has now made a bold prediction.

Last season Judge had a beast of a season, carrying the team on his back, in his first fully healthy season since 2017. He hit .287 with 39 home runs while batting in nearly 100. He now has made the bold prediction that he will hit at least 50 home runs during his 2022 campaign. Looking at it seriously, it’s not out of the question. He hit 57 in 2017. The question will be if he can stay healthy to accomplish the lofty goal.

With Judge becoming a free agent for the first time at the end of the 2022 season, the other big question is if the Yankees will offer him a mega-contract keeping him as a lifelong Yankee. Unfortunately for the Yankees and Judge, will it get ugly when it comes time to do that? Most of it will depend on staying healthy two seasons in a row. If he can’t, the Yankees will be reluctant to extend him long-term.

Where will all the remaining big names end up?

If you want to believe Sports Illustrated, post-CBA doesn’t look good for the Yankees as it predicts where all the big remaining names will go, none of which go to the Yankees. The big bait out there, Carlos Correa, regardless of the news, will probably end up with his old manager A J Hinch, who is now managing the Detroit Tigers. Another big name favored by the Yankees, Freddie Freeman, will resign with the Atlanta Braves.

The Yankees have been targeting Trevor Story for a shortstop replacement. SI that previously had him going to the Rangers have switched gears and are now sending him to the Houston Astros to fill the Correa gap. There haven’t been many predictions that show a quality starting pitcher to the Yankees, but recently the name Carlos Rodon has come up as a possible fit for the Yankees; quell that, SI has him going to the rival Boston Red Sox.

You can also scratch outfielder and catcher Kyle Schwarber from playing in the Bronx; he will be going to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The only signing that seems safe is the first baseman Anthony Rizzo returning to the Yankees. In a bizarre suggestion, there are some rumors that nut-case Zack Grienke of the Astros could end up with the Yankees. Let’s hope not.

How are the Yankees doing in Winter Ball?

Several Yankees have played winter ball in the Dominican Republic; their results aren’t exactly promising. Aaron Hicks played in 12 games, not producing; the only thing he has shown the Yankees is that he can stay healthy for twelve games. Miguel Andujar has been nothing short of a disaster in winter ball, hitting .161 and no home runs in eight games. He has to be hoping he will be traded with no position to play with the Yankees and his below-average defense.

Estevan Florial wasn’t much better; he hit .167 in nine games. Once a top Yankee prospect, his halo is quickly dimming. Florial has power and speed as his main attributes, but to show those off, you have to hit the ball; he strikes out far too much to be of any value.

On the pitching side, Luis Media was 0-0, 4.92 ERA, two starts, 3 2/3 IP, 6 K, 4 BB. Baseball America ranks Medina as the team’s No. 9 prospect, primarily due to his high 90s’ fastball. Don’t look for Media to be a starter for the Yankees any time soon. His lack of control challenges his fastball. He will probably start the season with the AA Somersets. If he starts at Scranton, he could be a piece out of the bullpen for the Yankees.

Right-hand pitcher Albert Abreu went 3-3, 2.25 ERA, 6 starts, 24 IP, 11 K, 10 BB. Abreu’s ERA is impressive, but he walks too many hitters. He will likely be in the Yankees bullpen as a last resort piece with his history and numbers. Catcher Rob Brantly didn’t exactly ring any bells in winter ball. He hit .125 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 3 K, 0 BB, 8 AB, 2 games. Nevertheless, he will end up as the number one catcher at Scranton and the backup for Kyle Higashioka in the Bronx.

Now on the bright side: Outfielder Michael Beltre hit .293 with five RBIs, nine strikeouts, and two walks. He will likely start the season with the Rail Riders with his outfield depth and excellent showing at double-A Somerset. Should we have trouble in center, you could see him with the big team sometime in the season.

The most encouraging sign for the Yankees is Wandy Peralta, the righty that made an impact last season. In winter ball, he went  3-0, 3.72 ERA, 11 appearances, 9 2/3 IP, 15 K, 3 BB. He looks to be a mid to late-inning reliever again this season in the Bronx.

Is Jonathan Villar a fit for the Yankees?

There has been recent talk that Jonathan Villar could be a stop-gap measure for the Yankees, not at short but at third base. That move would require the Yankees to move Gio Urshela to short, where he performed well last season when needed.

With Anthony Volpe and Osward Peraza in the wings and probably ready for the 2023 season, the Yankees don’t appear to be ready to hire a big name to fill the spot at short, long term. Villar hits better than most stop-gap shortstop options out there but is not much of an upgrade for Torres at short, thus the third base suggestion where his defense is better. Villar has speed but lacks the home run numbers the Yankees would like to see. He may be a fit, but it also piques the question: What will become of DJ LeMahieu if the Yankees sign Anthony Rizzo as their 2022 first baseman?

Yankees create a bright Christmas for Bronx youth

For the twelfth year in a row, the Yankees have held their Christmas toy even to benefit the underserved kids of the Bronx that surrounds Yankee Stadium. Their Winter Wonderland Event Friday has delivered thousands of toys to local school children.

“Everybody knows the Yankees for being a champion on the field, but that same drive and focus is part of our commitment to being a productive member of this community,” said Brian Smith, the Yankees’ senior vice president of corporate community relations. “We’re happy to put a smile on these young peoples’ faces during the holiday season.”

In years previous to 2020, the event was held in the big hall at Yankee Stadium, where a child could come in a pick a toy of their choice. Unfortunately, last year and this year, that could not happen due to Covid restrictions. This season the event was held outside Yankee Stadium, but most of the toys will be distributed by the New York Yankee Partners right up until Christmas day.

One stud prospect the Yankees should shop in trade after lockout ends

by
oswald peraza, yankees

The New York Yankees have several big decisions to make after the lockout ends in the spring (we hope). General manager Brian Cashman is expected to be aggressive coming out of the gates, according to multiple player agents.

Obviously, the Yankees were rather quiet before the lockout, failing to grab any big names off the market to bolster positions of need. However, whether it be via free agency or trade, the Bombers have the necessary tools to acquire significant talent.

At some point, though, Cashman is going to have to part ways with some of his big prospect names, especially after the team struggled to develop Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres, and Luis Severino. Some have been impacted by injury, while others have watched their fundamentals disintegrate year after year.

The Yankees have an impressive amount of talent at shortstop in their minor-league affiliates. They are keen to rely on Anthony Volpe as their primary SS down the line, but he is still about two years away from becoming a Major League-level player.

However, Oswald Peraza could be a solid trade piece moving forward, coming in below Volpe in the team’s prospect rankings. Nonetheless, he is an incredible talent with a ton of upside, making him a valuable piece in a prospective deal for a big player.

MiLB.com had rave reviews for Oswald Peraza, which is why he’s one of the Yankees’ top prospects:

Peraza could have four plus tools once he’s fully developed. He has smooth actions at shortstop, the arm to make any throw necessary and a good internal clock that helps him slow the game down defensively. He makes good use of his plus speed and stole 44 bases in 54 attempts in 159 games over his first three pro seasons.

Peraza played for three minor-league teams this past year, including Hudson Valley, Somerset, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Altogether, he hit an outstanding .297 with 18 homers, 58 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases. He spent the majority of his time in AA Somerset, hitting .294 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs.

As a plus defender with obvious offensive capabilities, the Yankees would hate to pass on him as a potential long-term solution in the infield. However, it seems as Volpe has a slight edge, which could make Peraza expendable.

Going from an unranked prospect to top six by the end of 2019, the rise of Oswald has been spectacular. It is always nice to see prospects that improve year over year, which might be another sign of the Yankees’ confidence in him.

Another unique statistic revolves around his exit velocity, which finished as high as 110 mph off the bat, a solid number considering he is just 6-feet tall and weighs 185 pounds.

With such a strong minor-league crop of infielders, the Yankees have a bit of cushion in case they want to utilize one of their prospects in a trade. Peraza seems like the obvious option if a team is looking for a big name, as they would prefer to categorize Volpe and Jasson Dominguez as off-limits.

New York Yankees: What you need to know about recent signings

by
ender inciarte, yankees

Like the other 29 MLB teams, the New York Yankees can not have any major league transactions due to the MLB lock-out. The owners and players couldn’t come to an agreement before the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement on December 1. However, that did not tie their hand from signing minor league players as they are not members of the players association. As a result, the Yankees have improved their future with some of those signings.

Yankees signed free agent SS Jose Peraza to a minor league contract at the end of November. Peraza will give the Yankees an option going forward at short. The 27-year-old hit .204 last season with six home runs over 142 plate appearances with the New York Mets. He has a six-year career average of .266. Peraza comes to the Yankees with an excellent defensive record.

On December 15, the Yankees signed RHP Vinny Nittoli to a minor league contract. The signing of Nittoli is a bit perplexing. He pitched in only one game last season for the Seattle Mariners. In one inning, his ERA was 18.00. So it must be the Yankee scouts saw something that caused them to make this signing.

The Yankees also signed center fielder Ender Inciarte and Blake Perkins to minor league contracts. EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Alexander Wilson had this to say about Inciarte:

Inciarte was once a respectable player, but at 31-years-old, his best service comes in the form of depth and last-resort situations. The veteran outfielder started off his career in Arizona with the Diamondbacks, posting intriguing numbers, including a .278 average in 2014 and .303 in 2015.

Inciarte is an All-Star and three-time Gold Glover.

Blake Perkins is a 25-year-old switch-hitting outfielder that plays primarily in center field. The Washington Nationals drafted him in the second round of the 2015 draft. In 2018 with the Pacific Nationals, he hit .234 with one home run, 21 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases through 65 games. Last season, he hit .224/.330/.347 with eight home runs, 34 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases with two different minor league teams. Perkins will provide depth for the Yankees in center.

The Yankees also added Wilkerman Garcia, a 23-year-old shortstop, to their minor league fold. Garcia is another switch hitter; he has a career batting average of .284 with 12 home runs over five years in the majors. However, he had not played since 2019, when he was with four minor league teams in the Yankee organization. Luis Soho has called Garcia a defending solid shortstop.

 

MLB Insider proposes wild trade involving top Yankees prospect

by
New York Yankees, Jasson Dominguez

The New York Yankees have a busy off-season ahead once the lockout ends, as player agents believe general manager Brian Cashman will be active in the market when he is capable.

Given the Yankees were unable to secure any big-name free agents before the lockout, they will need to pick up the slack in the spring. However, they still have plenty of names left to pursue once things return to normal. Expect a ton of competition, though, driving up the price due to demand.

One way the Yankees can improve their team without spending an exorbitant amount of money is via trade. The team was connected to the Oakland Athletics in the early portions of the off-season regarding Matt Olson, their star first baseman.

Oakland is trying to find a new home for Olson, slashing his salary off the books. If the lockout ends with a salary floor set at $100 million, Oakland will have no choice but to pay Olson anyway, so it is entirely possible they retain him given that outcome. If things remain the same in that area, Cashman could look to acquire Olson, who is 27-years-old and has two years of team control left on his contract.

One MLB insider proposed an interesting trade scenario involving the Yankees’ top prospect in their farm system.

Joel Sherman of the NY Post proposed that the Yankees send Jasson Dominguez on his way for Matt Olson and Elvis Andrus, in addition to others:

My proposed trade: (Jasson) Dominguez, Luis Gil and Chad Green for Elvis Andrus and Olson.

In terms of pure value, Oakland might bite on the scenario, considering Dominguez is being compared to players like Lou Gehrig with his potential. The Yankees have failed to develop some of their more prominent names in the recent past, but there’s no chance Cashman gives up Dominguez at such a ripe age.
A five-tool outfielder at 18-years-old with the qualities to become a super-star doesn’t represent a trade piece to just toss around. He spent last season with the Tampa Tarpons, hitting .252 with five homers and 19 RBIs, tallying nine stolen bases.
Landing Olson would be a massive benefit, considering he hit .271 with 39 homers and 111 RBIs this past season. As a lefty batter, he would rake at Yankee Stadium, but the Yankees may not have to give up Dominguez to acquire Olson with other stud prospects at the ready.
The Yankees have two awesome shortstops rising through their system in Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe. Selling high on Peraza now might be ideal given their excitement about Volpe and his transition to the big leagues in the future. They would also have to include a pitcher like Luis Gil.
Acquiring Elvis Andrus would be a stopgap at shortstop, taking on his contract that ends after the 2022 season but does have a vesting option in 2023. Andrus hit .243 this past season but represents a solid defender.
Overall, this isn’t my favorite trade scenario, filling the shortstop spot with a low power contact hitter that is being overpaid and parting ways with one of the best prospects baseball has seen in quite some time.
What do you think of this trade proposal? Comment here!

Yankees’ starting pitching rotation earns surprisingly impressive grades via Fangraphs

by
yankees, gerrit cole

All the New York Yankee post-season news has been centered around picking up that star shortstop to fill the gap from the failed experiment with Gleyber Torres. Still, General Manager Brian Cashman has been vocal about acquiring a one-two punch in the pitching rotation that is now missing with the departure of 2 times Cy Young Award-winning Corey Kluber.

Cashman has done next to nothing to accomplish the needs of the club before MLB instituted the CBA lock-out.

Fangraphs has issued their projected WAR for MLB’s pitching rotations, and it shows that if the Yankees fail to upgrade the rotation for the new season, they still come in with the 8th best rotation in baseball.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, their cross-town rival New York Mets come in at number one on the list. However, with the acquisition of Max Scherzer, they now have two bonafide aces leading their pitching staff. Jacob deGrom and Scherzer should give them the edge in the NL East.

The Mets’ rotation looks like this: deGrom, Scherzer, Carlos Carrasco, Taijuan Walker, and David Peterson. Marcus Stroman is presently a free agent. This Mets lineup is a game-changer in the National League.

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees have one of the best pitchers in the game leading their lineup with Gerrit Cole. But they lack that one-two punch they will need if they reach the post-season. Cashman knows that at the end of the CBA lock-out, he will be actively looking for that missing piece, as evidenced by his try for 2 time Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander. Verlander ended staying with the Astros.

 

1.) Gerrit Cole will lead the lineup and be the opening day starter. Cole last year was 16-8 in 30 starts with an ERA of 3.23. His record should have been much better, but he got poor support with the poor hitting 2021 Yankees. The Yankees only scored 3.03 runs per innings he pitched.

 

2.) Number two for the Yankees at this point will be Luis Severino. Yes, Severino will be a question mark, not pitching an entire season since 2018. Severino, if he can come back to his 2018 from can be that number two man. In 2018 he was 19-8. In a few games in 2019, he had an ERA of 1.50. He didn’t pitch at all in the shortened 2020 season. Last season after coming off rehab, he threw four games with a perfect .000 ERA.

 

3.) Jordan Montgomery: Monty had the second-best WAR after Cole. Last season, he went 6-7 with an ERA of 3.83. Montgomery was the bad luck kid for the Yankees last year, getting the least run support of any pitcher. He had over a half dozen of his starts with absolutely no run support and another six games with less than two runs of support.

 

4.) Jameson Taillon: As the 2021 season progressed, Taillon found his form that made him a star pitcher with the Pirates. Taillon was 8-6 in 29 starts with an ERA of 4.30. He pitched much better in the second half than the stats would suggest. He, like other Yankees pitchers, would have liked better run support.

 

5.) Nestor Cortes Jr.: Cortes Jr. turned out to be the pitching story of the 2021 season, replacing Kluber for three months. Cortes Jr. pitched in 22 games for the Yankees going 2-3 with a tiny 2.90 ERA in his 14 starts. Without a blazing fastball, Cortes confused hitters with his never-know-what’s-coming pitching style and delivery.

The Yankees, in addition to this starting rotation, have some other qualified pitchers in the bank, including Domingo German, who can be dominating at times, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt. But make no mistake about it, Cashman will be looking to improve the starting rotation.

Interestingly, according to Fangraphs, none of the Yankees East rivals came in ahead of them as far as the pitching rotation is concerned. The Toronto Blue Jays came in two positions behind the Yankees at number ten. However, they have Jose Berrios, newly acquired Kevin Gausman, and Hyun Jin Ryu leading their rotation.   

What an A+ off-season for the Yankees would look like

by
trevor story, new york yankees

If the New York Yankees want to have a successful off-season, general manager Brian Cashman has to be aggressive coming out of the lockout. Hal Steinbrenner instructed Cashman to wait patiently for the luxury tax threshold to reset during negotiations with the Players Union, which could affect their spending.

Before the lockout, teams spent over $1 billion on players on the market, leaving the Yankees in their dust as they scooped up the majority of talent. Nonetheless, there are still quality players available, notably Carlos Correa, Carlos Rodon, and Trevor Story. They could also set their sights on a player like Freddie Freeman if he’s willing to part ways with Atlanta after winning a championship this past season.

Let’s take a look at what an A+ off-season might look like for the Yankees, addressing multiple positions of concern.

An A+ off-season for the Yankees might look like this:

-Trevor Story

If the Yankees are looking for a stopgap at shortstop, Trevor Story could fit the bill perfectly over a two-year contract. Cashman has indicated they prefer to wait for Anthony Volpe to reach the majors, which will likely be in about two years. There are concerns with Story’s degrading arm strength, and if they overpay him a bit to settle on a short-term deal, The Yankees will get a solid offensive piece with power and a good defender to hold them over (moving him to 3rd on a long-term deal wouldn’t pan out).

Story had a down here in 2021 compared to his previous seasons. He hit .251 with 24 homers and a 23.4% strikeout rate. He still recorded a 3.5 WAR and 20 stolen bases, showcasing his athleticism. A two-year deal with a third-year club option would be ideal, but he would likely cost $20+ million per season over a contract of that length, which is necessary given the team’s weakness.

-Seiya Suzuki

The Yankees were one of Seiya Suzuki’s aggressive pursuers before the lockout, and they will likely continue chasing after his signature in the future. Suzuki has been compared to former Yankee Hideki Matsui, and their statistics coming out of Japan were eerily similar. Suzuki finished the 2021 season with a .317 average and 38 homers.

It is expected that Suzuki will land a deal in the five-year, $55 million range, and given his excessive power, the Yankees would have no problem paying him with the potential for massive upside. He would likely take over in right field, moving Aaron Judge to center, leaving Aaron Hicks in a reserve role.

-Carlos Rodon

At some point, the Yankees are going to have to spend on a starting pitcher, and they had $25 million on the table for Justin Verlander before the lockout. They could pursue an option by Carlos Rodon, who represents one of the better names on the market currently after the top pitchers were scooped up early on. Rodon posted a 2.37 ERA in 2021 over 132.2 innings.

Given his inconsistencies throughout his career, Rodon likely wouldn’t garner a long-term deal, but rather a short-term contract with incentives and an option if he performs well enough. The biggest difference for Rodon was his velocity last year, seeing a 3 mph increase with his fastball, which he used 58.6% of the time. With an increase in velocity and spin rate, Rodon has become an adequate starter and someone that could slot behind Gerrit Cole and provide the Yankees with more quality.

-Trade for Matt Olson

At some point, the Yankees need to understand that trading prospects for established players is a recipe for success. Considering they failed to develop Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, and Luis Severino, utilizing some of their existing talents in the minor leagues could be useful to acquire a player like Matt Olson.

Olson is an incredible talent at 27-years-old. The Oakland Athletics still have team control over Olsen until 2024, giving him two more years of cost-efficient play at first base.

This past season, Olson hit .271 with 39 homers and a 16.8% strikeout rate. He took the jump to superstar, and injecting a lefty who can hit 40+ homers at Yankee Stadium into the lineup would be astronomical. Now, the deal would likely force the Yankees to part ways with some notable names, but a player like Olson gives your team a chance to compete offensively at a level beyond what we’ve seen the past few seasons.

Altogether, this grouping of players upgrades multiple spots of need for the Bombers and will undoubtedly put them in a position to make a run at the World Series in 2022.

How would you grade this prospective off-season? Comment here!

The Yankees have a truly special talent rising through the minor league system

by
anthony volpe, yankees

One of the main reasons the New York Yankees are potentially looking to find a stop-gap solution at shortstop is the presence of young infielder Anthony Volpe in their minor league system.

General manager Brian Cashman and the coaching staff have gushed about his qualities as an offensive threat, but he’s also a solid defensive player with elevating attributes.

MiLB.com awarded Anthony Volpe as the best shortstop in the Yankees’ minor-league system, which was expected despite the presence of Oswald Peraza.

However, the way Volpe was described should prick a few ears:

Volpe, 20, had the type of season that really makes a club ponder its own future.

Given how great he’s played, passing on an option that Carlos Correa will likely be the case if the Yankees believe Volpe will be ready to make the jump in no more than two years.

Correa wouldn’t enjoy the idea of moving from shortstop. If you’re paying a player over 10 seasons, you don’t have much flexibility in the matter.

However, it seems the Cashman is quite confident Volpe will make a successful transition in the coming years. This past season, he slashed .294/.423/.604 with 27 homers, 33 stolen bases, 86 RBIs, 35 doubles, 113 runs scored, and 170 wRC+.

“I think the biggest thing for me was to see how he impacted the game every single night in every way,” Renegades manager Dan Fiorito said. “With the bat — his consistency, his sense of timing, his feel for the barrel, his ability to drive the baseball to all fields was the first thing that stood out, and the power numbers this year were certainly there.”

Not only has Volpe displayed incredible hitting, but also elite bass running abilities, something the Yankees have lacked within their batting order. Having a player who can hit for power but also display incredible athleticism is rare, which makes the minor-league prospect that much more excited. For that matter, it also brews a bit of excitement with Jasson Dominguez.

The question is, do they have enough faith in him to pass on an elite shortstop on the free-agent market? If there was ever an opportunity to upgrade the SS spot, the market this year provides that solution, and passing on it in hopes of Volpe developing into a top player is risky.

Do you think they should stick with their confidence in Volpe and sign a stopgap or go for a big gun like Carlos Correa? Comment here!