The New York Yankees farm system continues to be one of the most impressive around, with six prospects making Baseball America’s top 100 list.
Sure, it’d be more impressive if the New York Yankees had as many prospects on Baseball America’s top 100 list as Ferris Bueller had absences, but hey, placing six prospects in the top 100 is nothing to sneeze at.
Only the Atlanta Braves, with eight prospects in the top 100—including No. 1 overall, outfielder Ronald Acuna—hade more than the Yanks. The Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays also had six prospects make the cut.
For those wondering—and we know you’re wondering—the Boston Red Sox only had two prospects deemed worthy of inclusion: LHP Jason Groome (No. 83) and 3B Michael Chavis (No. 85).
Here’s how the next wave of Baby Bombers stacked up:
- No. 6: 2B/SS Gleyber Torres
- No. 38: OF Estevan Florial
- No. 41: LHP Justus Sheffield
- No. 59: 3B Miguel Andujar
- No. 77: RHP Albert Abreu
- No. 81: RHP Chance Adams
Take that, Boston! New York puts six on the board before you get one across.
But I digress.
Two things jump out at you—or should jump out at you—when looking at this list. First, not only is the Yanks farm system über-talented, but it’s deep. They’ve got talent all over the diamond, not just in one particular area or at a specific position. More importantly, though, is that most of the players on this list aren’t likely to be there come 2019.
Both Torres and Andujar are in the mix to make the Opening Day roster at second base and third base, respectively—at least until the Yankees reach an agreement to bring back Todd Frazier or look to ink another veteran free agent. Even if they both start the season back with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, it’s almost inevitable that both will see plenty of time in the Bronx in 2018.
With Luis Severino, Sonny Gray, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Jordan Montgomery filing out the rotation, neither Sheffield nor Adams has a real shot—barring injury—of cracking camp with the Yanks. But both will be among the first arms the Yanks call upon when needed.
Really, Abreu and Florial are the only two guaranteed to be under consideration for BA’s top 100 heading into 2019. And there’s a whole group of players moving through the system that are waiting to join them.
Other Yankees News, Stories
- ESNY’s Steve Contursi notes that CC Sabathia’s off-field contributions are as important as what he does when toeing the rubber.
- ICYMI: I wrote about how Flava Fraiz and “Thumbs Down Guy” finally met face-to-face. Or is it thumb-to-thumb?
