Don’t panic yet, but the New York Yankees farm system is running on empty, according to the MLB top-100 prospects list that’s dropping soon.
The New York Yankees are making some fans nervous by avoiding major free-agent signings. Now it looks like they’re also out of top-level prospects to dangle in big trades.
Per SB Nation’s Tyler Norton, Baseball America’s top-100 MLB prospect list features zero potential Bronx Bombers. The list will be published on Wednesday, if you want to double-check.
Brian Cashman swapped the one guy who would’ve ranked, lefty starter Justus Sheffield, for southpaw James Paxton back in November.
Given the choice between making the prospect list and getting Paxton, most fans would choose the latter. If Paxton brings his shady health record with him to the Bronx, it will be a different story.
New York did recently beef up their farm system by flipping Sonny Gray in a three-team deal. Gray went to the Reds for prospect Shed Long, whom the Yankees traded for Josh Stowers, the Mariners’ No. 9 prospect.
[membership level="0"] [/membership]Baseball America recognized six Yankee prospects in 2018. In addition to Sheffield, Gleyber Torres, Miguel Andujar, Estevan Florial, Chance Adams, and Albert Abreu made the list.
The last three of those guys are still on the farm. Florial was recovering from an injury in 2018, while Adams and Abreu had FIPs of 4.87 and 4.75, respectively. Therefore, they’ll have room to climb back into the top 100 in 2019.
One thing to remember as you argue over the coming list with fans of other teams, is that the Yankees are currently known as the Baby Bombers. Andujar and Torres finished first and second, respectively, in the 2018 Rookie of the Year voting.
Also, don’t forget about youngsters like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Luis Severino.
As nice as it would be to have a few players make the list, it’s not the end of the world. After all, it’s not easy for World Series contenders like the Yankees to dominate prospect lists as well.
