The last time Yankees GM Brian Cashman talked to the media, his intention was to be a buyer prior to the fast-approaching July 30 trade deadline. Whether the plan changes or not surely will depend on whether the 46-43 Yankees get hot after the All-Star break, which kicks off with eight of their first 10 second-half games against the first-place Red Sox.
Also, we don’t know yet if owner Hal Steinbrenner will allow Cashman, whose payroll already is $208.43 million according to spotrac.com, to blow past the $210 million luxury-tax threshold. The guess is no, and if things shake out that way, then Cashman will have to subtract money to add, which won’t be easy.
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But if Steinbrenner green lights additions that would greatly increase the chances of postseason baseball as well as a run in October, then the Yankees likely will be looking to repeat past Julys by dealing prospects for immediate help.
According to a Major League scout who follows the Yankees’ organization closely, Cashman has the means to trade for anything that will be available if he’s willing to part with a few of the best pieces in a farm system that has plenty of pitchers and position players with high ceilings.
“I’m not going to say the Yankees’ farm system is deep-deep, but they’ve got players that I would want,” said the scout, who was granted anonymity so that he didn’t have to hold back with his comments. “They’ve got players anybody in baseball would want. And they’ve got some players who might turn out to be impact-type guys.
“But the Yankees are hard to figure out because Cashman doesn’t want to trade anybody. Well, he’s at a point now with his team where he might have to say, ‘You know what, I don’t want to trade these guys, but I’m getting killed here in New York and I’ve got to do something.’ Everybody wants to hold on to their minor leaguers, but if hold on to them too long, then they have no value. Deivi Garcia might be one of them who is headed in that direction.”
The scout says that Cashman should only have a few untouchables in his farm system: No. 1 prospect Jasson Dominguez, who had a two-hit night debuting with the Low-A Tampa on Tuesday night, plus Double-A Somerset shortstop Oswald Peraza, maybe High-A Hudson Valley shortstops Josh Smith and Anthony Volpe and perhaps one or two others.
“They’re not going to trade Dominguez,” the scout said. “They’re not going to trade Peraza. They’re probably not going to trade Garcia. They’ll probably keep Smith and Volpe. But the Yankees are just like the Dodgers. The Dodgers have pieces that they will not trade, and if that doesn’t change, the guys that Cashman wants most probably will end up somewhere else.”
The scout suspects Cashman will be more hesitant to deal one of his best pitching prospects this summer due to last winter’s 4-for-1 trade with the Pirates in which the Yankees acquired pitcher Jameson Taillon for a package that included surging pitching prospect Roansy Contreras.
“Cashman usually trades expendable prospects, but Contreras might come back to bite him,” the scout said. “Because of that, Cashman might be more gun shy at this trade deadline.”
Here are fresh scouting reports on 20 Yankees prospects that opposing clubs figure to ask about during trade talks this month:
JASSON DOMINGUEZ, CF
Current team: Tampa Tarpons (Low-A).
Age: 18 (19 on Feb. 7, 2022).
Acquired: Signed as amateur free agent out of Dominican Republic for $5.1 million on June 2, 2019.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 1, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Right.
2021 stats: FCL Yankees (Rookie) & Tampa (Low-A), .250 average, 24 AB. 5 runs, 6 hits, 1 doubles, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 6 BB, 6 K, 2 SB, .711 OPS, 8 games. FCL Yankees (Rookie), .200 average, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 7 games. Tampa (Low-A), .500 average, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 1 game.
Scout says: “I’ve never seen Dominguez yet, but I’m looking forward to it. The kid has tools and has a chance to be really good. The Yankees aren’t trading Dominguez and I wouldn’t either, but I worry about how he’s handling all this hype. I know one thing, Dominguez is going to be tested playing for Tampa at 18.”
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CLARKE SCHMIDT, RHP
Current team: Yankees.
Age: 25 (26 on Feb. 20, 2022).
Acquired: 2017 draft, 1st round (16th overall).
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 2, MLB Pipeline.
2021 stats: None. (Injured list since March 27 with right elbow strain).
2020 stats: Yankees, 0-1, 7.11 ERA, 3 games, 1 start, 6.1 IP, 7 hits, 5 BB, 7 K.
Scout says: “I like Schmidt, but he’s got to stay healthy. I like all the stuff, the aggressiveness with the fastball, the curveball. Last year when Schmidt got called up, it was a matter of him commanding his stuff and trusting it. Not having a minor-league season hurt a lot of players. It hurt Schmidt because he needs innings. And now he’s hurt this year, so he’s not pitching again. But any team would take Schmidt in a trade because he’s got a lot of upside if he can stay healthy.”
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DEIVI GARCIA, RHP
Current team: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA).
Age: 22 (23 on May 19, 2022).
Acquired: Signed as amateur free agent out of Dominican Republic for $200,000 on June 2, 2015.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 3, MLB Pipeline.
2021 MLB stats: Yankees, 0-2, 6.48 ERA, 2 starts, 8.1 IP, 8 hits, 4 BB, 7 K.
2021 minor-league stats: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), 1-3, 7.45 ERA, 11 games, 10 starts, 38.2 IP, 41 hits, 30 BB, 44 K.
Scout says: “Garcia is no better than a backend starter for me. A year ago, I was a lot higher on him. His curveball ain’t what it used to be. He’s still a trade piece to certain clubs, like a Pittsburgh. Anybody would like to have him in the back of their rotation, but what’s going to scare a lot of clubs is Garcia’s size. He’s 5-foot-9. You worry if he’s going to be strong enough to make 30 starts a year. And is his stuff going to hold up? But now, those aren’t the big issues. He’s a total mess.”
* * *
OSWALD PERAZA, SS
Current club: Somerset Patriots (AA).
Age: 21 (22 on June 15, 2022).
Acquired: Signed as amateur free agent out of Venezuela for $175,000 on July 2, 2016.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 4, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Right.
2021 stats: Hudson Valley (High-A) & Somerset (AA), .294 average, 231 AB, 44 runs, 68 hits, 17 doubles, 1 triple, 8 HR, 27 RBI, 21 BB, 57 K, 22 SB, .847 OPS, 59 games. Hudson Valley (High A), .306 average, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 28 games. Somerset (AA), .283 average, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 31 games.
Scout says: “The Yankees won’t get rid of Peraza. He’s the poster child. But he was having a tough time with breaking stuff when I saw him. He swung and missed a lot. He’s young for Double-A and now starting to face guys who can spin the ball and have an idea with pitching. He hits the fastball and makes the plays at short. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have Peraza, but for comparison Gleyber Torres was more advanced when he was in Double-A than Peraza is now. I saw more confidence with the bat from Gleyber.”
* * *
LUIS GIL, RHP
Current team: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA).
Age: 23 (24 on June 3, 2022).
Acquired: Traded by Twins to Yankees for OF Jake Cave on March 16, 2018.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 5, MLB Pipeline.
2021 stats: Somerset (AA) & Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA) 3-1, 3.76 ERA, 12 starts, 52.2 IP, 43 hits, 30 BB, 76 K. Somerset (AA), 1-1, 2.64 ERA, 7 starts. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), 2-0, 5.32 ERA, 5 starts.
Scout says: “Gil throws a power fastball and he’s got a good slider. Now whether he remains a starter, that remains to be seen. But he’s got two power pitches, so everybody’s going to want the guy because he’s young and he throws hard. The analytics people are going to say, ‘Gil can throw a fastball up in the zone, his RPM is this, his spin rate is thats, this is the guy you want,’ The GMs are going to listen, but the guy still has some growing up to do pitching wise.”
* * *
AUSTIN WELLS, C
Current club: Tampa Tarpons (Low-A).
Age: 21 (22 on July 12, 2021).
Acquired: 2020 draft, 1st round out of University of Arizona.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 6, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Left.
2021 stats: Tampa (Low-A), .274 average, 190 AB, 49 runs, 52 hits, 13 doubles, 3 triples, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 41 BB; 48 K, 8 SB, .895 OPS, 51 games.
Scout says: “The Yankees drafted three catchers in rounds one and two over the last few years and I’m not high on any of them. They picked Wells thinking that left-handed swing is prototype for Yankee Stadium. Wells always has been able to hit, but the jury on him in college and the jury on him now is a lot of people don’t think he can stay at catcher. The other two: Anthony Seigler’s catching is way ahead of Josh Breaux’s, but Breaux’s bat is ahead. I don’t know how Seigler was a No. 1 pick. I don’t see it. I don’t see second round with Breaux.”
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LUIS MEDINA, RHP
Current team: Somerset Patriots (AA).
Age: 22 (23 on May 3, 2022).
Acquired: Signed as amateur free agent out of Dominican Republic for $280,000 on July 8, 2015.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 7, MLB Pipeline.
2021 stats: Hudson Valley (High-A) & Somerset (AA), 3-2, 3.66 ERA, 11 starts, 51.2 IP, 36 hits, 32 BB, 78 K. Hudson Valley (High A), 2-1, 2.76 ERA, 7 starts, 19 BB, 50 K. Somerset (AA), 1-1, 5.21 ERA, 4 starts, 19 IP, 13 BB, 28 K.
Scout says: “I think Medina is a bullpen guy. I saw him in June. He threw the crap out of the ball, but six walks in 4.1 innings. At some point, you’ve got to learn how to pitch.”
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ESTEVAN FLORIAL, CF
Current team: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA).
Age: 23 (24 on Nov 25, 2021).
Acquired: Signed as amateur free agent out of Dominican Republic for $200,000 on March 19, 2015.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 10, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Left.
2021 MLB stats: Yankees, .333 average, 3 AB, 1 hit, 2 K, .667 OPS, 1 game.
2021 minor-league stats: Somerset (AA) & Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), .215 average, 191 AB, 36 runs, 41 hits, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 10 HR, 28 RBI, 30 BB, 61 K, 8 SB, .751 OPS, 48 games. Somerset (AA), .182 average, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 9 games. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), .212 average, 6 HR, 22 RBI, 39 games.
Scout says: “With Florial, one day it’s good, one day it’s bad. No consistency. When Florial was in A-ball, Cashman had a chance to trade him to Oakland in the Sonny Gray trade and said, ‘No.’ Oakland wanted him. I don’t know if the Yankees held on to Florial too long. He’s been healthy this year, but was hurt a lot in past seasons. His makeup is off the chart and he’s got tools. He’s got power, too. But he strikes out too much. That’s the problem with his game. Nobody tells these kids in the minor leagues, ‘You’ve got to find a way to put the ball in play and not strike out.’ That’s why the Major League average right now is about .235. That’s sad. Guys like Ted Williams and Tony Gwynn are rolling over in their graves shaking their heads.”
* * *
ANTHONY VOLPE, SS
Current team: Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A).
Age: 20 (21 on April 28, 2022).
Acquired: 2019 draft, 1st round out of The Delbarton School (Morristown, N.J.).
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 11, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Right.
2021 stats: Tampa (Low-A) & Hudson Valley (High-A), .302 average, 202 AB, 56 runs, 61 hits, 18 doubles, 5 triples, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 52 BB, 43 K, 21 SB, 1.073 OPS, 55 games. Tampa (Low-A), .302 average, 12 HR, 49 RBI, 54 games. Hudson Valley (High-A), .333 average, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 game.
Scout says: “Volpe has a lot of trade value, but the Yankees are going to hold onto him. He’s an instinctive baseball player with tools. He’s smart on the field. Those are the kinds of guys you don’t want to trade, but those are the kind of guys that everybody’s going to ask for.”
* * *
JOSH SMITH, SS
Current team: Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A).
Age: 23 (24 on Aug. 7, 2021).
Acquired: 2019 draft, 2nd round out of LSU.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 14, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Left.
2021 stats: Tampa (Low-A) & Hudson Valley (High A), .341 average, 135 AB, 42 runs, 46 hits, 12 doubles, 3 triples, 9 HR, 24 RBI, 22 BB, 32 K, 15 SB, 1.135 OPS, 37 games. Tampa (Low A), .333 average, 6 HR, 15 RBI, 11 games. Hudson Valley (High A), .344 average, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 26 games.
Scout says: “Smith can swing the bat. He plays good defense. I like the way he goes about his business. He plays with a little chip on his shoulder. He gets out there and gets after it. I like that. He can play short, but I think long-term he’s better off at second base. I don’t know if that arm is going to hold up long term every day at shortstop, especially when you’ve got to go deep in the hole.”
* * *
EZEQUIEL DURAN, 2B/SS
Current team: Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A).
Age: 22 (23 on May 22, 2022).
Acquired: Signed out of Dominican Republic for $10,000 on July 2, 2017.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 15, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Right.
2021 stats: Hudson Valley (High-A), .290 average, 214 AB, 33 runs, 62 hits, 13 doubles, 4 triples, 9 HR, 38 RBI, 22 BB, 54 K, 12 SB, .885 OPS, 56 games.
Scout says: “Duran can play. As a matter of fact, after watching a week of Duran and a week of Peraza, I might like Duran’s bat better right now. Teams that are trying to build some depth in their farm system and get younger, Duran would be a good get for them in a trade. Duran runs a little bit, he makes all the plays at second base, he swings the bat aggressive. He’s a short guy, but he’s strong and has some power. I think the bat’s got a chance to play up.”
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ALBERT ABREU, RHP
Current team: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA).
Age: 25 (26 on Sept. 26, 2021).
Acquired: Traded by Astros to Yankees with RHP Jorge Guzman for C Brian McCann and cash on Nov. 17, 2016.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 18, MLB Pipeline.
2021 stats: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), 1-0, 3.76 ERA, 10 games, 16.2 IP, 10 hits, 11 BB, 31 K. Yankees, 0-0, 2.13 ERA, 6 games, 12.2 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 3 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 12 K.
Scout says: “Abreu has good stuff. I don’t know who the blame on this, but with that kind of stuff there’s no reason why this guy should be on the shuttle back and forth between Triple-A and the big leagues. He doesn’t throw strikes. That’s the problem. Everybody’s enamored by spin rate, and these guys can’t pitch anymore. Abreu is among a bunch of guys in the minors who throw 95, 96, 97, but they don’t throw enough strikes. But I like Abreu. I’d take him in a trade.”
* * *
JOSH BREAUX, C
Current team: Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A).
Age: 23 (24 on Oct. 7, 2021).
Acquired: 2018 draft, 2nd round out of McLennan (Texas) CC.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 19, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Right.
2021 stats: Hudson Valley (High-A), .263 average, 190 AB, 25 runs, 50 hits, 11 doubles, 12 HR, 33 RBI, 16 BB, 58 K, .826 OPS, 49 games.
Scout says: “Breaux’s strong. He’s got some power and he’s swinging the bat now. But I don’t think he can catch. As a matter of fact, when I wrote up a report on Breaux, I projected him as a fringy average catcher at the very best.
* * *
BRANDON LOCKRIDGE, CF
Current team: Somerset Patriots (AA).
Age: 24 (25 on March 14, 2022).
Acquired: 2018 draft, 5th round out of Troy University.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 20, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Right.
2021 stats: Hudson Valley (High-A) & Somerset (AA), .256 average, 129 AB, 19 runs, 33 hits, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 9 BB, 27 K, 5 SB, .734 OPS, 33 games. Hudson Valley (High-A), .256 average, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 32 games. Somerset (AA), .250 average, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 game.
Scout says: “Lockridge is a lean-built, greyhound-looking guy that can really run and play a good center field. He has tools. Good athlete. Line-drive type hitter. He’s got to cut down on his strikeouts, but he needs at-bats. He’s another guy that was hurt last year by not being able to play.”
ANTHONY SEIGLER, C
Current team: Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A).
Age: 22 (23 on June 20, 2022).
Acquired: 2018 draft, 1st round, 23rd overall out of Carterville (Ga.) High.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 22, MLB Pipeline.
Bats: Both.
2021 stats: Hudson Valley (High-A), .207 average, 87 AB, 13 runs, 18 hits, 9 doubles, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 14 BB, 27 K, .665 OPS, 25 games.
Scout says: “I know Siegler was a first-round pick and he’s still young, but he looks like he’ll be an emergency guy as a big leaguer, an up-and-down guy.”
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KEN WALDICHUK, LHP
Current team: Somerset Patriots (AA).
Age: 23 (24 on Jan. 8, 2022).
Acquired: 2019 draft, 5th round out of St. Mary’s.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 27, MLB Pipeline.
2021 stats: Hudson Valley (High-A) & Somerset (AA), 5-0, 1.42 ERA, 12 starts, 57 IP, 28 hits, 30 BB, 97 K. Hudson Valley (High A), 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 30.2 IP, 13 BB, 55 K. Somerset 3-0, 3.08 ERA, 5 starts, 26.1 IP, 17 BB, 42 K.
Scout says: “He’s all right. I like him. Waldichuk was 91-95 and sitting 92-94 when I saw him. He has a good curveball, a real good changeup and a solid slider. I give him a ceiling as a No. 3 starter. This is a guy teams will ask for as a trade piece.”
* * *
GLENN OTTO, RHP
Current team: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA).
Age: 25 (26 on March 21).
Acquired: 2017 draft, 5th round out of Rice University.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 28, MLB Pipeline.
2021 stats: Somerset (AA), 6-3, 3.17 ERA, 11 games, 10 starts, 65.2 IP, 46 hits, 14 BB, 103 K. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 0 games (promoted July 13).
Scout says: “Otto’s pitching now more instead of trying to overpower people. The last time I saw Otto, the velo was down. He topped out at 93 and pitched at 91, 92. I’ve seen him throwing 95-96 earlier this year. I’ve got no problem with 91-92. I still like him. He’s throwing strikes more. That’s the one thing I took out of that. I’ve always liked Otto. I think he’s figuring out this year and saying, ‘I don’t have to overpower everybody. Let me trust my stuff. Let me pitch both sides of the plate.’”
* * *
HAYDEN WESNESKI, RHP
Current team: Somerset Patriots (AA).
Age: 23 (24 on Dec. 5, 2021).
Acquired: 2019 draft, 6th round out of Sam Houston State.
Yankees prospect ranking: No. 30, MLB Pipeline.
2021 stats: Hudson Valley (High-A) & Somerset (AA), 2-4, 3.20 ERA, 11 starts, 56.1 IP, 51 hits, 16 BB, 67 K.
Scout says: “When I saw Wesneski, he was 91-95 sitting at 93 with a feel for the curveball, slider and changeup. He’s another arm that the Yankees can use to get something in a trade.”
* * *
TREY AMBURGEY, OF
Current team: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA).
Age: 26 (27 on Oct. 24, 2021).
Acquired: 2015 draft, 13th round.
Yankees prospect ranking: Unranked.
Bats: Right.
2021 stats: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), .307 average, 137 AB, 24 runs, 42 hits, 14 doubles, 1 triple, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 16 BB, 38 K, 1 SB, .930 OPS, 37 games.
Scout says: “Amburgey could be a backend piece in a trade, He’s OK. He’s a guy that’s going to have to hit. He’s going have to overachieve. A good thing for Amburgey is he’s gotten a lot at-bats during spring training to where people have seen him, and all it takes is for one team to like him.”
* * *
HOY JUN PARK, INF/OF
Current team: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA).
Age: 25 (26 on April 7, 2022).
Acquired: Signed as amateur free agent out of South Korea for $1.1 million on July 2, 2014.
Yankees prospect ranking: Unranked.
Bats: Left.
2021 stats: Somerset (AA) & Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), .315 average, 181 AB, 43 runs, 57 hits, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 9 HR, 28 RBI, 49 BB, 42 K, 9 SB, .989 OPS, 52 games. Somerset (AA), .194 average, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 10 games. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), .340 average, 8 HR, 25 BI, 42 games.
Scout says: “Park has some athleticism and is solid defensively. He’s probably more suited for second base. He can run at little and always has had bat-to-ball skills to at least hit .260 to .270. He has good bat control. As far as trade value, Park would be a throw-in.”
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