Yankees prospects who should be untouchable

With the offseason trade buzz just starting with the rumors that the Yankees are heavily interested in 1B Matt Olson, we’ll get into who we think the Yankees should hang onto and develop for the future. We’ll be using MLB Pipeline’s rankings as far as sorting players.

INF Anthony Volpe

After a shortened 2019 season in Appy League Pulaski because of an illness, Volpe exceeded most everyone’s expectations in 2021, after a monster offensive season batting .294 batting average, .423 OBP, and an insane 1.027 OPS. Volpe also made few errors in the field with a .962 fielding pct. and was able to show off his speed and quick arm at short, being scouted as a 55 run, 50 arm, 55 field.

Volpe was named the Southeast League’s Player of the Week for May 31^st-June 6^th as well as Southeast League Player of the Month for the month of June while in Tampa.

OF Jasson Dominguez

“The Martian” made his stateside and pro debut this past June to much fanfare, being invited to the All-Star Futures Game before recording his first hit. While this season may have been a bit underwhelming compared to the honestly unfathomable expectations (.252/.353/.731), Dominguez showed a high ceiling given he is 18 and is only beginning his journey in the minors. He can hit for power (scouted as 60 power), but typically would hit a lot of infield dribblers during the 2021 season (scouted as 55 hit) and his size inhibits his speed around the bases (scouted as 65 run, but we disagree with that, ranking a bit closer to 45 or 50).

INF Trey Sweeney

Sweeney was the Yankees 1^st round draft pick for 2021 and made his pro debut at the end of July in the Complex League. Sweeney batted .261/.384/.932 in the truncated 2021 season between the Complex League and Low-A Tampa, only 32 games between the two teams. Sweeney is stronger with his bat than his glove, being scouted as a 60 hit and 40 field, which I feel is appropriate.

OF Everson Pereira

Pereira had even more of a breakout year than Volpe did, batting .303/.398/1.084, meanwhile still maintaining a .980 fielding pct in CF. Pereira started the year in the Complex League and was promoted in early July to Low-A Tampa as part of one of the large group of players that the Yankees promoted. Pereira was later promoted to High-A Hudson Valley in early August, only spending about a month in Tampa. I feel his power rating may be a bit low at a 50, but the rest of the scouting seems fair.

Pereira earned Southeast League Player of the Week honors while in Tampa for the week of July 5^th-11^th.

C Antonio Gomez

Gomez is being touted as the next great Yankees catcher, despite Wells being a bit higher in the system. Indeed Wells has a much better bat, being scouted as both 55 hit and power compared to Gomez’s 45 hit and power, but Gomez showed off the kind of power he’s capable of towards the end of the season and into the postseason in 2021. Where Gomez shines is in his defense and his “cannon arm”. His pop time is scouted as “as low as 1.8 seconds” and is some of the best we’ve ever seen, being scouted at a 70 compared to Wells’ arm at a 40, but his field/defense behind the plate is scouted at a 55 compared to Wells’ 45.

I think that Gomez is a better defender and Wells has a stronger bat, but also believe that Gomez has a higher ceiling than Wells and don’t believe Wells to be “untouchable” with some scouts suggesting he may be better suited elsewhere on the diamond similar to Kyle Schwarber or the likes.