Notes:
- I tend to rank prospects who have yet to make it to a full-season league lower than most. The attrition rate is too high, and that is true even for the best of the best.
- I try to keep the list simple. Other publications that are readily available will get into in-depth discussion. I don’t feel that repeating a scouting report adds much to my writing.
- I am constantly reading about prospects and looking at lists. That said, I rank based on how I feel about a prospect while recognizing the bias in knowing where others rank them.
With that said, here is my list of 30:
1. Jasson Dominguez, 22, CF
When you play as well as he did at Double-A, you can’t ignore it. He isn’t the blend of every HOF player that some were making him out to be – but that isn’t his fault.
2. Spencer Jones, 22, CF
Is he the lefty version of Aaron Judge? Is he a more athletic, lefty version of Richie Sexson? One should be satisfied with either outcome as his prospect volatility is high and neither outcome is guaranteed.
3. Chase Hampton, 22, RHP
The Yankees hung onto Hampton as they depleted their depth. Hampton is more about the total package than radar gun readings, but that package includes the potential for four plus MLB pitches. He wasn’t as dominant in Double-A as he was in High-A, so that should be monitored.
4. Austin Wells, 24, C
Were the Yankees right in keeping him behind the plate? He likely isn’t filling his trophy case with Gold Gloves, but he has Silver Slugger finalist potential.
5. Will Warren, 24, RHP
He is more about polish than upside at this point – but what’s wrong with that? He will make some starts for the Yankees in 2024.
6. Everson Pereira, 22, OF
Even his biggest supporters likely weren’t surprised by his less-than-stellar MLB debut. He screams of a prospect who needs time to marinate.
7. Roderick Arias, 19, SS
Questions about the hit tool have arisen, which scares you given what has happened with Alexander Vargas. That said, are we just going to ignore the 10.6% reduction in his K% between the DSL and FCL?
8. George Lombard Jr, 18, SS
His small sample in Low-A Tampa was encouraging. How far can he leap in 2024?
9. Agustin Ramirez, 22, C
He stalled in Double-A but moved through the system quickly for a catcher. Earned his 40-man roster slot.
10. Jared Serna, 21, 2B
I will keep him at 2B rather than labeling him as a UTIL, but the Yankees are starting to move him around. Serna has surprising pop in a smaller package but didn’t homer in 27 games after his promotion to High-A.
11. Brock Selvidge, 21, LHP
There could be some Jordan Montgomery in Selvidge once he puts the entire package together. He reduced his BB rate in 2023.
12. Jorbit Vivas, 23, 2B
Acquired in a deal with the Dodgers, the possibility exists that he will be in the 2B mix in 2025 if Gleyber Torres isn’t retained. One way to keep Juan Soto is by going with cheap youth elsewhere on the field. 2B may offer that opportunity in 2025.
13. Brando Mayea, 18, OF
Bonus baby OF hit well in his first taste of professional ball in 2023. All you ask for in a rookie league prospect is that they do enough to deserve a chance in a full-season league down the line.
14. Henry Lalane, 19, LHP
Unusual hype for a pitcher who hasn’t reached a full-season league yet. That both scares and intrigues me. My skepticism over rookie league pitchers deflates my ranking.
15. Luis Gil, 25, RHP
His arm is gold when he is healthy. I am being bullish here because I think his ceiling as an overpowering relief pitcher is still attainable.
16. Yoendrys Gomez, 24, RHP
The Yankees love Gomez so much that they have him on the 40-man despite a long injury history. His mileage is low and his upside remains tantalizing. This is his prove-it year.
17. Ben Rice, 25, C/1B/DH
Rice will have to hit as his future position is in question. I find myself constantly wondering where he fits in the Yankees’ puzzle despite his sweet left-handed power swing. With Anthony Rizzo, a potential free agent (the Yankees hold an option), can Rice factor into the 2025 lineup equation? Could that be another opportunity to go cheaper at one position to help retain Soto?
18. Carlos Lagrange, 20, RHP
He doesn’t get the hype Lalane does but don’t sleep on him. He is no longer a teenager, so it’s time to start moving.
19. Clayton Beeter, 25, RHP
My viewpoint that he is a mid-to-late inning reliever over a starter pulls his ranking down. Not as bullish as I am with Gil.
20. Roc Riggio, 21, 2B
If you want a prospect with some swagger, Riggio has it in spades. He’s going to be fun to watch as he marches up the system. His draft day story is a fun read for anyone who wishes to dig into it: The Yankees called him, offered him a slot bonus, he said “No,” and the Yankees drafted him anyway. He ended up getting an overslot bonus. That’s confidence, folks.
21. Kyle Carr, 21, LHP
Yankees fans have a weak spot for left-handed pitching prospects. I know this because I am included on that list. Supposedly has touched as high as 97 on the radar gun – and that was before entering the Yankees Pitching Factory.
22. Keiner Delgado, 20, 2B
Delgado should be done with posting video game numbers in the rookie leagues. In 101 rookie league games, he has 70 stolen bases, 104 runs scored, and a higher BB% than K%.
23. Enmanuel Tejeda, 19, 2B/SS
Raked in the DSL in 2022. Followed that up by raking in the FCL in 2023. How will he do in his first taste of a full-season league?
24. Brendan Beck, 25, RHP
If you want my “who isn’t being talked about that can make his debut in 2024?” candidate, it is Beck. He has to prove his polish is still there, however, as he is already Rule 5 eligible after 2024. Pitching injuries suck.
25. Luis Serna, 19, RHP
It’s harder for a Serna-type prospect to get noticed, as he isn’t going to overwhelm you on the radar gun. His floor intrigues me, even without the extreme ceiling. Essentially, he is a younger version of Beck.
26. Caleb Durbin, 24, 2B
A sneaky pickup from Atlanta in the Lucas Luetge deal, Durbin is all about contact and his ability to steal some bags. He seemed to be on his way to 50+ SB before his injury. Another kid to potentially put into the future 2B mix, though he isn’t your prototypical Yankees prospect.
27. Danny Watson/Jack Neely, 23, RHP
I figured I would lump these two tall relievers together. Either of them can make their big league debut in 2024, though Watson intrigues the most. He doesn’t throw hard, but his funky motion and size seem to befuddle minor-league bats. They weren’t on the spring training invite list, but they could still make spring training appearances, especially early on.
28. Christopher Familia, 23, OF
Familia has developed a cult following due to his 22 HR performance in only 68 games. Can he keep it up as he gets to Double-A?
29. Zach Messinger, 24, RHP
A product of the Yankees’ pitching factory, Messinger is a tall (6’6″) converted reliever with good strikeout results.
30. Jesus Rodriguez, 21, C/1B/3B/LF
One of my favorite 2023 prospects, Rodriguez was the only player in the system (amongst players with at least 300 plate appearances) to hit .300+ (.310/.399/.450; 134 wRC+). He struck out only 15.2% of the time. Most impressively to me is that he was able to sustain this performance despite being asked to play several positions, including catcher.
“Who isn’t here?”
Catchers:
Antonio Gomez was once, in my opinion, the best overall catching prospect in the system. His stock has fallen.
The Yankees added C Carlos Narvaez to the 40-man roster to prevent him from leaving as he was scheduled to be a minor league free agent. Never ignore when an organization does that, but I still don’t think he is quite Top 30 material. He could elevate to the important role as the third catcher, though Ben Rortvedt is currently in that spot.
Rafael Flores may be our next Kyle Higashioka. He needs plenty of time and will need to overachieve, but it’s not out of the question that he will someday carve out a career as an MLB backup.
Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux look like fillers at this point. Seigler, a switch-hitter with athleticism, has a slightly higher upside. However, staying healthy has been a major issue.
Omar Martinez is a lost-in-the-shuffle prospect who put up impressive numbers in Low-A. The 22-year-old surprisingly wasn’t promoted at any point last season, but there was a logjam in front of him.
Edgleen Perez has enough prospect shine where Fangraphs has him ranked 14th in the system. He wasn’t even mentioned on the Prospects 1500 Top 50 list. So, where do I stand with him? Nowhere. You may expect someone who writes about an organization’s prospects to know everything, but I do not. I will just monitor him as he may not even make it to a full-season league until 2025.
Other position players
Double-A sluggers Tyler Hardman and T.J. Rumfield have MLB upside, but aren’t the types of prospects I would typically rank. I don’t think they have the tantalizing bat that Rice possesses, which is why Rice makes it and they don’t. Hardman strikes out too much but has 52 home runs and a .491 slugging percentage in 916 career plate appearances. Rumfield had a power surge in 2023.
SS Alexander Vargas is a frustrating prospect. He won’t need to be moved off of shortstop, but the bat is not developing.
SS Hans Montero bounced back in 2023, but he gets lost in the shuffle in this system. He may have to add some versatility to his game.
IF Ben Cowles was sent to the Arizona Fall League in 2023 and performed well. He should find himself in Somerset/Scranton for all of 2024.
OF John Cruz and Willy Montero finished 1-2 in the FCL in runs batted in. Cruz generated some buzz by being one of only three FCL players to hit double-digit home runs.
OF Anthony Hall played well in Tampa after he came back from his injury. His stint in Hudson Valley didn’t go well.
OF Jace Avina is a right-handed bat acquired from the Brewers in a trade for Jake Bauers this winter. I don’t know much about him, but his 2023 season suggests he has power to tap into though he needs to cut down on the strikeouts. He hit .233/.373/.442 in 99 games with 14 home runs, a 14% BB, and 29.6% K.
OF Elijah Dunham may be kicking himself. As the Yankees struggled to find outfielders in 2023, the door was open for Dunham to make his case for some at-bats. He had trouble getting anything going, however, and will once again look the part of a depth outfielder.
OF Brandon Lockridge has a 4th/5th outfielder profile, given his speed and ability to play defense. While he has shown off a little pop in his minor league career, one doesn’t expect the bat to carry him to become an MLB regular. He has been invited to spring training.
OF Aaron Palensky couldn’t sustain his insane numbers once he reached the upper minors. That said, he still drew plenty of walks and hit ten home runs in 71 Double-A/Triple-A games.
OF Gabriel Lara is light years away but I think he deserves a shoutout. One of the fastest players in professional baseball, Lara’s bat was better than I expected in his first professional season: .267/.401/.411 with a 15.4% BB and 16.5% K. He is a deep-deep-deep sleeper.
Pitchers
The next wave of pitchers down in the rookie leagues is promising, but it is still the rookie leagues. Included on that list are Jerson Alejandro (who, at 17, is 6’6″/255 pounds), Chalniel Arias, Sabier Marte, Jordarlin Mendoza, Angel Benitez, and Joshawn Lampson. It’s a fascinating array of arms, but please remember that if one of them becomes an MLB starter, that’s a win. That is how attrition works at the lowest levels in the minors. I tend to pay closer attention to pitchers like these once they get to a full-season league – that is if they get there.
RHP Justin Lange shows flashes of brilliance and flashes of frustration. Many pitchers wish they had his arm talent – but wouldn’t want to inherit his command. I would be intrigued to see what he can do as an “air it out” reliever.
LHP Edgar Barclay has a chance to make his MLB debut in 2024. I expected a team to grab him in the Rule 5 to at least give him a long spring training look. His ability to go multiple innings gives him value as a 27th man during a doubleheader or as someone you bring up when the bullpen is exhausted.
LHP Matt Krook continues to hang onto his 40-man roster spot. If he continues to stick through spring training, you will see him in 2024. Matt Blake loves his sinker ballers, and Krook generates a lot of ground balls. His first MLB audition didn’t go as planned.
RHP Bailey Dees could have been lumped in with Watson/Neely above, but I think they have more upside.
RHP Sean Hermann is only 20 and has a game of High-A experience. His 57.2% GB rate ranked 6th amongst all minor leaguers with 100+ IP.
RHP Trystan Vrieling has yet to make his organizational debut but was able to start five games (only 10.2 IP) in the Arizona Fall League.
RHP Sean Boyle is 27 years old. His 2023 season was a lost one, as he made only nine starts. He could factor in as depth if he is good in 2024. I have no idea.
Other relief-type prospects to watch include LHP Lisandro Santos, RHP Harrison Cohen, LHP Ryan Anderson, RHP Alex Mauricio, RHP Luis Velasquez, LHP Clay Aguilar, and RHP Justin Wilson
“Where are X, Y, Z?”
I try to be comprehensive with my minor league reporting but that doesn’t mean I am perfect (far from it, if you want me to be honest). If a favorite prospect of yours isn’t listed, you can chalk it up to me not being able to write about everyone. Feel free to bookmark this and call me a fool if a pitcher I didn’t list strikes out 35% of the batters he faces this year or a position player swats 25 home runs.
The Bottom Line
The Yankees are consistently amongst the top ten minor league systems in baseball according to the “experts,” despite trading away a load of upper-level depth in recent times.
“It’s the Yankees, so of course they will be overhyped!” Maybe there is some truth to this at some level. However, where is the incentive to do that? Why would Keith Law, who doesn’t even have Spencer Jones in his Top 100, place the Yankees in his top ten for hype reasons alone? It makes no sense. I would argue that it is equally appealing to rank the Yankees low on a list, as that will drive major discussion and engagement. In other words, stop overanalyzing everything and accept that you are a fan of an organization that has a desirable farm system.