Yankees “Midseason” Farm System Review
Entering 2025, I was skeptical of the Yankees’ farm system. Not only was their representation low on Top 100 lists, but it was also challenging to find prospects who had reasonable arguments to be included on the list.
Has anything changed? Let’s take a look.
It’s inevitable – someone will find a prospect I forgot to include (or perhaps didn’t forget!) and point that out. This is a 2,000+ word article after editing it. Yes, some prospects I initially included were taken out. If one of them becomes a superstar, call me an idiot. I’ve been called worse.
The Graduates
While not a part of the farm system grade (after all, they graduated!), it is fair to evaluate how their most recent graduates are doing.
OF Jasson Dominguez isn’t doing “Martian” things consistently, but is showing flashes of his immense potential. I would put him at the top of the lineup permanently.
C Austin Wells is strong defensively and carries a 101 wRC+ bat. I don’t know where his plate discipline has gone (6.6% BB after an 11.4% mark in 2024), but the 38-point OBP reduction is offset by a 60-point increase in SLG (.395 to .455). By the way, it is remarkable how close Wells’ offensive performance is to Agustin Ramirez‘s, who is hitting .242/.289/.470 (106 wRC+). However, Ramirez’s defensive metrics are in the toilet.
C/1B/DH Ben Rice has his ups and downs but carries a 122 wRC+. He is worth 1.3 fWAR, which isn’t bad given that his time at designated hitter weighs down his defensive WAR.
Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza? I thought Peraza would at least give us a power/speed combo, but he can’t hit much at all. Cabrera is better suited as a multi-positional utility player with enough of a bat to be useful in that role.
RHP Luis Gil developed into a Rookie of the Year and should be back soon. Will Warren is going through rookie growing pains, but is showing off swing-and-miss stuff.
The biggest elephant in the room, however, is Anthony Volpe, who is regressing at a time when most top young players would be ascending. As a prospect guy who wants the best for all Yankees prospects, I feel the disappointment that many others do. He was presented as something he likely isn’t, and that’s a shame. I don’t like when “fans” are blamed for things, as it was Brian Cashman who essentially gave the same “preview to movie” speech about Volpe that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gave about the Blue Jays. And while player development certainly deserves criticism at times, when do we start blaming the player? People want to make every excuse in the book for players sometimes – it’s this, it’s that, blah blah blah. Is it against the rules to wonder if the player isn’t good enough? Is it unfair to criticize a former Gold Glover who is suddenly…not?
The Cream of the Crop
Two prospects (George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones) had the most attention in the system. Lombard Jr. conquered High-A easily (.269/.401/.376 in 53 games, including .329/.495/.488 in 24 games this year) and, impressively, made it to Somerset as a teenager. Thus far, the numbers won’t jump out at you (.203/.331/.302; 97 wRC+, 13.9% BB), but it isn’t a reason for concern. Hopefully, he will be more comfortable in the second half.
To put it mildly, Jones is mauling the competition. After posting a .274/.389/.594 (186 wRC+) line for Somerset, he has turned it up a few more notches for Scranton, hitting .362/.426/.776 (202 wRC+) with seven home runs in 23 games. It’s crazy that an OPS of 1.202 in Triple-A comes with “only” a 16-point wRC+ jump over a .973 OPS in Double-A. That puts things in perspective.
His surge will make people hesitate about trading him. It’s the equation that front offices have to solve: Is this prospect truly an MLB regular, or is now the time to cash in on the trade market?
I am still not opposed to trading him, but it would need to be in a package for a difference-maker.
How about the 2024 draft?
The best way to describe last year’s draft is “mixed bag.” LHP Griffin Herring (6th round) has been a revelation, while RHP Bryce Cunningham (2nd) was cruising before being shut down to injury. Top pick Ben Hess is missing bats but missed a month for unknown reasons. All three pitchers are in High-A Hudson Valley.
No draft is perfect, and it will be years before we have a firm grasp on how good this class is. That said, third-round pick Thatcher Hurd and seventh-round pick Wyatt Parliament are missing the season due to injury. RHP Greysen Carter dazzles with his 100+ MPH fastball but has no idea where it’s going. RHP Gage Ziehl has pitched well so far.
As for the picks beyond the top ten, a few players stand out. Outfielders Brendan Jones (Somerset; 12th round), Dillon Lewis (Hudson Valley; 13th), and Marshall Toole (Tampa; 15th) are showing signs of viability. The trio has speed and the ability to play center field. Lewis adds some power to the mix, while Toole may give you some Brett Gardner vibes.
It’s an incomplete draft, if I want to cop out. If I want to give it an early grade, it would be in the B- to C+ range. Herring is their early savior.
How about the 2025 draft?
Meh. I like their first pick (Dax Kilby), who seems like a bat-first shortstop who likely won’t stick there. The same appears to be true of third-round pick Kaeden Kent. I will point this out: Why are people afraid of bat-first prospects all of a sudden? If Kilby and/or Kent can hit, we aren’t going to care that their defense isn’t wowing those who sit on the Baseball Savant website all day. Bat-first prospects can be a good thing. You don’t need every prospect to be a well-rounded superstar of everything.
As for the rest of the draft, LHP Pico Kohn could be an interesting value play as he continues to regain his stuff after 2023 Tommy John Surgery. RHP Blake Gillespie jumped out at me because he seemingly has an MLB-ready pitch in his arsenal (slider), which could make him a quick-rise candidate if they don’t plan on trying to develop him further as a starter.
But do any of their picks “grab” me? Not really. Maybe that means it will be a successful draft.
Pitching! Pitching! Pitching!
The Yankees are “experts” at developing pitchers who can cross the Double-A barrier. That is important because other organizations value that.
This season, Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz were promoted to Somerset, making them prime targets for other teams to inquire about. Trystan Vrieling, Brock Selvidge, and Ben Shields are also hanging out in New Jersey, though all three previously pitched at the level. Cam Schlittler started here and is now part of the big club. Brendan Beck did enough to get to Scranton.
The next wave includes the 2024 draftees mentioned above. There is no doubt in my mind that Cunningham was fast-tracking his way to Somerset. Beyond them, we’ll have to wait and see on the 2025 draft class. International pitchers below the Somerset line aren’t showing up (unless you want to dig deep into the FCL/DSL levels). However, as I said, the Yankees are good at this, and until the well truly runs dry, I will trust they will keep the train going.
The International World
SS Roderick Arias is not playing well, while OF Brando Mayea is on the 60-day injured list. Arias is at a crossroads for his prospect status, while Mayea (who owned a 139 wRC+ in 20 games) is missing a lot of development time. OF Francisco Vilorio has rebounded from a tough first year and should make his way to the FCL in 2026.
It’s impossible to get a read on the recent international class. Shortstops Stiven Marinez and Mani Cedeno have played well enough to keep your attention (that is especially true of Marinez, though he is a year older than Cedeno).
In Low-A, catchers Edgleen Perez and Engelth Urena are showing flashes of what makes them tantalizing long-term options. Perez’s strike zone control is incredible for a kid his age (19; was 18 at the start of the season). Urena is known more for his power potential, which, although inconsistent, is evident.
Further up the chain, C/3B Jesus Rodriguez finds himself in a firm position as the #4 catcher in the organization. Rodriguez has advanced contact skills and the ability to play catcher and third base. There are questions about his defense, but the Yankees are proving to be good with catcher development.
Their most impressive international player is someone I mentioned above: RHP Carlos Lagrange is overpowering minor league hitters (35.9% strikeout rate, including 33.3% since his promotion to Somerset). While he showed promise with his walk rate in Hudson Valley, it has spiked since his move to Somerset. That isn’t surprising.
Lagrange’s big left-handed counterpart (Henry Lalane) has been out of action all year.
The undrafted gem
(Note: I originally had this under the International section, forgetting that Flores was not an international signing. He was instead signed as an undrafted free agent.)
C/1B Rafael Flores is a productive extra-base hit machine in Somerset. Like Rodriguez, questions persist about his defense and whether catching is his long-term position. Offensively? The Yankees have kept him in Double-A for 163 games and 667 plate appearances. In that large sample size, he is hitting .280/.350/.505 with 37 doubles, 30 home runs, and 89 RBI. While not a speedster, he has shown to be efficient on the basepaths, stealing 12 bases in 12 attempts. A prospect doesn’t need to be in Triple-A for long, but there is an opening for a catcher.
Where are the relievers?
Good question. The Yankees’ top relief prospect (Eric Reyzelman) has struggled with the strike zone. Everyone else was at least one notch below him, and few have stepped up to fill the void. RHP Harrison Cohen is pitching well in Triple-A since his promotion. Undrafted free agent Tony Rossi has started allowing runs (the horrors!), but was mowing down hitters before that. The problem is that he is already 26. I hope he gets to Somerset this season. LHP Will Brian has battled injuries throughout his career. He looked good in 21 games this season, but is back on the injured list.
Their most impressive relief prospect in 2025 is Bryce Warrecker, though he is still in Hudson Valley. A starter in 2024 (he compiled a 5.79 ERA for Tampa/Hudson Valley), he transitioned to the bullpen in 2025, where he owns a 0.96 ERA. Is the move permanent? It seems that way.
The Yankees are outstanding at finding “hidden gem” relievers, but developing relievers hasn’t been fruitful lately. I had hope for Reyzelman, but his control has fallen apart.
The pitching surprise
RHP Cam Schlittler was a 6th-round pick in 2022 out of Northeastern. When using the tool on Baseball Reference, Northeastern has produced one All-Star (Carlos Pena) and only two players who accumulated more than 10.0 bWAR (Pena and Adam Ottavino). The Yankees’ lab has done wonders for Schlittler, as his initial scouting report noted a low-90s fastball that touched 95. A project that is working, he isn’t a finished product, though he did impress in his MLB debut. Schlittler is an example of why other GMs target Yankees’ pitching prospects in trades.
The infielder who rakes
If you thought 2B Roc Riggio was another college bat who crushes A-Ball only to be eaten alive in Double-A, you are being proven wrong thus far. Riggio has eight doubles and homers since his promotion, good enough for a .558 SLG. He is positionally challenged (second base is likely his only home), but second basemen who can hit will always have demand attached to them. He profiles great for Yankee Stadium (he loves to pull flyballs!) if he were to stick around.
The Jake Bauers prospects
Outfielders Jace Avina (recently promoted to Somerset) and Brian Sanchez (Tampa) were acquired for Bauers before the 2024 season. While neither is a star prospect, they are holding their own at their respective levels with room for further development.
So, has the perception changed?
My perception has changed mildly for the better. Much of that is due to Jones’s incredible campaign and the development of Schlittler and Herring. Lombard Jr. is holding steady.
There are still gaps that need to be filled. Their prospect inventory has some depth, likely enough to engage in the trade market. However, I am not seeing the “star” quality prospects. You can blame the development, or lack thereof, of bonus babies like Arias. You can blame injuries to high-ceiling pitchers like Lalane.
These aren’t the “dark days” when prospects showing a pulse (think Melky Mesa and Zoilo Almonte) would excite Yankees’ prospect observers. That said, I need to see more talent emerge from their international bonus baby collection and for some draft picks to start making waves.
I find myself feeling somewhat unimpressed, searching for the hidden gems over seeing a collection of high-end talent that can help fill the MLB gaps or bring home a significant trade piece. The hill they need to climb isn’t steep, but it does exist.
Overall farm grade: C