The New York Yankees have been no stranger to controversy regarding the handling of their prospects, with the value of some former top prospects plummeting and others being cut from the minor-league system. Now, the focus shifts to the outfield prospects, where interesting dynamics are at play, and the future seems promising.
1. The Upcoming Promotion: Everson Pereira
Performance and Promotion
Everson Pereira is tearing up Triple-A Scranton and looks set for a promotion to the Yankees over the next few weeks. Despite his impressive showing, MLB Pipeline doesn’t rank Pereira among the top-2 prospects on the team.
2. The Rising Star: Spencer Jones
Draft and Early Performance
Jones, a former first-round draft pick in 2022, has been playing with the Florida Complex Yankees, Single-A Tampa, and was promoted to High-A Hudson Valley this year.
Dominance and Development
After hitting .325 with a .411 OBP with Tampa, Jones’s season stats are now .263 with a .333 OBP, including 12 homers and 51 RBIs across 89 games. His speed is evident with 27 stolen bases, though a double-digit increase in strikeout percentage at Hudson Valley is concerning. Despite inconsistencies, Jones is widely considered one of the team’s best prospects.
“Jones features impressive strength and leverage in his towering 6-foot-6 frame, and he also generates plenty of bat speed and makes a lot of hard contact from the left side of the plate. His size does result in a naturally long left-handed swing that leads to strikeouts, and he uses the opposite field almost too much. Because he rarely turns on pitches, some scouts wonder if he’ll be able to handle quality velocity on the inner half as he rises through the Minors.”
Per MLB Pipeline.
Upside and Comparison
MLB Pipeline has even shifted its stance on the Yankees’ top prospect from Jasson Dominguez to Jones, citing Jones’s lefty slugging and plus defense in the outfield.
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3. Arguably the Yankees’ Top Prospect: Jasson Dominguez
Current Performance
Currently playing with Double-A Somerset, Dominguez is hitting .247 with a .365 OBP this season but has seen improved performance lately. In July, he hit .297 with a .372 OBP, and his August stats are a remarkable .436 with a .488 OBP.
Power Show
Known for his power, Dominguez’s home run totals aren’t overwhelming (13 in 100 games). However, his slugging percentage of .615 and 1.104 OPS in August hint at his potential.
Age and Potential
At just 20 years old and dominating with Somerset, comparisons with Jones, who’s 22, are inevitable. Most still consider Dominguez the team’s top prospect with the highest potential, but MLB Pipeline seems to favor Jones’s overall attributes.
A New Wave of Talent
The Yankees’ prospect landscape is evolving, with Spencer Jones becoming a name to watch closely and Jasson Dominguez not far behind. While Everson Pereira’s promotion looms, some would argue Pereira is the team’s top gun at the moment.
With the recent mishandling of prospects such as Estevan Florial, Oswald Peraza, and Deivi Garcia, the Yankees’ management of this new wave of talent will be under scrutiny. These young outfielders present an exciting future for the Yankees, and their development could shape the team’s success in the coming years.