The New York Yankees‘ outfield scenario continues to deteriorate as time ticks away. Centerfielder Harrison Bader’s performance has taken a severe hit, Aaron Judge is still recuperating from a right big toe ligament injury, and the left field remains a revolving door of letdowns.
Recently, the Yankees have been primarily relying on Isiah Kiner-Falefa as their left fielder, a decision that’s causing concern given his below-average defensive performance and uninspiring offensive metrics.
Evaluating Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s Performance
In his 75 games this season, Kiner-Falefa has recorded a .254 batting average with a .309 OBP, a total of five home runs, 24 RBIs, and a 90 wRC+. His 0.2 WAR does not suggest he’s been a noteworthy contributor. On the defensive side, he’s logged 431 innings in the outfield, with a .984 fielding percentage, -6 defensive runs saved, and -1 out above average. Given his frequent appearances as a starter this year, it’s apparent that the Yankees might want to consider other options.
While general manager Brian Cashman has hinted at improving the position via trades at the upcoming deadline, they could alternatively promote one of their promising young prospects. Everson Pereira, a 22-year-old right-hander, is making a significant impact in Triple-A following his promotion from Double-A Somerset.
- Yankees should look into free agent reliever with incredible upside
- Yankees dumping speedster opens up more opportunity for rising utility man
- Yankees could pursue star closer to round out bullpen
Yankees Have a Pipe Opportunity to Promote Red-Hot Outfield Prospect
While playing for Somerset, Pereira posted a .291 batting average and a .362 OBP, which included 10 home runs, 31 RBIs, seven stolen bases, and an impressive 144 wRC+ across 46 games.
In Triple-A, Pereira has only played seven games but is boasting a .400 batting average with a .438 OBP. His performance includes one home run, nine RBIs, a .600 slugging percentage, and a 161 wRC+. Although the sample size is small, his performance is robust enough to warrant consideration for the major leagues, even if that implies supplementing a veteran player like Kiner-Falefa, who currently doesn’t fit the profile of a starting left fielder.
Introducing another young player with potential into the mix could be a wise strategy. However, Cashman might prefer to use his current value as trade leverage for a proven MLB batter at the deadline.
Considering Other Prospects
Regardless of their strategy, the Yankees have been hesitant to grant their young prospects opportunities in the majors, preferring to play individuals like Franchy Cordero. Cordero currently holds a spot on the 40-man roster but is underperforming with a .155 batting average and a .183 OBP this season. This tendency suggests that the team might want to reconsider their approach and explore new alternatives.