The Yankees have been putting more time and attention toward their farm system in recent years, and it’s beginning to pay dividends. Even with Anthony Volpe’s slow start to his MLB career, he’s still got the pedigree to be something special in this league. Across the various levels of the minor leagues, the Yanks have talent at every turn. A few publications agree with that, and JustBaseball’s T-100 prospects have 5 Yankees making the cut.
Yankees land 5 prospects in JB’s top-100:
Volpe comes in at No.3:
The first name that pops up is, unsurprisingly, Anthony Volpe in the No.3 spot. Volpe has struggled in his debut season with the squad but is slowly finding his footing as he’s begun putting better barrels on the balls he puts in play. In his first 40 PA, he has a 38 wRC+, but he has a 12.5% BB% and a double and a triple to go with it. He’s also been getting better defensively and is still a net-positive defender.
Volpe was a menace in the minors last season, as he swiped 50 bags across both AA and AAA and sent 21 homers out of play. He’s an exceptional talent that fans have already fallen in love with, and for those fans that aren’t jumping the gun and calling him a bust, it’ll be very rewarding when he does turn a corner. Still just 21 years old, Volpe should be the Yanks’ middle infielder for years to come.
The Martian lands at No.29:
The next name on their list is none other than the Martian, Jasson Dominguez. He clocks in at No.29 but could easily fly higher if he keeps up his pace. In Spring Training, we got a glimpse of just how talented Dominguez is. He’s gotten off to a very slow start with Somerset early on, as in his 16 AB, he has yet to record a hit. However, he’s still just 20 years old and has an incredibly bright future.
Dominguez turned heads in spring and made sure to put his name on the map. Over the 22 ABs he was given, he mashed 4 HR, worked as many walks as times he struck out 3-3 and ended with a 1.565 OPS. He even reached base more than he was recorded out, as he finished with a .520 OBP. Last year he got off to a slow start in April with the Hudson Valley Renegades and ended up tearing the cover off the baseball. I wouldn’t worry about his slow start this season.
The Commodore finds himself at No.35:
The third name listed is the lefty Aaron Judge, as everyone refers to him now, Spencer Jones. Jones comes in at No.35, and that seems low given his start to the year with High-A Hudson Valley. When the Yanks selected him in the first round last year, fans were ecstatic that they had gotten a massive slugger with great speed and good hands at the dish. He is simply a fantastic all-around player, and is showing that off early on this season.
With Hudson Valley this year, Jones has come out scorching hot. In the 22 ABs, he’s seen thus far, he’s got 3 HR — hit 2 HR on Tuesday evening — and has a 1.525 OPS. He’s also hit four doubles, has a steal to go with, and is playing some excellent defense in center field. The Vandy product is proving to be a phenomenal investment by the organization, and at 6’6, could be one of the most impactful prospects the Yankees have in their system.
Peraza earns his stripes, sitting at No.38:
Following right behind him at No.38 on the list is none other than Oswald Peraza. Raza, unfortunately, lost his starting shortstop gig to the Uber-talented Volpe, but that hasn’t entirely deterred him from trying to do his best to crack the roster. He recently returned from a hamstring injury to AAA Scranton and, despite a bit of a slow start, is still doing everything in his power to get back on the 26-man roster.
His cup of coffee with the Yanks last year was an extremely welcome sight. In the 18 games he played with the organization, he hit his first HR, OPS’d .833, and walked 10.5% of the time whilst striking out just 15.8%. He’s not slugging for any power currently at AAA, but he has swiped 5 bags and is batting .265 on the young season. I still hold out tons of hope for Oswald, and he could be a huge addition at some point this season.
Pereira rounds it off at No.72:
The final guy listed in their rankings was Everson Pereira. He rounded out the Yanks at No.72, and the slugger is a name to watch going forward. This season, he’s already got a homer to his ledger and is OPSing .816 to start 2023 with Somerset. He also has a double to pair with it, and his aggressive swing and quick hands mean trouble for any baseball in his vicinity.
Last season, Pereira was a stud for the Yankees and quickly rose up numerous publications. Back in ‘21, he really broke out and put his name on the map, as he mashed 20 HR in the 49 games he played in. His 1.084 OPS put the organization on notice, and now he’s consistently getting the attention he deserves. I’m not sure what his place is on this team in the future, but Pereira is still a name to keep an eye on.
The Yanks have tons of talent, and it flows through all the levels of the farm system. They’ve also got a few other names that didn’t crack this list like; Austin Wells, Trey Sweeney, and Will Warren, to name a few. There’s an amazing amount of depth that the club is working with, and we may see a few of these guys in the near future — Volpe aside.