The Yankees are expected to be extremely aggressive by the trade deadline, looking to reinforce a roster that has plenty of weaknesses but World Series aspirations nonetheless. As long as they have a healthy Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, anything is possible during the postseason.
Yankees’ Trade Deadline Strategy: Balancing Aspirations with Prospect Assets
General Manager Brian Cashman can’t afford to waste another MVP-caliber season from Judge, and there’s no guarantee that Soto will sign a long-term extension with the Bombers. This deadline could make or break the team’s future. According to MLB insider Jeff Passan of ESPN, the front office hasn’t taken Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones off the table in prospective talks.
Evaluating Spencer Jones
Moving Jones could be justified since he is still working on his plate discipline. This season, Jones is hitting .241/.317/.412, including 11 homers and 49 RBIs with Double-A Somerset. However, his strikeout rate has ballooned to 37.1%, and he hosts a 106 wRC+, which is not nearly good enough to make it to the next level.
Jones has the potential to be one of the best prospects in baseball, but his increasing chase rate and high strikeouts are concerning. There are shades of Joey Gallo in his game, and the Yankees don’t want to rely on him becoming a superstar when there’s a possibility he will balance out somewhere in the middle.
The Case for Keeping Dominguez
Moving Jones for a proven commodity now could be in their best interest, but Dominguez is a bit of a different story. The 21-year-old has been one of the Yankees’ top prospects for years, and giving up on him just before he reaches the MLB full-time would undoubtedly be an odd decision.
Dominguez has played nine Triple-A games this year, hitting .389/.405/.639. Everywhere Jasson goes, he dominates the batter’s box, but injuries have been frequent at such a young age. He underwent surgery last year and recently missed several weeks due to an oblique injury. Fortunately, Dominguez is expected to start playing in live games within a week, so the Yankees will consider him as a potential impact outfielder down the stretch.
Potential Trade Scenarios
Whether Dominguez gets promoted this season or ends up starting in the outfield in 2025, the Yankees keeping him available via trade is certainly interesting. It would have to be a worthwhile deal, something that brings a Cy Young-caliber pitcher to the Bronx or a well-above-average bat with years of control. Ultimately, if the Yankees want Garrett Crochet or Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes, it will take Spencer Jones as the headline of a package.
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Looking Forward
If the Yankees are all in at the deadline, expect them to be aggressive with their prospects. Having just drafted a ton of new pitchers, they have some resources at their disposal.