Andy Martino of SNY reports that the Arizona Diamondbacks are “all over” the New York Yankees‘ farm system right now, an interesting development given what they can offer.
While some reports have linked the Yankees to third baseman Eugenio Suarez, YES Network’s Jack Curry has poured cold water on the idea that Brian Cashman is swooning for the star slugger.
Martino doesn’t link Suarez to the Yankees, but does note that they have pitching to offer, and with New York desperate for support in the rotation and bullpen, we could see these two match up as trade partners.
The Bronx Bombers have assembled a nice treasure chest of arms to deal out of at this year’s trade deadline, and the Diamondbacks’ need for pitching could make these two a match.
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The Diamondbacks Are “All Over” the Yankees’ Farm System Right Now
The Arizona Diamondbacks have started to shift more and more towards becoming sellers, and the Yankees are a perfect match for their pitching needs.
New York has multiple top-100 pitching prospects with Cam Schlittler and Carlos Lagrange, alongside some interesting arms such as Ben Hess, Bryce Cunningham, and Griffin Herring, who were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft.
One name who is drawing interest around the league (from what I’m hearing) is right-hander Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, who has a ton of industry buzz and is Rule 5 eligible this offseason.
The 21-year-old right-hander has posted a 2.41 ERA between High-A and Double-A this season with a 53% GB%, and while the Yankees like him, they could find themselves trading him due to popular demand from sellers.
If Brian Cashman were to send the breakout prospect to the Diamondbacks, someone like Merrill Kelly could be an excellent target.
Merrill Kelly has a 3.32 ERA through 21 starts with a 24% strikeout rate, and he is a strong rental arm who could help the middle of the Yankees’ rotation.
As a free agent by this season’s end, the Yankees could pay a lesser price for him and reinforce a struggling pitching staff without having to trade someone like Spencer Jones or George Lombard Jr.
Jalen Beeks and Shelby Miller could also help the Yankees’ bullpen, so we’ll see if the organization tries to acquire those arms as well in a trade.
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