The New York Yankees farm system has been inconsistent the past few seasons, but they have a few names climbing through their ranks that could end up being superstars at the next level. Of course, Jasson Dominguez and Anthony Volpe headline that group, but the team has several shortstops, specifically, who have made a positive impression thus far.
Per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the Yankees feature some of the best shortstops of any Minor League system in baseball:
Anthony Volpe is one of the best prospects in baseball, Oswald Peraza is perhaps the most underrated shortstop on our end-of-2021 Top 100 Prospects list and Trey Sweeney (perhaps destined for third base) was one of the best college bats in the 2021 Draft. Roderick Arias was the top talent in the 2021-22 international class, Oswaldo Cabrera slammed 29 homers in the upper levels of the Minors last year, Alexander Vargas has four solid-to-plus tools … I could go on, but you get the point.
Anthony Volpe:
Volpe finished the 2021 season with a combined .294 average, 27 homers, and 86 RBIs with Hudson Valley and Tampa in low-A ball. Containing multiple tools and phenomenal power for his size, the Yankees could be staring one of the future’s best infielders in the face, and with proper development, he’s likely two years away from making his Major League debut.
Oswald Peraza:
There’s a legitimate chance that Oswald Peraza makes his MLB debut during the 2022 season, especially if the Yankees go with a stopgap shortstop. Peraza hit .297 with 18 homers and 58 RBIs last season with all three minor-league teams. He hit an impressive .286 with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in Triple-A, but the sample size was small.
Peraza will likely start the 2022 season with Scranton once again, and if he impresses early, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him elevated to the Yankees’ top squad.
Trey Sweeney:
If two star shortstop prospects weren’t enough, former first-round pick from 2021, Trey Sweeney, is another awesome player preparing to climb the system. Over 115 at-bats last year, Sweeney posted a .261 average with seven homers and 14 RBIs. At 21 years old, he’s a bit older than the other prospects, but he’s equally as capable.
Roderick Arias:
The Yankee splashed big money on international prospect Rodrick Arias this off-season. They offered him a $4 million signing bonus, taking up the majority of their available funds in the international pool. At the ripe age of 17, Arias is the consensus No. 1 international prospect, featuring a plus arm and effortless throwing motion. As a switch hitter, he provides discipline and power, which is extremely immature for a player of his age.
Oswaldo Cabrera:
23-year-old Oswaldo Cabrera, who can play multiple infield spots, featured predominately with Somerset last season, hitting .256 with 24 homers and 78 RBIs. He also featured in nine games with Scranton, hitting .500 with five homers and 11 RBIs. Cabrera is an exciting young player who is just about ready to make his MLB debut, and given his versatility, he could have an integral part within the Yankees moving forward.
Alexander Vargas:
Another under-the-radar player in the Yankees’ farm system is Alexander Vargas, who is just 20 years old. In 2021, Vargas hit .273 with three homers and 26 RBIs. Vargas is more of a contact hitter, but as a switch-hitting option, he adds a bit of versatility to the farm system.
