New York Yankees’ top 10 prospects entering 2023 season
NEW YORK (BVM) – While the New York Yankees should field one of the better teams in the American League in 2023, they still have some impact players on the way through their minor league system.
And a few of them might be key contributors as soon as this season.
These are the top 10 prospects in the Yankees’ system.
10. Trey Sweeney, SS
Sweeney became a star at Eastern Illinois and took home the OVC Player of the Year in 2021. The Yankees then selected him with the 20th pick in the first round of the draft that summer. Sweeney has played fairly well throughout his time in the minor leagues and made it to AA last season.
At 6-foot-4, he has both the power and contact to be a vital piece in an MLB lineup one day. He can handle shortstop defensively, but with the glut of middle infielders in the system and his size, he may wind up as a third baseman long-term.
🚨 HR Blast 🚨 #Yankees prospect Trey Sweeney. 💥 #repbx #YankeesTwitter pic.twitter.com/okNAeKIXVo
— Chris Blessing (@C_Blessing) April 13, 2022
9. Roderick Arias, SS
The Yankees got a deal done with the No. 1 international prospect in last year’s class according to MLB.com. Born in 2004, Arias is expected to become the cream of the crop in not only New York’s system but in all of baseball in the near future.
The 18-year-old has a solid hit tool and should be able to add more power as he gets older and fills out his 6-foot-2 frame. Defensively, his arm steals the show, and it already may be the best arm for a position player in the Yankees’ farm system. It will be a while before he comes up, but Arias has the potential to become a superstar when he does.
16 year-old Roderick Arias is the No. 1 international prospect for the upcoming signing period beginning in January 2022
Yankees are the favorite to sign the 6'1" switch-hitting shortstop, according to MLB Pipeline pic.twitter.com/kCXWKkTWB9
— Farm To Fame (@FarmToFame_) August 26, 2021
8. Richard Fitts, RHP
Fitts was expected to have a breakout year in his final season at Auburn but only pitched 41.1 innings due to injury. The Yankees grabbed him in the sixth round of the 2021 draft and he broke out in his first year of pro ball for the Hudson Valley Renegades in 2022. In five outings for the High-A club, he finished 4-0 while only walking three batters in 33 innings.
Fitts uses both a four-seam and two-seam fastball that typically sits in the mid 90s. He also has a slider that has a hard break to it. The key for Fitts will be increasing the effectiveness of his changeup. If he can develop it, he can turn into a reliable starting pitcher. If not, it may hold him to more of a reliever role.
Richard Fitts, Winner by KO (Fastball). 🥊 pic.twitter.com/vhA95qvbQ4
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 21, 2021
7. Will Warren, RHP
After they took Fitts in the sixth round, the Yankees took another college pitcher in the eighth round in Will Warren. He posted a 2.57 ERA in his final season at Southeastern Louisiana while already flirting with triple digits on his fastball. He is quickly moving up the minor league levels with New York, already making 18 starts last season at AA in his first year of pro ball.
Warren has a four-pitch mix of a four-seamer, sinker, changeup, and slider. Despite not being a coveted prospect heading into the draft, Warren has quickly turned himself into New York’s top pitching prospect.
The Will Warren slider in slow-mo #Yankees pic.twitter.com/tNR4h2WC4F
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) July 30, 2022
6. Austin Wells, C
A first-round pick in 2020 out of the University of Arizona, Wells might be able to find himself on the big league roster by the end of the year. He finished last season at AA Somerset with a .839 OPS in 55 games. If the Yankees find themselves in need of a left-handed bat, Wells could be the first to get the opportunity to fill the role.
The biggest storyline to follow with Wells is where he’ll wind up defensively. A catcher by trade, he was seen as a project behind the plate when he was drafted, but he has drastically improved. It is not guaranteed that he will stick there, but he has a much better chance now than people thought even just a year ago.
2-run blast from the #Yankees Austin Wells makes this a 3-2 game! pic.twitter.com/MbD9XmeNod
— Jonathan Mayo (@JonathanMayo) November 19, 2021
5. Spencer Jones, OF
In a few years, the Yankees will be able to assemble quite the 3-on-3 basketball team with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and recent first-round pick, 6-foot-7 Jones. After finishing his final year at Vanderbilt with a 1.104 OPS, he cemented his draft status as a top prospect. He then began his minor league career with a .963 OPS in 2022.
To no surprise with his size, Jones’ power is his best tool. But he is also a solid athlete, spending most of last season in center field. If he cannot handle center long-term, his arm is more than capable of handling right.
Nice day at the plate for No. 5 Prospect OF Spencer Jones 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZRoGVAHgKk
— NYYPlayerDev (@NYYPlayerDev) March 17, 2023
4. Everson Pereira, OF
Pereira broke out in 2021 after signing with the organization in 2017. Across three levels that season, he finished with a 1.084 OPS. He followed this up with a solid year in 2022, ending the year at AA. The 21-year-old is unlikely to make his MLB debut this season but could have a good chance in 2024.
One of the better sluggers in the Yankees’ system, Pereira slugged .686 in the aforementioned 2021 season. The Venezuelan outfielder has put on more muscle since signing with the club, maybe too much to stay in center field long-term.
Everson Pereira slow-mo double. pic.twitter.com/zvy4wLX4P3
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) June 19, 2022
3. Oswald Peraza, MIF
Yankees fans were introduced to Peraza last season who made quite the first impression with a .306 average in 18 games. Now, he very well could be the starting shortstop in 2023.
Peraza is a pretty balanced player across the board. Despite his size, he brings sneaky pop that can get more of a boost at Yankee Stadium. Despite the claims of Volpe being the shortstop of the future, do not be surprised if he gets pushed to second base as long as Peraza sticks around.
Oswald Peraza's first career home run! pic.twitter.com/zoLDcyf4C9
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 4, 2022
2. Anthony Volpe, SS
Surprise, surprise. Volpe is quite the talent, but he does not make the cut as the top guy on this list. A New Jersey native, Volpe will be a fan favorite as soon as he makes it to the Bronx. He put on a show in the minor leagues in 2022, hitting 21 home runs and stealing 50 bases. He should be in the majors very early this season if he does not make the Opening Day roster.
When he was drafted by New York in 2019, he was not nearly the power threat he is now. He should be able to become a viable threat for extra bases when he gets to the show. If he does get pushed to second base at some point, he should be one of the better players defensively at the Keystone position.
Anthony Volpe – New York Yankees (1)* pic.twitter.com/gCI6UaWbGK
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) March 2, 2023
1. Jasson Dominguez, OF
There are not many players in the minor leagues with a higher ceiling than the Dominican outfielder. Before he signed with the Yankees in the summer of 2019, he was already receiving comparisons to Mike Trout. He has not put up crazy numbers in his first two years in the minor leagues, but he has made quite the statement this spring with a 1.565 OPS in 22 at-bats.
Dominguez is a true five-tool player in center field with raw power. In 2022, he slugged at a .461 clip while stealing 37 bags. That speed should allow him to stick in center and could potentially make him a superstar in the near future.
Jasson Dominguez & Juan Soto.
(via @JLasagna43) pic.twitter.com/MHODVxxKCo
— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) March 23, 2023
