Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza are the two names that most fans of the New York Yankees are aware of. Both high-level prospects are likely to have some kind of impact on the big league team next year. However, they are not the only ones in the Yankees’ farm system to make the news.
Catcher Austin Wells, shortstop Trey Sweeney, and outfielders Jason Dominguez and Everson Pereira are also in the reckoning among top Yankees prospects. Among pitcher prospects, Ken Waldichuk, Hayden Wesneski, Luis Gil, and Luis Medina are attracting attention and admiration. While some names are easy to remember, others are still making a name for themselves in the minor leagues. Brian Cashman admits that several Yankees prospects are “pushing up.”
Let’s have a look at a few Yankee prospects who could be important in 2023.
Anthony Volpe, SS
Anthony Volpe, the no. 1 among Yankees prospects, made it to Triple-A this past season. In 22 games at the highest level of the minors, he hit .236/.313/.405, including three home runs. He played in 132 games between Double-A and Triple-A. In 57 attempts, he stole 50 bases and hit 21 home runs. Anthony Volpe was the only player in the minor leagues to hit more than 20 home runs and steal more than 50 bases.
He had the most hits, doubles (35), stolen bases, and extra-base hits of any Yankees minor league player. At least one scout thought that he was better defensively at shortstop this year, but Anthony Volpe may still have to show some people in the game that he can handle the position in the long run. Even so, the 21-year-old is a popular and promising middle-infielder who could play next season in the Bronx. At the recent GM meetings, even Cashman told reporters that the best of the Yankees prospects was “close.”
Oswald Peraza, SS
Oswald Peraza made it to the major leagues in 2022, hit his first home run there, and started Game 2 of the ALCS.. He played in 18 games and hit .302 with a .404 OBP and .429 slugging. The Yankees should allow him more play time. Peraza might make it big this year as one of breakout Yankees prospects. One scout said, “He can really play shortstop defensively,” and Cashman talked about Peraza’s glove skills a year ago. Peraza hit .259 in 99 games at Triple-A. He hit 19 home runs and stole 33 bases.
Oswaldo Cabrera
Since Oswaldo Cabrera played 44 games in the major leagues in 2022 and eight more in the postseason, he might already be a well-known player. But Cabrera, who will be 24 in March, is still not done enough to be on this list and remains in the list of Yankees prospects. He was great at every position wherever the Yankees put him and gave the team a boost when he got there. He hit six home runs for the Yankees and had a .740 OPS (109 OPS-plus) after getting a .832 OPS at Triple-A. He didn’t do well in the playoffs (2-for-28, 1 homer), but it’s hard not to think he’ll make a difference next year. One scout said, “He has a good swing and gets to the ball quickly.”
Clayton Beeter, RHP
Beeter, a 24-year-old right-handed pitcher who was traded for Joey Gallo from the Los Angeles Dodgers, could end up as a starter or a reliever. A scout said that he needs to work on his command, but that if he does, he could be a good arm and key Yankees prospects. Beeter’s ERA at Double-A Somerset was 2.13 in seven starts after the trade. Overall, in 25 games (23 starts), he had a 4.56 ERA, walked 46 times, and gave up 64 hits while striking out 129.
Greg Weissert, RHP
The former 18th-round pick became Pitcher of the Year in the International League and in the league of top Yankees prospects. He made his MLB debut in August and was on the roster for the ALCS, but did not pitch. In 11.1 innings with the Yankees, he gave up six hits, walked five times, and had an earned run average of 5.56. Two games in which he gave up three runs each messed up his stats. In his last eight starts, batters hit only .136 and he only gave up one run in six innings. Weissert, who does the best with a combination of a sinker and a slider, was the best reliever in Triple-A. In 48 innings, he struck out 70 batters, walked only 19, and gave up only 24 hits.
Randy Vasquez, RHP
Vasquez, who just turned 24, finished his first full season in Double-A by pitching the first eight innings of a no-hitter that helped Somerset win the Eastern League title. In 25 starts, the Yankees prospect had a 3.90 ERA, walked 41 times, and struck out 120 batters in 115.1 innings. His best pitch is probably his curveball with a lot of spins.
Jasson Dominguez, OF
Dominguez’s skills make him rank among top Yankees prospects. Last season, he moved from low-Class A to high-Class A to Double-A and made quite an impression. He homered twice in the game that decided the Eastern League championship and hit.450 with three homers in five Double-A playoff games. In 120 minor league games, he hit 16 home runs and had an OPS of.837. What if he starts the season at Double-A, hits the ball out of the park, and then keeps getting better against the more experienced pitchers at Triple-A? The second best hitter among Yankees prospects might then be able to see if he can help the big club. Or it could be too soon. Dominguez won’t even turn 20 until February. He has a lot of potential for swings and misses, and his defense needs work.
What do you think about these Yankees prospects? Leave your comment below.
