The Yankees have some young talent on the cusp of making big-league contributions. On Thursday Night, MLB Pipeline released its annual Top-100 prospect list that featured three Bombers.
Brian Cashman and company have cited the upcoming talent in their farm system as reasons for passing on elite shortstop free agents with glaring holes at the position.
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Yankee faithful will get a full glimpse in Spring Training at two of the three players rated on the top 100 list. Here’s how the Yanks made out.
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Anthony Volpe was ranked as the best shortstop prospect in baseball according to MLB pipeline. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)
N0. 5 ANTHONY VOLPE, SS
Anthony Volpe ranked as the No. 1 shortstop and inside the top five overall on MLB Pipeline’s list. The 21-year-old shortstop entered last season in the eighth spot and has continued to climb toward to top.
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The New Jersey native slashed .249/.342/.460 with 21 homers and 50 stolen bases in 132 games last season between AA and AAA. The Yankees’ top prospect was the first minor leaguer to record 20+ homers and 50+ stolen bases in a season since Braves’ legend Andruw Jones in 1995.
Volpe struggled out of the gate last season, however, he posted a line of a .289/.377/.532 16 homers, 48 RBI and 35 SB from May 14. to Sept. 8 after adjusting to his new competition in AA.
The highly-touted shortstop figures to be in the thick of the Bombers’ shortstop battle this spring training.
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NO. 47 JASSON DOMINGUEZ, OF
Jasson Dominguez was arguably one of the most hyped international prospects in MLB history. Since making his pro debut, expectations have seemed to temper a bit from the Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout comparisons.
The 19-year-old jumped from Low-A to AA over the course of last season while posting .273/.376/.461 with 16 homers in 120 games.
The Dominican native made an appearance in the MLB Futures Game in Los Angeles where he slotted in the No. 2 spot in the order — alongside Volpe who batted fourth — and displayed his raw power by blasting a homer from the right side.
The switch hitter is the Yanks top outfield prospect and made his way onto the Top 100 list for the fourth straight year.
NO. 52 OSWALD PERAZA, SS
This prospect, Yankee fans are more familiar with. Oswald Peraza came in at No. 52 and the organizations third-ranked prospect.
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Peraza, who figures to be the favorite to win the SS job this spring, got a tase of the big leagues last season. The slick-fielding shortstop hit .304/.404/.429 in 18 games for the Bombers last season and even landed a start in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros.
Prior to his cup of coffee in the bigs, Peraza hit .259/.329/.448 with 19 homers and 33 stolen bases in 99 games at AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre.
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The debates about who should man the six-hole for Aaron Boone’s club will only heighten when boots hit the ground in February at Spring Training and Peraza is in as good of a spot as anyone to win the job.