One of These Five Prospects Will Replace A-Rod After His Release

Alex Rodriguez’s time in pinstripes is reaching its end, and fans can be sure the New York Yankees brass has been working diligently on choosing who will replace A-Rod’s $21 million dollar roster spot.

The Yankees farm system is handled in a very deliberate manner, and although it would be interesting to see prospects like Jorge Mateo and Gleyber Torres called up, fans should forget about sudden call-ups from the lower minor league levels.

With that being said, here are the top five players from the Yankees’ Triple-A team that are likely to take A-Rod’s roster spot after the 41-year-old slugger plays his final game in the Bronx Friday.

Aaron Judge

The first and most likely choice is obvious; Aaron Judge has been one of the jewels of the Yankees organization’s farm system, and he is finally ready to play on the big stage. The team also has an open spot for him thanks to the Carlos Beltran trade.

So far in Triple-A this year, the outfielder has slotted in a .265 average and 17 home runs in 89 games. He has done better in the last 30 games, hitting .318, making it the right time to send the Judge up to the majors.

Tyler Austin

With A-Rod set for release after his final game on Friday, Yankees will look to play Mark Teixeira at DH as much as possible, so as to avoid injury in their final push for the Wild Card. With Greg Bird injured for the entire season, the Yankees are in need of a backup first baseman, and they have their eyes glued on Tyler Austin.

At both Double-A and Triple-A this year, Austin’s average is .292 with 17 home runs in 104 games. Surprisingly, Triple-A has been easier than Double-A for the youngster, and in the last 30 games, he’s posted a .358 average and a 1.048 OPS.

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Dietrich Enns

Although Dietrich Enns does not fall into the elite class of MLB Prospects, as MLB Pipeline has put it, “he’s running out of things to prove in the Minors.” This is because the Left-Handed starter has posted a 1.70 ERA over 20 starts in Double-A and Triple-A.

Enns has pitched 116.2 innings so far, and if he was on an MLB starting rotation, he would be on track to hit 200+ innings. With his 1.11 WHIP in Triple-A, Enns should do well in keeping the ball in the park at Yankee Stadium.

Ben Gamel

Unlike the rookies mentioned above, Ben Gamel has already seen time in the majors, getting a hit in eight at-bats. It’s hard to discern if management doubts he could hit as a platoon, but Gamel has nothing else to prove at Triple-A, so he has to be called up.

In the minors, Gamel is batting a consistent .301 for average in 98 games. According to MLB Pipeline, his instincts are sharp enough to play anywhere in the outfield. The Yankees will surely consider his versatility when deciding who will replace A-Rod’s roster spot.

Next: Luis Severino Struggles in Return to Rotation

Luis Cessa

Luis Cessa has also seen time in the majors, and he did not fare bad at all. After a call-up in 2016, he pitched 13.2 innings for the Yankees with a 3.95 ERA. He was sent back down for sharpening, and so far at Triple-A, he has posted a 3.03 ERA in 77 innings.

Considering recent bullpen trades made by the Yankees, any help to the bullpen would be welcomed, and Cessa is a great choice with some major league experience.