The Five Yankees Most Likely to Be Traded This Winter

Brian McCann

Although McCann is reportedly happy in his new role as backup/mentor to rookie starting catcher Gary Sanchez and part-time designated hitter, there are definitely reasons to think he may not return to the team in 2017.

With the breakout performance of Kyle Higashioka in Triple-A this season, New York arguably has four quality MLB backstops ready to go in the system. As the oldest and most expensive, McCann seems like the obvious candidate to be moved given the organization’s rebuilding efforts.

New York discussed McCann with both the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves prior to this year’s trade deadline, and reportedly agreed to resume talks with the Braves in the offseason.

McCann does have a no-trade clause, but it seems pretty reasonable that he’d be willing to waive it to go back to Atlanta, where he played the first nine years of his MLB career and still makes his offseason home.

The biggest obstacle to a deal seems to be the two years and $34 million remaining on his contract, with the Braves only willing to pick up around half the remaining salary and send just middling prospects in return. They will have to budge off of one of those positions to get a deal done.

The match between the two clubs makes so much sense that it feels inevitable that this trade gets done eventually. McCann will add some legitimacy to a thin Braves offense and provide an excellent tutor for their young pitching staff.