Yankees have one last chance to learn their lesson from Jorge Mateo

Take a Chance on Me

Or, is he no longer a top prospect? The evidence and attendant press are mixed. First, he still grades out as an 80 for his speed. That is the top score for any tool in the chest, and Mateo is one of the few to receive it for any skill. And he did steal 82 bases in 2015; teams won’t forget that.

But more importantly, he has been playing like a great player. He was promoted to Double-A and, against that better talent, he has raised his game. His current slash is .320/.403/.573, and he looks like the best player in the Eastern League.

At least for now. His numbers are getting worse by the day, only batting .231 in his last ten games. That makes now the right time to trade him before he plays again.

The Yankees have one last chance to make up for their earlier mistake. If they trade him now, instead of Florial or any of their other top prospects, they can keep their best players, lose a bad attitude from the organization, and add a pitcher that can help them win now and over the next two years.

Now that’s a good trade. And there is another player they need to apply this thinking to Jake Cave.