Yankees and Major League Baseball arrive at a crossroads

Money, money, money, moooooney

But it is speculation about so many of the other prospects who rose to the top in 2017 that makes this so much of a turning point for a franchise that dreams of multiple championship parades.

Take Miguel Andujar. He might have a major league, high average bat right now. And his defense might have improved enough that he is ready to be anywhere from a regular to a star in 2018.

The same is true for players such as Jake Cave, Thairo Estrada, Billy McKinney and Chance Adams, to name a few. The Yanks need to either decide these guys are ready and construct their roster accordingly. Or trade them before they lose value.

And those decisions have major ramifications.

If the Yankees cannot trust Adams to at least try out for a starters job, then they need to decide that now. Otherwise, they risk he and the others showing the rest of Major League Baseball they cannot perform above Triple-A, causing their stocks to plummet.

Then the Yankees would have to bring in free agents of some organizational depth, and that puts money into shoring up a problem instead of creating a strength.

The other great player coming is Estevan Florial. Look for him no later than September, perhaps as his Yankees tryout.

Fortunately, the Yankees have already been looking at ways the organization might change and have already made some critical decisions for 2018.