Yankees trade for Brandon Drury makes a ton of sense

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did it again. He acquired a young, versatile and inexpensive commodity in Brandon Drury, without giving up much in return.

If you’re still in the minority that Yankees GM Brian Cashman doesn’t know what he’s doing in his stead, then I suggest you stop reading now.

That’s because you’re most likely a ‘prospect hugger,’ a person that became so jaded by the Yanks’ trading of one highly touted farmhand after the other in the late 90s and early 2000s, that you refuse to see the good in dealing from a position of strength, even today.

Sure, Cashman shipped No. 12 prospect Nick Solak to the Rays and No. 22 prospect Tyler Widener to the Diamondbacks as part of the three-team deal that netted the Yankees super utility man Brandon Drury.

But neither Solak or Widener have yet to crack any top 100 prospects lists. Furthermore, Solak, 22, is all stick and no glove. In an organization ripe with well-rounded infield prospects, the possibility of the former University of Louisville product ever seeing the light of day in the Bronx was slim.

As for Widener, the 23-year-old has yet to pitch above High-A Tampa, and only recently began to show signs of development. Since everyone needs pitching, trading a mid-tier prospect, still at-least two season’s away from the big leagues was a no-brainer.

And again, the Yanks are chock-full of right-handed arms in the minors (Albert Abreu, Domingo Acevedo, Chance Adams, Luis Medina and Dillon Tate).

Might I remind you that Drury, who already has two full seasons of major league experience under his belt is still only 25! Throw in the fact that he has yet to enter his arbitration years, meaning the Yanks are on the hook for around $559,000 — and this acquisition is officially a slam dunk.

Still not convinced?

Let’s be honest, as much as you, me and the mailman were intrigued by the possibility of manager Aaron Boone filling out a lineup card that had rookies Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar starting at second base and third base, respectively, deep down we all knew it was a long shot.

With a plethora of veterans in camp, each vying for a bench spot and the chance of overtaking one of the rooks, should they stumble in Spring Training, I for one am grateful the organization can be a bit more choosy when it comes to filling out the opening day roster.

Regardless of what you heard through the media, Torres was never going to start the season anywhere but Triple-A Scranton.

Let’s see, an extra year of controllability for 16 full days spent in the minors? How was this ever not going to happen!

Now the Yankees have the flexibility to decide if Andujar is ‘Show’ ready. Should his defense still need refinement, the club can keep him at Triple-A with his buddy Gleyber for some extra grooming and let Tyler Wade and Ronald Torreyes battle it out for the second base job.

As for camp invitees Danny Espinosa and Jace Peterson, or potentially signing free agent Neil Walker — hard pass.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did it again. He acquired a young, versatile and inexpensive commodity in Brandon Drury, without giving up much in return.

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