Yankees: 3 top prospects most likely to be traded this summer

The New York Yankees have some farm system spring cleaning to attend to in the weeks to come, and it’s very likely that some 40-man spots will be messed around with this summer.

After all, when it comes time to protect some top prospects after the season, nobody wants to deal with a massive purge or a Garrett Whitlock situation again.

Therefore, when figuring out which top prospects are most likely to end up in a different uniform after the trade deadline (assuming the Yankees … do something), 40-man spot-holders are one of three buckets to keep front of mind.

The other two? Hot starts that allow Brian Cashman to sell high on inconsistent players, and potentially “blocked” pieces that are behind entrenched major league talent or a more highly-regarded prospect.

It’s certainly possible that all three players we’re about to mention survive the deadline and continue to ride it out with the organization. After all, this team is famously not that proactive, and has been very protective of their prospect capital in recent years to the point of seeing some of it wither and die on the vine.

With that in mind … no, Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt are not on this list. Once thought of as the future of the Yankees rotation (and we guess … there’s still time), Garcia has lost the strike zone entirely this season and Schmidt overthrew in one of his very first bullpen sessions and has disappeared since then. Like, vanished into the wind. That was February. It’s June. Perhaps the Yankees would be interested in selling those pieces, but as of now, their value is at its absolute lowest point.

Considering all the available factors at our disposal, we see these three Yankees prospects as the most likely trio to be sent elsewhere this summer.

These 3 Yankees prospects are most likely to be dealt at the MLB trade deadline.

3. Albert Abreu

If Albert Abreu was going to help the Yankees — say it with me — he would’ve done it by now.

At this moment, the return in the Brian McCann trade feels like a bit of a lost cause, finding non-zero success as a tweener reliever (and saving a strange game in Tampa earlier this season?), but mostly riding the Scranton Shuttle. Essentially, though his value has been lowered, he’ll probably be of more use to another team.

We’re really going to continue using an electric arm with potential to fill innings four-through-seven of a blowout loss?

Currently still the Yankees’ 18th-ranked prospect after being a top-10 talent for the majority of his time in pinstripes, Abreu is down at Triple-A Scranton again, whiffing a remarkable 29 guys in just 15.2 innings pitched … alongside a 4.02 ERA that isn’t doing him any favors and 10 walks to complete the picture of disappointment.

Abreu won’t be a centerpiece in any trade the Yankees make, but he can serve as a non-top-10 second piece with pedigree. Most importantly, he’s currently on the Yanks’ 40-man roster, so trading him comes with a second silver lining. Cashman only has one open 40-man spot to work with at the moment, and unless he wants to finally cut Brooks Kriske loose, he’ll need to open a second if the team makes two acquisitions.

Sorry. Trading Abreu makes more sense than playing around with his options.

1. Luis Medina

Luis Medina’s raw stuff is the stuff of legends, but perhaps this is an instance where the Yankees should sell high instead of waiting for the inevitable reversion.

Prospect evaluators have always dreamed on his riding fastball and ridiculous hook, but prior to this season, the jangly elements never fit together properly. In 2019, he walked 70 men in 103.2 innings pitched, posting an unsightly 5.47 ERA across two levels. Then he missed an entire season along with the rest of his cohorts, which you’d think would only exacerbate his issues.

Those who rank farm systems were undeterred, though, falling back on Medina’s natural talent … which has gotten him the boost to Double-A this year after nearly two very effective months.

In 42.2 innings across two levels, his ERA sits at 3.80, and he’s whiffed 65 men. The walks, unfortunately, are still a massive issue — he’s racked up 27 of them. Is Medina turning a corner? Will the stuff alone play at the upper levels in a starting role, or will he need to get that WHIP down and join the bullpen?

No team set up the way the Yankees are can afford to sacrifice upper-level pitching depth for nothing, but perhaps the walks indicate this season has been more same old, same old fool’s gold from Medina. The question isn’t whether or not he’s available; it’s whether some team believes in him as a big trade’s centerpiece rather than a secondary asset.

Perhaps the sooner the better here.

Yankees: 4 players Brian Cashman could sell at the trade deadline

The New York Yankees might have to sell at the trade deadline if the season continues on this current trajectory. Who should go if that happens?