MLB prospect expert’s take shows why Yankees are avoiding Carlos Correa

Is the New York Yankees‘ “dream” of keeping their top infield prospects together worth sacrificing the pursuit of Carlos Correa and Trevor Story?

In our estimation, you can always find room for talent, and with questions about how well all parties involved will eventually stick at short, from Correa to Anthony Volpe, we endorse any and all efforts to make the Yankees’ roster better.

However, when you hear how one prospect assesses the Yanks’ middle infield glut, you can’t help but put on Hal Steinbrenner’s money-saving cap and think, “Wait, we’re the best? The very best? Already? Then what am I paying you people for?”

While the Yankees’ present middle infield feels a bit empty and beckons for Andrelton Simmons, they may be set up for the future at both second and short better than any team in the game, per MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis, formerly of Baseball America.

Callis’ rank of the top middle infield prospect groups in the game features the Yankees at No. 1 — in runaway fashion. Ranking second and third are the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays.

You know how we feel about picking prospects over established stars, but it’s also not difficult to see Steinbrenner’s line of thinking as the accolades pile up.

Yankees avoiding Carlos Correa because they’re running away with infield prospect honors?

Callis claims the Yankees “stand at the forefront” of this conversation, and by rattling off the pieces they possess and making almost no additional commentary, he finishes his point:

"Anthony Volpe is one of the best prospects in baseball, Oswald Peraza is perhaps the most underrated shortstop on our end-of-2021 Top 100 Prospects list and Trey Sweeney (perhaps destined for third base) was one of the best college bats in the 2021 Draft. Roderick Arias was the top talent in the 2021-22 international class, Oswaldo Cabrera slammed 29 homers in the upper levels of the Minors last year, Alexander Vargas has four solid-to-plus tools … I could go on, but you get the point."

It’s noteworthy, too, that the Yankees continue to add to this pile rather than subtract from it. Trey Sweeney was 2021’s first-round pick. Roderick Arias was secured mere weeks ago. The Yankees are (rightfully) not resting on their laurels with Volpe and Peraza, continuing to stockpile.

Considering we heard Peraza may be off the table in a potential Matt Olson trade, this all feels like the long-term objective, too.

In other words, if Correa wants to come to the AL East, he should probably further his dialogue with the Boston Red Sox or Baltimore Orioles.

If Gleyber Torres had shown a proficiency for shortstop, the short-term outcome here would be easier to determine.

As it stands, we may have to wait a year before the Bombers can overwhelm the competition at the position again.

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