3 breakout Yankees prospects who’ve quickly become valuable trade deadline chips

The Yankees' deadline conversation has been dominated by their big name prospects — Lombard, LaGrange, Jones — and rightfully so. But underneath the headliners, a quieter group of prospects has been doing something interesting: establishing value. Maybe not the kind of value that is talked about on MLB Trade Rumors' X account, but it's the kind that fills out a package, deepens a system for another organization, or gives Brian Cashman one more chip to play when the negotiating gets granular.

Here are three Yankees prospects who have quietly made themselves interesting heading into August 3.

3 Yankees prospects rising as trade deadline looms

Thatcher Hurd, RHP — Single-A Tampa

The timing on Hurd couldn't be more perfect for this conversation, because what happened in Hurd's last June outing is exactly the kind of thing that creates trade value.

The Yankees' third-round pick in 2024 out of LSU, Hurd never made his professional debut in his draft year and Tommy John surgery in February 2025 wiped out his entire first season before it started. He came back this spring still clearly working back into his arm, showing flashes between rough outings, and carrying a 4.15 ERA that told only part of the story. Then last week, in his eighth start back from surgery, everything clicked: 10 strikeouts in 4.2 innings, one hit, no runs, 15 total whiffs, with the fastball touching 96 mph. Overall, the season has been solid for Hurd, especially with his strikeout rate, and sub .200 opponent batting average.

He's a long way from a big-league rotation. But as a depth piece in a package, a buy-low arm for a rebuilding team that can afford to develop him over two or three years, Hurd's current moment — healthy and trending up off surgery — is when his trade value peaks relative to his career stage.

Kyle Carr, LHP — Double-A Somerset

Carr isn't going to be one of the prospects in the organization that immediately screams projection. But, he just keeps pitching. The left-hander posted 83 strikeouts in 66.2 innings this year at Double-A Somerset with only 27 walks — a strikeout-to-walk ratio that quietly tells you what kind of pitcher he is - before getting the bump to Triple-A. His ERA sits around 4.00, which isn't going to generate crazy headlines, but his strikeouts, command profile and the fact that he hasn't allowed hard contact consistently are exactly what a scouting report looks for beneath the surface numbers. He's been effective against both-handed hitters, which is rare and valuable for a lefty starter at this level, with his sweeper being a true weapon against lefties.

Here's the honest assessment though: he profiles as a No. 4-5 starter at the major league level, not a frontline arm. For the Yankees, a system stocked with LaGrange, Hess, Cunningham, and Hampton, Carr represents the kind of solid-floor, command-based southpaw that has real value for a contending team looking to round out a rotation at the deadline — or for a rebuilding team that wants reliable innings as a foundation. Don't try to sell him as something he isn't, because his profile is genuinely useful: a left-handed strike-thrower, who has plus offerings, and at worst will be nasty against lefties.

Stiven Marinez, SS/OF — Rookie Ball (FCL)

This one requires a little patience with the context, because he's the youngest name on this list and the furthest from contributing at the major league level. But the Yankees signed Marinez in the winter of 2024 after missing out on other international targets and redirected part of their international bonus pool toward him — and what he's doing right now makes that investment look smart.

Marinez is a teenager in the Florida Complex League hitting .304 with a .439 OBP — the kind of batting average that turns heads these days, but carries particular weight for a player at this stage. He's a shortstop with above-average speed, solid arm strength, and the kind of twitchy athleticism that makes scouts project a future everyday player. His 2025 DSL debut showed strong plate discipline; Marinez was one of just eight DSL players to finish with more than 40 walks and 20 stolen bases. His bat path needs work and the power is still developing, but the hit tool and the on-base instincts are real and current.

The honest reason he belongs in a trade conversation isn't that he's MLB ready — he's likely not, and nobody should pretend he is. It's that a rebuilding team will pay for the upside at this age, and when you can sell a high-average teenage shortstop with a high-upside athleticism profile as a sweetener in a package, the right front office will take that call. The Yankees can leverage his hot start and the excitement of what he could become before the minor league picture gets more complicated. For a contender chasing a ring, he's not the centerpiece. For a team building a system, he could be the most interesting name in an otherwise pitcher-heavy package.

What To Watch For

Most likely, none of these names will win a trade negotiation by themselves. But the Yankees don't need them to. They're the supporting cast — the names that round out a package, fill a rival's organizational need, or tip the scales when a deal is close but not quite there.

Hurd's timing is perfect: velocity coming back, stuff trending up, controllable for the forseeable future, and the Tommy John is now behind him. Carr gives you the reliable Triple-A starter depth that all teams dream of having to add to their prospect pool. And Marinez is the teenager you drop into a deal to give the other side something to dream on. The Yankees are dealing from a position of power, and have the assets to make the deal they need. It will be interesting to see how Cashman utilizes them.

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