3 Yankees players who may have lost their roster spots this offseason

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The Yankees did plenty of roster pruning before the heavy lifting started, but after adding Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham, there are still a number of 40-man rostered players who could be on the way out, pending future moves.

After all, the Yankees must add to their rotation depth, whether they go high-profile or bounce back. The bullpen is unfinished. The bench, very obviously, looks different, led by a positive WAR player in Grisham. That directly opposes last year's strategy, "Find the Worst Guy You Know and Plop Him There, as Long as He's Left-Handed."

Entering the end of December, the Yankees' 40-man stands at only 37. That's why they were able to absorb Jorbit Vivas and Victor González with minimal strain, relieving the Dodgers of a personnel crisis as they tried to welcome Shohei Ohtani and Joe Kelly. That won't be the case for long, though. The Yankees traditionally have an overstuffed group, and their rotation is woefully incomplete. Someone's coming soon, and when the cavalry arrives, a few incumbent names will be on the chopping block once again.

Honorable Mentions: Matt Krook and Nick Ramirez, who seem likely to conduct the Scranton Shuttle this summer, but could easily be shucked off the roster if more promising options appear. Ramirez is a known quantity; Krook should have significant upside, but struggled as much in his debut stretch as any pitcher ever has (24.75 ERA across four games).

Yankees players whose roster spots are in jeopardy going into 2024

Estevan Florial

Florial had the quickest trip possible on the 2023 active roster, as he was carried north for Opening Day, received a pinch running opportunity, then was sent off to waivers to make room for Seibu Lions legend Franchy Cordero.

Against all odds, he wasn't claimed by any other big-league team despite possessing tantalizing power and former top prospect status. He used that chip on his shoulder to motivate him to lay waste to Triple-A, finishing with a .945 OPS and 28 bombs in 101 games. Unfortunately, he was off the 40-man for the vast majority of that time spent raking, meaning he was crushing it in solitude.

The Yankees made it perfectly clear what they thought of his chances to contribute to the big club when they exiled him, then tried nearly every other outfielder in the tri-state area, from Willie Calhoun to Billy McKinney, over giving him another shot. Florial proved that he can club Triple-A pitching last summer, but the Yankees only believed in his blend of power and athleticism when they were absolutely forced to (and, again, he's a lefty!). Though he currently holds a 40-man spot, it feels fair to expect him to be one of the first casualties whenever they require extra space.

Oscar González

Last one in, first one out, huh?

González scuffled through 2023, but is only one year removed from walking off both the Rays (moonshot homer) and Yankees (gutting single) in the 2022 postseason. The 6'4" righty is a bat-first outfield prospect who ... wait, he's already 25? And he's right-handed? We're all for adding projectable bats, especially those with recent pedigree, but why would he get a shot over Florial? His defensive profile is clunky and his offense disappeared at the big-league level last season (.214 average, a stunning .239 OBP).

There's every reason to take a chance on a González bounce back, especially considering how quickly the team's outfield depth was siphoned off last year. Having a proven postseason bat at Triple-A waiting in the wings -- where, to be fair, he did hit well last year (.287/.819 OPS) -- is a wise move.

It was a wiser one before the Yankees imported Soto, Grisham and Verdugo, though. The team can't have too much attachment to González, at this point, and his profile is easier to replace than, say, Krook's. There's no guarantee he makes it to Opening Day in the system. Who knows? Somebody tempting like Franchy Cordero could hit the open market at any time!

Carlos Narvaez

Carrying six catchers on the 40-man roster was absolutely ridiculous, and the Yankees took care of that by including their longest-tenured backstop, Kyle Higashioka, in the Soto trade package.

Carrying five catchers isn't, uh, that much more normal, though.

Agustin Ramirez was protected just ahead of the Rule 5 deadline, as the Yankees opted to retain control over one of their most intriguing and under-discussed minor-league bats, complete with the exit velocity profile of a young Gary Sánchez. Narvaez, sneakily, was protected far earlier in the offseason, following a campaign where he posted a .767 OPS and hit .239 across two levels (mostly Triple-A).

Narvaez got a minor spotlight in spring training when the team's catching depth dropped like flies -- you know, back when Ben Rortvedt still wasn't a real person. He showed solid raw power, and the team obviously believes in his competence and didn't want him getting plucked just yet, but ... at some point, there's going to be another reckoning. Between Narvaez and Ramirez. Between both of those men and Rortvedt. Ben Rice, still unprotected, is a half-catcher, half-first baseman mutant. There's talent in the pipeline, and there's a current projected platoon of a 2022 All-Star and top-10 prospect at the big-league level. Despite the departure of Higashioka, something still likely has to give.

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Yankees players whose roster spots are in jeopardy going into 2024

Estevan Florial

Oscar González

Carlos Narvaez

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