5 Yankees players who don't deserve to be on 2023 40-man roster

The New York Yankees lucked out this offseason, surviving the Rule 5 Draft despite a clogged 40-man roster and getting to keep slugging third baseman Andres Chaparro against all odds.

That doesn't mean the 40-man is clogged for all the right reasons, though. There are a few fringe prospects we're surprised they haven't pulled the plug on yet, instead choosing to remain attached to their 2019 lines. There are a couple of bounce back candidates who'll struggle to rise above Triple-A this year. And ... there are some high-priced pain points who, ideally, would've already found new homes.

These five players would not be on an idealized version of the Yankees' 40-man roster entering the 2023 season -- and, if spring training shakes out the way some think it will, this list might be prescient.

Honorable Mention: Understand Albert Abreu's 2022 season represented an impressive performance relative to his 2021 season, but ... watching the Yankees wander back to him like an ex-boyfriend they *know* they can fix is getting tiresome. He still has a 99 MPH fastball. He still is shockingly hittable (25 hits in 25.2 innings with the Yankees), even though he cut down on walks. His results still don't match the stuff. He's probably among the season's first DFAs, even though that *terrifies* the Yankees. We get why he's on the 40-man. We're willing to change, too. But ... oy.

5 New York Yankees who should have been left off 2023 40-man roster

Deivi Garcia, RHP

It wasn't too long ago that Deivi Garcia was viewed as Pedro Martinez-esque -- by Pedro himself! -- and was taking the 2020 season by storm. He seemed to have that innate "pitchability" that can't be taught, getting by on guile more than stuff. He had a sense of the moment. He could carve up a powerful Blue Jays lineup without a classic "putaway pitch."

Then, the Yankees thought it would be a good idea for him to start Game 2 of the ALDS, pitch literally one inning, then depart. Did this absolute failure of a "gotcha!" move torpedo his career? Impossible to say. But since then, he hasn't had an iota of confidence or control at Triple-A, nearly falling off the prospect map from such great heights.

How could it have all just ... disappeared? It seems impossible, and yet two years of evidence doesn't lie. Garcia has barely been on the mound, but posted a 3-7 season with a 6.85 ERA, 21 homers, and 68 walks allowed in 90.2 innings in 2021. He followed that up after an offseason of retooling with a 6.89 ERA across two levels and an even worse 7.96 ERA in 37.1 Triple-A innings. 32 more walks. 13 more bombs. 64 innings. He's still striking out over a batter per inning (97 in 90.2 in 2021, 76 in 64 last season), but everything else is ghastly.

From "future rotation cornerstone" to nearly unpitchable in one season, followed by an additional season of data. So "Yankees" it hurts. We wish he'd earned his 40-man spot, but if someone out there can fix him, that person doesn't appear to be in the Yankees' organization.

Jimmy Cordero, RHP

We're entering our second year of waiting for this lottery ticket to pay off. For an impatient franchise, they sure are willing to stick by ex-White Sox castoff Jimmy Cordero.

Cordero, 31 years old, has a Clay Holmes-esque repetoire, and the Yankees seem more than willing to wait for the opportunity to unlock the injured right-hander with the high-velocity sinker, which he throws 59% of the time.

Unfortunately, he's thrown it 0% of the time at the MLB level since 2020, considering he hasn't thrown a big-league pitch since the ill-fated shortened season. He wrapped that year with a 6.08 ERA in 26.2 innings, following up his solid 2019 season (37.1 innings, 11 walks, 31 Ks, 2.89 ERA) with a stinker.

The Yankees have been far more patient with Cordero than they were with the last "Exciting Matt Blake" project Junior Fernández, who had a similar profile and flamed out with the Pirates and Cardinals. We thought Fernández was The Guy. Unfortunately, he was on the chopping block during New York's December free agency flurry, and is already back out in the world.

Cordero's still here, though he has to be the low man on the totem pole at this point. Let's see if he sticks around when the team adds a left fielder. That's coming someday, right?

Right??

Josh Donaldson, 3B

Josh Donaldson's story has been told repeatedly this offseason. He was acquired last offseason to be a thorn in the rest of baseball's side, and instead ended up stabbing the Yankees in the gut.

He was aging, sure, but he'd maintained his trademark exit velocity through 2021, so why wouldn't it continue translating to power production in 2022? He didn't. It didn't.

He came with a massive contract attached, but the ability to absorb dollar figures that teams like the Minnesota Twins can't handle has always been the Yankees' inherent advantage. They wouldn't allow his deal to hamstring further spending. Except they did. And it did.

The silliest part of all is that Brian Cashman and Co. have continued to doggedly stand by Donaldson, touting his Gold Glove-level defense and proclaiming him an all-time 2022 snub, even though there was no way he was being honored by any committee after the Tim Anderson controversy he invited upon himself.

Donaldson had better reverse the aging curve quickly. Otherwise, he'll be a glove-first third baseman making $25 million against the luxury tax this year for a team that lacks offense, not defense.

Maybe Cashman's been trying to advertise him as best he can in recent weeks, but it seems he's been given no choice but to believe in his third baseman. Donaldson will stay.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS (UTIL please)

Isiah Kiner-Falefa's $6 million salary seems absurdly easy to move, especially when compared to Donaldson and the Yankees' other big hurdle. He put up 3.0 WAR last season despite being painted a villain by Yankee fans. He might not be a starting-caliber shortstop, but he's shown significantly higher skill and comfort levels at third base, winning a Gold Glove there over Gio Urshela back in 2020.

Man, remember Gio Urshela? Miss that guy. Having that guy would've solved ... a lot of things.

Kiner-Falefa is what he is: a contact bat who'll hit for a high enough average and very little power, but can do the little things. He can cover multiple infield spots, and fans will appreciate the pesky bunts and poked singles a lot more if he isn't sold to them as a defensive sparkler at short, a position where his range was exposed repeatedly in 2022. His hands didn't help, either.

Back when the Yankees chose to tender him a contract for 2023, we assured through gritted teeth that the decision didn't necessarily mean he'd be around on Opening Day. As the season draws closer and the team has set up the bowling pins for Oswald Peraza to knock 'em down, it still seems like Kiner-Falefa has a chance to find a new home before April.

In the right situation, it's not difficult to imagine him producing enough to justify that modest price tag. In New York, where fans have already turned against him and DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera would be better options? Not so much.