Athletic's 'splashy' Yankees trade deadline projection features mass prospect exodus

In case you're wondering just how much the Yankees' most familiar prospect names have been devalued in recent seasons, look no further than Chris Kirschner's realistic projection for the team's dealings at the upcoming MLB trade deadline.

Kirschner, paired with Brendan Kuty on The Athletic's Yankees beat, acknowledged in his one-week-from-crunchtime projection that some fans of the team would happily welcome 15+ new faces by Aug. 1. That remains impossible, but a team riding out the final two months of control over Juan Soto's rights (while sitting in Wild Card position) should be as aggressive as any club in the league.

That necessary aggression led Kirschner to pinpoint four realistic targets for improving the Yankees' most glaring weaknesses (subscription required). The team will still have to rely on internal bounce backs (yuck, never works) and injury luck from the likes of Jasson Dominguez and Giancarlo Stanton (yuck, never works), but cannot afford to take chances with DJ LeMahieu's role.

Third base represents the Yankees' most prominent glowing void, and the Rays' Isaac Paredes could lock down the position -- and add 150 points of OPS -- for the next 3.5 seasons. He'll cost a pretty penny, especially in-division, so it's no surprise Kirschner has budgeted Spencer Jones, George Lombard Jr., Brando Mayea, and Carlos Lagrange ... as a maybe.

For those who still believe the toolsy Jones is off the table, as a theoretical top-15 prospect in the game, reading this had to be quite a blow. Fortunately, we're only just getting started.

Yankees could add Isaac Paredes, Jack Flaherty at MLB trade deadline and lose countless prospects

That's what you do during an "all in" year, though, right?

Kirschner wants the Yankees to eye Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty, pending an innings limit on Luis Gil, and he could very well represent the second punch behind Gerrit Cole that Carlos Rodón was supposed to be. Add on some swing-and-miss relievers -- Kirschner tossed out John Brebbia in the Lou Trivino mold and flamethrower Michael Kopech, whose control issues have betrayed his greatness -- and you might be cooking.

One look at the names tossed out in exchange, though, and any casual Yankee fan will realize that the prospects they once coveted can now be clumped together and hurled at deadline dartboards. Oswald Peraza and Yoéndrys Gomez to the White Sox for lottery tickets? Everson Pereira and Will Warren for Flaherty (that's a steal)?

If this deadline whirlwind comes to fruition, only Chase Hampton, Henry Lalane and Roderick Arias will remain from the team's most recent top prospect classes. Perhaps that's what they need to authorize in order to "go for it," but it's a sobering reminder that eight familiar names strung together can only net the Yankees one sure thing and a few rentals these days.