Yankees Rumors: 2 top prospects on way to Bronx after disappearing from Triple-A?

Ever since the 2023 Yankees decided not to buy or sell at the trade deadline, all eyes have been on Aug. 18, the first day New York could promote top prospects while still being able to manipulate their service time and save their rookie eligibility for 2024.

Clever plan! Call 'em up to give the team a spark, but don't call 'em up early enough to actually help attain a Wild Card berth. Brilliant.

Outfielder Everson Pereira has been the name on everyone's lips, from Brian Cashman to the crowd of frustrated supporters. He was explicitly mentioned by insiders like Andy Martino as a potential balm for the Yankees' left field woes, an obviously planted story to alleviate legitimate concerns. But could a surprise prospect also be joining him on Day 1?

Both Pereira and catcher Austin Wells were out of the Triple-A Scranton lineup for the team's final game prior to this all-important date. After the game, eagle-eyed prospect watchers noticed that neither player ran out on the field to greet the team while in victory formation. Could Pereira and Wells both be en route to the Bronx to fill holes? Or something else entirely? Remember, this is not the first time Pereira has disappeared this year.

Yankees top prospects Everson Pereira, Austin Wells could be headed for call-up

Aug. 18 is not Sept. 1, so rosters will not be expanding to accommodate Pereira and Wells' potential arrival. That means two players will have to go (though, at this point, would you really miss any of the roster fodder?).

Pereira is on the 40-man roster, and could come up, no questions asked, in favor of one of the Yankees with options -- say, Ben Rortvedt or Oswaldo Cabrera. Wells is not, which means he'd need to take somebody's spot. That could mean a Greg Allen DFA or it could mean that Franchy Cordero, occupying a 40-man spot in the minors, finally goes, with both Rortvedt and Cabrera going down (but staying in the system).

Is this realistic detective work, or is it all just wishful thinking? The Yankees' season is O-V-E-R, and the one saving grace left is the potential to see which buried players could help in 2023. Hopefully, the makeover begins on Friday night before the Red Sox reach town, and allows the Yankees to at least be competitive with their rivals, who remain in the Wild Card hunt. Ideally, on Sept. 1, Estevan Florial -- recently recuperated from an injury -- joins the squad, too.