Yankees Rumors: Slugging prospect outfielder 'off limits' at 2023 MLB trade deadline

The 2023 New York Yankees did the damage they needed to do against the Kansas City Royals this past weekend, then split a mid-off with the Mets in the Subway Series to remain relevant heading into a monstrous stretch of their season.

A road series with the Orioles, followed by home bouts with the Rays and Astros, may very well seal their fate (or, if a miracle occurs, vault them back into the playoff picture). Unfortunately, only the Os and the Rays show up before the trade deadline, meaning the Yankees' strategy must be mostly set in stone before this gauntlet even begins.

At 54-48 and with precious few "sellable" assets on the MLB roster, it appears New York will at least be lightly going for it, as Aaron Judge threatens to return and prime Gerrit Cole remains entrenched as their ace.

New York's buy-in will likely involve a reliever (controllable, please) coming to the Bronx, as well as an outfielder (at the very least someone who can platoon with Jake Bauers/Billy McKinney). Rockies outfielder Randal Grichuk seems to be heavily on their radar; his salary fits, as long as the Yankees slice just a little bit off their current payroll in the process, too.

One thing's for certain, though: the Yankees understand their current predicament, and don't plan to blow up what's left of their farm system midseason. That means The Martian, Jasson Dominguez, is safe, as is his red-hot outfield counterpart Everson Pereira, per reports.

Yankees will buy at trade deadline, but won't trade Everson Pereira, Jasson Dominguez

This doesn't mean, of course, that Pereira is off limits forever. It just means that the team will need more time to adequately assess whatever move he's eventually included in, and won't make a rash midseason deal that sacrifices top talent without a well-defined eye on the future.

Pereira might be the future himself, of course, and it says a lot that the Yankees' No. 4 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) is now grouped alongside Dominguez in terms of players who won't be frivolously sent away.

Recently vaulted to Triple-A, the 22-year-old Venezuelan outfielder has attacked the baseball with ferocity this season, hitting .300 with 14 homers, 48 RBI, and a .916 OPS in 227 at-bats across two levels. His 15 games of Triple-A work have featured a .323 average, .565 slugging, and four homers.

Pereira, always a potential-filled package you could dream on, has really fleshed out his value this summer, despite missing nearly a month under mysterious circumstances. His theoreticals have turned into actual production, and he could be an outfield solution in the Bronx as soon as next summer.

He could also become the centerpiece of an offseason package we haven't yet dreamed of. Either way, it's good to hear he'll be sticking around for a while as the Yankees deftly avoid Deadline Panic Mode.