These Yankees pitching prospects can fill trade void after Brock Selvidge surgery news

With so many budding young arms in the minor leagues, the New York Yankees would be wise to clear out the glut at the trade deadline. Dealing from a strength for big league help is never a bad idea, and young pitching is one of the most valuable commodities in the league.

The top tier of Elmer Rodriguez, Carlos Lagrange, and Ben Hess is untouchable to a certain extent. Righty Bryce Cunningham is likely just a step behind that top group.

The hurler most likely to get moved after a decent first half was lefty Brock Selvidge, but he'll now be down for the entire 2026 campaign as he underwent internal brace surgery on his left elbow.

With the top trade chip down for the count, the Yankees will need to look elsewhere when it comes time for reinforcements. The criteria are simple. First, they'll be looking for pitching prospects who are relatively close to the majors. Second, they'll look to clear out guys who will be Rule 5 draft eligible come December to avoid potentially losing them for nothing. Third, we're looking at mid-tier prospects who can be packaged together for non-star big leaguers (think Roc Riggio and Griffin Herring last year, and Dillon Lewis and Brendan Jones this winter).

Two guys fit the bill: No. 11 prospect Kyle Carr and No. 16 prospect Cade Smith.

Why Kyle Carr and Cade Smith look like prime Yankees trade bait after Brock Selvidge injury

Both Carr and Smith were members of New York's 2023 draft class, with the left-handed Carr getting selected in the third round and the right-handed Smith getting picked in the sixth.

Carr was someone we had pegged for a spring breakout. The 23-year-old spent most of his 2025 campaign at Hi-A Hudson Valley, recording a 1.96 ERA over 119 1/3 innings. His final three starts of the year came at Somerset, where he was shellshocked and posted an 8.56 ERA as his walks and homers skyrocketed. Still, it was too small a sample to get worried over.

He pitched relatively well in his limited action this spring. In four innings, he struck out four batters, allowing just one hit and two walks. He was overshadowed by the phenoms at the top of the prospect rankings, but it was a solid showing for the southpaw, who will head back to Somerset to try and conquer Double-A.

Smith impressed in his pro debut in 2024, running a 30.6% strikeout rate and posting a 3.37 ERA, with most of his work coming in Tampa, save for two starts at Hudson Valley. His 2025 season was delayed by a shoulder injury, but when he finally made it back on July 7, he did so with a bang, combining with two other pitchers to throw a combined no-hitter.

Both guys are Rule 5 eligible this December, making a trade even more likely. They've also both flashed enough that, as long as they don't bomb in the first half, they can pique the interest of a rebuilding club at the deadline.

Losing live arms is never fun, but the Yankees have yet another wave behind them, making the potential loss all the more palatable. You have to give them credit for one thing: they've built a pitching factory, and there are plenty of ways to capitalize on it, including dealing the excess at the deadline.