Yankees News: Aaron Judge switch, Gleyber Torres buzz, 2 former top prospects sign

In the wake of losing Juan Soto, the New York Yankees have had to shift some things around as they prepare for the next era of Bomber baseball. This roster is going to look extremely different next season, and that should include multiple defensive shifts, too.

Jazz Chisholm could very well go back to second base. Jasson Dominguez is hopefully going to play center field as the Yankees search for a new left fielder. And, most importantly, Aaron Judge will likely shift back to right field, where he belongs.

Judge had absorbed far too many center field reps for most fans' liking over the last few seasons due to roster complications, but now that shouldn't be the case. Brian Cashman needs to put guys in the right spots to maximize the team's defensive efficiency.

Fortunately, he alluded to just that at the Winter Meetings, suggesting that his plans would open the door for Dominguez to take over as the team's starting center fielder in 2025. Just about every Yankees fan would approve of that now that Soto is no longer around.

Before expanding his versatility, Judge was arguably the best right fielder in the game, pound-for-pound with Mookie Betts. Oddly enough, the Dodgers have taken him out of his position of strength to fill infield reps. What are we doing, guys?!

Nonetheless, we hope Judge can stick in right field because the best player on the roster shouldn't have to continue making accommodations for others.

Yankees Rumors: Gleyber Torres drawing interest from Angels, Blue Jays

In other free agency news, former Yankee Gleyber Torres is picking up some traction on the open market, with MLB Network's Jon Morosi reporting the LA Angels and Toronto Blue Jays are interested in the second baseman.

Honestly, both are perfect fits — limited to no expectations, completely out of the spotlight, questionable futures. Though Torres served as a bit of a lightning rod for the Yankees from mid-August until the end of the year, he's definitely not the All-Star-caliber player fans came to know in 2018 and 2019. Those days are over.

He's a solid big-leaguer but still prone to mistakes and wildly unproductive spells. He'll benefit from a change of scenery, but it's unclear how much. We'll see how much the Andrés Giménez trade affects his next landing spot.

Former Yankees top prospects find new homes after 2024 season

Onto some other former Yankees, Thairo Estrada is on the move. Remember him? The Summer of Thairo?! The former top prospect became a productive player with the SF Giants and will be staying in the NL West after agreeing to a deal with the Colorado Rockies.

Estrada has largely served as a utility infielder and was very productive from 2022-2023, but he dealt with injuries last year and the Giants waived him toward the end of the season. The Rockies saw an opportunity and made it happen.

As for a more recent top prospect, Estevan Florial is headed overseas after agreeing to a deal with the Hanwha Eagles. Florial was traded to the Cleveland Guardians before the 2024 season and eventually got squeezed out because he wasn't pulling his weight.

He'll look to rebuild his value for a possible MLB return in 2025, but Yankees fans know this story. Florial topped out at Triple-A and was never able to handle the big leagues, so it's more than likely he's looking at a lengthier than expected stint in Korea.