No, that’s not a good thing. The New York Yankees are refusing to quit wastes valuable big-league level development time for their top prospects.
It could be endearing if this were a dramatic movie about a tough-nosed boxer unwilling to quit despite being punched. But the fact that the Yankees are reluctant to see the writing on the wall is close to organizational failure. After losing to the Boston Red Sox on Friday, the Yankees are now two games below .500. That puts the team 7 games back in the wild-card standings. They are also a whopping 14.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. With only 40 games left in the season, the Yankees have put themselves in a seemingly inescapable hole.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Aaron Judge has looked strong at the plate since his return from the IL. In 18 games, Judge is hitting .250 with an OPS of .876. Missing nearly two months due to a toe injury hasn’t slowed down the reigning AL MVP much. Another bright spot for the team has been Ian Hamilton. The 28-year-old righty has been one of the Yankees’ best relievers this season. Despite only pitching in just 15 games in his first three seasons, Hamilton has come into his own in 2023. He currently sports a 1.72 ERA and has collected 55 strikeouts in 32 appearances.
As the team falls further and further back in the standings, the Yankees should look ahead to 2024 and beyond. Unfortunately, the 2023 postseason is still in its sights. With a backlog of pitching injuries and an underperforming offense, the Yankees organization needs to do their team more favors by holding onto hope. Instead, they should be looking to give their top prospects playing time at the big-league level.
The Yankees Are Slow To Look Ahead
The Yankees are not a team that hears the word “rebuild” too often. Since 1995, the Yankees have missed the playoffs just four times (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016). The 2023 Yankees will likely be the 5th team to miss out on the postseason fun. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost for the future. The club has a collection of up-and-coming players developing in the minors. The only problem is that the Yankees tend to be overly gun-shy when promoting prospects and giving them a fair shot at the big-league level.
Anthony Volpe being named the Yankees starting shortstop this season was a breath of fresh air. Volpe has sometimes flourished, but his development has shown signs of promise. The 22-year-old is hitting just .213, but his 16 home runs and 2.9 WAR prove that Volpe has what it takes to be a valuable player for years. Volpe was never a high-average hitter in the minors. Over 275 career minor league games, Volpe had a .262 batting average. But the Yankees remained committed to installing Volpe as their MLB shortstop. So why can’t the Yankees commit to their other young players of the future?
Yankees Big League Level Talent Left To Gather Dust
One of the Yankees’ top prospects is outfielder Everson Pereira. He currently ranks as the team’s 3rd-best prospect and the 81st-best prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com. In 32 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pereira is hitting .308 with an OPS of .877. The 22-year-old has also added six home runs, showcasing a decent amount of pop in his bat. In his five seasons, Pereira has proven he can play at every level in the minors. Jake Bauers and Billy McKinney have each been adequate stopgaps for the Yankees this season. They have performed as well as anyone could hope. But with the playoffs looking like nothing more than a pipe dream, it is time to give the young outfielder a chance to prove himself at the big league level.
And … Everson Pereira brings us home in EXTRA INNINGS! 🔥#EverythingMajor #RepBX pic.twitter.com/7sjjHNRY3p
— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) August 12, 2023
When it was reported that catcher Jose Trevino would miss the remainder of the season last month, many thought Austin Wells could be an option to replace him. As the Yankees 1st round draft pick in 2020, Wells has shown impressive power in his three minor league seasons. The 24-year-old has clubbed 49 home runs in 280 career games. In 22 games at Triple-A this season, Wells is hitting .253 with a disappointing OPS of .729. Wells’ bat will eventually come around with enough Triple-A at-bats, but that would be a waste. The Yankees drafted Wells as a possibility of being the catcher of the future; it is now the perfect opportunity for him to develop a relationship with the Yankees’ pitching staff.
With just 40 games remaining in 2023, the Yankees will not be World Series contenders. However, they can position themselves to look towards the future and build up their young core. On Friday, Pereira and Wells were available to call up while retaining their rookie status in 2024. Pereira and Wells could have looked at 40 games at the major league level to develop their game. Instead, the Yankees chose to stay the course. If the Yankees remain on that course, they might stunt the growth of their future stars.
Main Photo Credits: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
