The postseason for the American League is set, with the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians locking down the first and second seeds respectfully. The two teams automatically receive a spot in the Division Series, which is set to take place later in October.
The Yankees clinched the AL East on September 26 with a 10-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at home. Led by superstars Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, the team fended off fierce competition to clinch the AL East, and they later clinched the top seed in the AL. Midseason acquisition Jazz Chisholm Jr. helped the team over the finish line, slugging 11 home runs and stealing 18 bases in 46 games.
The Guardians clinched their division on September 21 following the Kansas City Royals’ loss to the San Francisco Giants. Rookie of the Year candidate David Fry, alongside other stars such as José Ramírez and newfound ace Tanner Bibee, all chipped in to give the team their second division title in as many years. Subsequently, without veteran Shane Bieber, who is recovering from Tommy John Surgery, and a rookie manager in Stephen Vogt, it makes it all the more impressive.
With the regular season in the books and the playoffs approaching, the early question for next year is how do the teams keep their strongholds atop the American League? Furthermore, where can the teams look to see their weakest spots and if there are any cheap options? In response, both teams have deep farm systems that offer a wealth of major league-ready talent.
Prospects Who Can Aid the Future of the Two Bye Teams in the American League Playoffs
New York Yankees
1) Outfielder Jasson Domínguez (#14 Overall Prospect)
2024 (Three Teams): .314/.376/.880, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 11 home runs, 35 RBI, 22 BB to 50 K, 16 SB
The Yankees are starting to look like the team to beat in the American League playoffs, not just this year, but in future years too. With the addition of Soto in the offseason, combined with another glistening performance from Judge, the team appears to be set. Of course, there’s also the looming free agency for Soto this year, but that’s a different story altogether.
For their rookies, Austin Wells had a slow start but picked it up in the second half of the year, and Luis Gil had an incredible first full season. Meanwhile, Anthony Volpe put together a respectable sophomore season. The youth movement appears to be in full swing in the Bronx.
Jasson Domínguez seeks to be the next star player for the Yankees next season. The 2019 international free agent signee, nicknamed “The Martian,” has drawn comparisons to Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout from scouts. While the comparisons might be a little too large, Domínguez proved this year he is ready for major league action.
Coming off a Tommy John surgery that prematurely ended his 2023 campaign, Domínguez put together his best season yet. Slashing a .314/.376/.880 over 58 games, along with hitting 11 home runs, the 21-year-old far-surpassed his production, especially in Triple-A.
His fielding is a little iffy, with 15 errors in center field and three in left field over three seasons. He likely won’t win a Gold Glove, but he appears to fare better in left than center. The worst possible case is that he has to play center to bump Judge back to his natural right field position. You’ll likely see more errors, but it allows for some flexibility.
His high level of play saw him get called up for the second time in two years. While his slash line wasn’t as eye-popping as the first time, he gave some good production, slugging two home runs and stealing five bases.
One thing to consider is that Dominguez is still on a learning curve. Per his Baseball Savant page, he lags in strikeout rates, sweet-spot percentage, and squared-up percentage. However, his above-average eye, along with his fast bat speed and hard-hit percentage makes him a ripe candidate for a breakout year in 2025.
Soto’s extension aside, Dominguez should certainly see the Opening Day roster next year. Expect to see “The Martian” in left field, occupying the spot currently held by Alex Verdugo. While there are still some skills he needs to nail down, his production level is at a point where it wouldn’t make sense to keep him in the minors.
2) Right-Handed Pitcher Yoendrys Gómez (#19 Organizational Prospect)
2024 (Triple-A): 3-5; 83 1/3 IP, 3.67 ERA, 58 hits/39 BB (1.164 WHIP), 12 home runs (1.3 HR/9), 93 K, .197 OBA
The Yankees pitching has been its own story this year. Despite losing ace Gerrit Cole for the first half of the year, left-hander Carlos Rodon, the aforementioned rookie Gil, and newly acquired Marcus Stroman held down their own. The bullpen, composed of converted closer Luke Weaver and Ian Hamilton, also helped.
There is a notable hole in the bullpen, left behind by Michael Tonkin. While that move was met with questions from fans, Yoendrys Gómez is the most likely candidate to try and fill that void next season.
The 2016 international free agent signee has bounced around the Yankees farm system since his 2017 organizational debut. For the last few years, Gómez has dealt with a series of injuries that almost completely derailed his career. Slowly, he has worked his way back to the mound, finally logging a season with more than 80 innings.
In Triple-A, Gómez’s stats all went up, both good and bad, due to his increased workload. When he piled up more strikeouts, he gave up more hits. When he tossed more innings, the worse his numbers performed.
The glaring issue in Gómez’s game is how many home runs he can surrender. This year alone, his home run per nine innings rate eclipsed one, while his walk rate remained slightly elevated. However, his opposing batting average remained below .200, while his walk rate didn’t dramatically increase with the increased workload.
Gómez’s arsenal is composed of five pitches, including a four-seamer, sweeper, slider, curveball, and changeup. Per Baseball Savant, Gómez has a variety in his location and can generate whiffs with the sweeper if executed well. While his whiff rate is above average, his chase rate is one of the lowest ranked.
The 24-year-old is not ready to go on the mound as a starter yet. However, he can absolutely perform out of the bullpen as a middle-relief man. His arsenal alone makes him tricky for late-game situations, but he needs to cut down on the home run rate to be successful. If the Yankees want to cut costs to afford Soto, Gómez offers a cheap remedy for the near future.
Cleveland Guardians
1) Outfielder Chase DeLauter (#39 Overall Prospect)
2024 (Three Teams): .261/.341/.841, 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 24 RBI, 19 BB and 22 K, 1 SB
The Guardians built their 2024 team around solid pitching. The team boasted the third-best ERA in the American League while also sporting a 1.202 WHIP.
While their hitting hasn’t been awful, the lineup is in need of guys with the ability to make contact and have some gap power. The Guardians rank 10th in hits, 12th in walks, and ninth in total bases. The pitching can certainly carry its weight, but it needs more run support.
Chase DeLauter is the next-best prospect that can provide an immediate boost in 2025. The 2022 first-rounder had an incredible 2023 season, sporting a .945 OPS and having over twice as many hits as strikeouts. He also raked 39 runs batted in and had an impressive .417 OBP through 57 games.
The 22-year-old stepped back significantly in 2024, but his productivity remains at a good level. Despite his OBP crashing to .341 and having nearly half as many hits as last year, along with battling a foot fracture, DeLauter showed more pop and the same eye that impressed scouts.
It seems DeLauter is opting for more raw power than gap power. His home runs increased to eight from five the previous year. His doubles, however, fell by half. While his steals also fell, it’s hard to determine whether this is from caution due to his foot fracture or otherwise.
His fielding is also noteworthy, making only two errors in over 400 innings of outfield play and 105 chances. With Tyler Freeman being sent to the minors, any battle for center field will be between these two in spring training.
The Guardians are moving DeLauter up very quickly, his first stint in Triple-A going very well with a 1.146 OPS over six games. The 22-year-old should start with a longer stint in Columbus before moving to the big leagues if he has a good year. However, if Freeman or Steven Kwan were to go down with injuries, DeLauter could make his debut early.
2) INF/OF Juan Brito (#8 Organizational Prospect)
2024 (Triple-A): .256/.365/.808, 40 doubles, 21 home runs, 84 RBI, 88 BB to 105 K, 13 SB
The second spot on the list was a tough one, given the youth and promise Cleveland’s roster provides. The next best question is: who can provide something very beneficial off the bench if needed?
Juan Brito, a 2018 international free agent signee, is a super utilityman. He has played at just about every position in the infield in the minors. Likewise, it’s important that his fielding statistics be covered first.
For his infield work, Brito has a lengthy record at second base. He has 30 errors but has turned five times the amount of double plays as well, along with 600 assists. At first, he only has two total errors. However, on the left side of the infield, he struggles with 14 errors over 174 chances at shortstop, along with six errors in 119 chances at third.
He can play right field but has only 33 recorded chances, with two errors as well.
Brito also proves to have a reliable bat. The 23-year-old has not had a season where his OPS has dipped below .800. This year also marked the first time he has eclipsed 100 strikeouts in a single season. However, he has 88 walks to make up for it.
The utilityman has a mix of gap and raw power, something the Guardians need. He set a career-high in doubles and home runs with 40 and 21, respectively, along with a career-high in RBIs. It seems that the more difficult the level is, the better Brito is performing. It might be time for him to shine in 2025.
Brito would easily eclipse Daniel Schneemann as an effective utilityman next year should he crack the Opening Day roster. His stat lines, especially in Triple-A this year, make him a bat the team should consider for a designated hitter role. This would mean bumping David Fry to catcher and replacing the struggling Bo Naylor. Whether or not this is feasible, Brito’s increasing stat lines and promise make him a potential gem in the Cleveland farm system.
Photo Credit: © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
