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Top 5 Yankees Prospects to Watch in September

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With September roster expansions coming up, it’s an exciting time for organizations to have a glimpse into their team’s futures. The New York Yankees, boasting one of the league’s better farm systems, have a lot to look forward to when their September call-ups have a crack at the majors. Some of them could even have a significant impact down the stretch as the Yanks aim for the AL East title. Here are the top 5 Yankees’ prospects who could be summoned from the minors and produce come September.

Top 5 Yankees Prospects to Watch in September

5. T.J. Rumfield

The 24-year-old from Virginia has quietly put together a very solid season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In 95 Triple-A games, T.J. Rumfield has smacked 12 homers with 59 RBI, not to mention boasting an OPS of .806. He’s also a defensive wiz at first base, winning a Minor League Gold Glove with Double-A Somerset last year.

When Anthony Rizzo fractured his arm in June, the Yanks could have called up Rumfield to replace him. But, they ended up choosing fellow first baseman Ben Rice, who has been on the MLB roster ever since. Both players are lefties with big frames, and they performed similarly in the minors. With Rice’s hot start long gone, the Yankees could very well take the opportunity to see how Rumfield fares at first base before Rizzo returns.

4. Yoendrys Gómez

Hailing from Venezuela and standing at a sizable 6’3″, Yoendrys Gómez has been one of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s best starters in 2024. The right-hander has posted a 3.97 ERA over 18 starts, along with 71 strikeouts over 68 innings. Most impressively, his BAA of .201 is first on the Railriders (with at least 8 GS).

His repertoire consists of five pitches, including four breaking pitches. His fastball peaks at 93-94 mph, but it is still effective because he can consistently locate it and mix it in with his offspeed pitches. Not to mention, he has an extension of 7.1 feet, which is similar to that of fireballers like Aroldis Chapman. This makes the ball appear faster to the hitter, which makes up for his lack of velocity.

Having already appeared in six Major League games (five in ’24), Gómez is one of the Yankees’ more exciting pitchers in Triple-A. If given a shot, he has the stuff necessary to succeed in the majors.

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3. Jorbit Vivas

23-year-old second baseman Jorbit Vivas has been touted as a solid contact hitter ever since he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers out of Venezuela in 2017. While he hasn’t put up numbers that reflect his hitting ability, he always finds a way to get on base. Having already summoned him as a bench option earlier this year, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to suggest that the Yankees could recall the prospect for September.

If Vivas was a better defender, there would almost be no doubt in bringing him up. But because his fielding is no better than current second baseman Gleyber Torres, he’ll be expected to produce offensively. Having increased his power numbers and speed over the last few years, it wouldn’t be unrealistic to use Vivas as a bench option down the stretch.

2. Spencer Jones

The Yankees No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Spencer Jones has not lived up to the hype thus far in 2024. The 6’6″ outfielder progressed quickly through the minors but seems to have hit a wall this season. In 103 games, Jones is slashing .249/.330/.417 with 14 home runs and 66 RBI. Not only have his numbers worsened, but he’s struck out an astonishing 173 times in 410 at-bats (42.2% strikeout rate). Jones has a lot of untapped power, but the question remains as to whether he can harness it against higher levels of pitching.

Defensively, he has good range and is serviceable in the outfield, but the biggest thing holding him back is his inability to consistently barrel balls. For this reason, he likely won’t be playing in the Bronx anytime soon. But, it would be interesting if it happens, and he could showcase the raw power that earned him so much excitement. For now, though, Yankees fans will probably have to wait a little while longer to see him in pinstripes.

1. Jasson Domínguez

Well, there’s no surprise here. Jasson Domínguez has been one of baseball’s most hyped prospects in recent memory; and when he debuted last season, he lived up to it. That is, until his elbow gave out on him. Having rehabbed from tearing his UCL and made his way back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Yankees fans have been relentlessly bashing Brian Cashman for keeping him in the minors.

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Although Cashman clearly doesn’t want to replace anyone on the active roster with Domínguez, Alex Verdugo‘s struggles have made it apparent that the Yankees need someone else in left field if they want to make a deep run in the postseason.

Not only would playing the 21-year-old Domínguez provide a spark to the team, but he has already proved that he can succeed at the Major League level, so there’s no reason to start a guy who is holding the team back. Let’s face it: everyone in baseball wants to see Domínguez play. There’s no point in keeping him in the minors when he could be helping the team when they need it most. But regardless, there is plenty of reason to be excited about “The Martian”, and he is almost certainly going to be seeing some action in September.

 

Photo Credit: © David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports

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