Yankees Top 15 Prospects

After the recent graduations of Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza, and at the beginning of the season Jasson Dominguez will also graduate from prospect status. The Yankees farm system endured a combination of injuries and underperformance last season, which led to their rankings falling towards the bottom of the league. I have high hopes for these players entering this season, and today I will rank my top 15 prospects within the Yankees organization.

#1. OF Jasson Dominguez

The best international amateur free agent in the 2019 signing class was a massive one for the Yankees, Dominguez, dubbed “The Martian” at just 16 years old due to his otherworldly talent. Though Dominguez may not be the Mike Trout or Mickey Mantle he was touted as, he definitely has the makings of a star player in Major League Baseball. He missed a year of development in 2020 due to the pandemic, but came stateside in 2021 and played very well throughout the following two years before his major league debut in 2023. He’s dealt with a myriad of injuries since his debut, having Tommy John surgery and also dealing with an oblique injury, but 2025 will be the year Dominguez gets a full season of big league run. Dominguez comes with the ability to hit the ball extremely hard, while also having a fantastic eye at the plate. Dominguez has the potential to be an on base machine and a significant power threat at the big league level. Not only that, he also has dynamic speed on the bases, accruing large stolen base totals in the minors which will likely translate well. The weakest part of his game is his defense. Dominguez is primarily center fielder but also has the ability to play in either of the corner spots. He  will play left  field for the Yankees this upcoming season, where I think he will flourish and be a candidate for the AL Rookie of the Year award.

#2. SS George Lombard Jr.

Lombard was the Yankees first round draft selection in 2023, and it was a pick many were surprised about at the time. Lombard was committed to Vanderbilt, but forgoed that to sign with the Yankees out of high school and join the organization. Lombard just completed his first full season of professional baseball. And between Low-A and High-A, scouts have raved about Lombard’s progression and are very excited about what is to come for the young shortstop. Lombard had a solid season, he didn’t put up insane statistics or absurdly high OPS totals, but he played well. He got on base at a solid clip, and emerged as one of the best base stealers in the Yankees system, stealing 39 bases in just 110 games between two levels. Since about the middle of the season, the Yankees essentially made it known to teams that they were not trading Lombard, and for good reason. Lombard has legitimate 5-tool potential. Because he’s still so young, people around the game expect a huge surge in power from Lombard next season, which could propel him to the upper levels of the Minor Leagues. Lombard posted some of the top exit velocities in the minors last season, which could suggest there could be a progression in his game power next season, which would be huge for his development. It should also be noted that early on in the season, Lombard was sidelined with a hamstring injury for a few weeks, even though he returned fairly quickly it still affected him for the rest of the season, which is something that should be noted.  After the 2024 season and the departure of Juan Soto, the Yankees were discussing acquiring Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, and Lombard was among the pieces Houston requested, the Yankees balked, knowing the kind of player they may have on their hands, Tucker ended up traded to Chicago.  I suspect Lombard will start at High-A this season, and I’m expecting a big season where he finishes in Double-A, and as a top 50 prospect in the minors at the season’s conclusion.

#3: OF Spencer Jones

When the Yankees drafted Jones in 2022, the comparisons and expectations were huge for the Vanderbilt product. He was compared to Aaron Judge because of the obvious, he is a 6-foot-6 outfielder with a ton of raw power and potential. Jones’ first full season in the Minors had a lot of people very optimistic, if not bullish, on his profile. He has fantastic power and has elite defense in center field, and an elite runner. However, his main issue is his strikeout and whiff rates. Jones struck out over 30% of the time last season for Double-A Somerset. Jones stated in interviews recently that his goals for next season are to hit the ball hard, and to hit in the air. This is likely music to the Yankees ears, as pulling fly balls could be something that progresses his development significantly. The main problem with Jones is the strikeouts, but if he can get that under control next season, he is going to likely be on the doorstep of being called up to the majors. Jones’ stock is a lot lower than it was this time last year, as there were points last year where he struggled mightily. Jones made some adjustments to his batting stance over the offseason, and makes his stance eerily similar to a young Aaron Judge. 2025 will be a massive year for Jones’ development with his tweaked mechanics. Jones recently said that he “Feels dangerous” at the plate this spring, something that hopefully foreshadows a good season for the former first round pick.

#4: SS Roderick Arias

Arias was the Yankees top international free agent in the 2022 class, and has had an up and down time in the organization, but he seems to be on an upward trajectory. Arias’ first taste of pro ball in the DSL and FCL were great, but both seasons ended prematurely due to a multitude of freak injuries. Arias showed a great eye at the plate, but an alarming whiff rate. His defense at shortstop was considered fantastic, and he’s an above average baserunner. He was truly tested in his first season of affiliated ball, playing for the Tampa Tarpons, the switch hitting shortstop had an inconsistent year. His final line doesn’t look too bad, slashing .233/.335/.393, with 13 home runs. Arias throughout the first half of the season was struggling mightily, but he managed to turn his season around in the second half. He made a change to his swing that allowed him to have a more level swing path while still being able to generate power, this adjustment led to him having a fantastic last ~50 games of the season, where he hit a lot better, slashing SLASHLINE and finishing his season strong. Defensively he was said to potentially have a top tier defensive game at shortstop, last season something to note was his error total, which was 24, a little alarming, but not abnormal for a young prospect in A ball. We don’t know where Arias will start in 2025, but I am optimistic on his profile heading into next season, and it would not surprise me if he finished the season as a top 100 prospect.

#5: RHP Chase Hampton

Hampton coming into last season was a player that was lauded as being the next great Yankees pitching prospect, he drew comparisons to Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, due to their semi-similar deliveries. Hampton quickly rose in prospect rankings in 2023, but his stock is down due to injuries last season. He only pitched 18.2 innings in 2024, but there is reason for optimism heading into 2025. Firstly, the latter of his injuries was not an injury to his pitching arm, rather a leg injury. Secondly, Hampton’s 5-pitch mix should help him fully conquer the Double-A level. Hampton has a fastball that sits in the mid to high 90s, and also a slider that he uses to get a lot of whiffs on. The rest of his arsenal is definitely a work in progress, as his curveball and cutter could be big elements of his success next season, and could contribute to his overall pitchability, which could raise his floor. His cutter is a pitch that the Yankees had him start throwing, as it has a similar spin to his slider with a difference of almost 10 ticks of velocity. Hampton is the arm in the Yankees system with by far the highest ceiling, as some believe he could project as a top of the rotation arm at the MLB level, if he can get his command under control. If his command remains an issue, he could project as an above average bullpen option. Though unfortunately, we likely won’t be seeing Chase Hampton throwing off of a mound until the summer of 2026 at the earliest, Hampton underwent Tommy John surgery last week, and will be out indefinitely.

#6: RHP Will Warren

Warren, like Hampton, is a prospect who has gotten a lot of press as a future contributor to the Yankees rotation. And though Hampton is higher in ranking, Warren is by far more major league ready right now. We saw him in a few starts last year, though his stat lines didn’t look great, his stuff was far above average, and he generated a lot of whiffs. His main issue at the major league level was the amount of hard contact he was giving up, not abnormal for a young starter in his first taste of big league action. A guy I’d compare Warren to, and many others have pointed out this comparison, is current Padres and former Yankees starter Michael King. Many have pointed out that Warren and King share a lot of similarities, one being their windup motion, looking very similar to one another. Another is their arsenal and how they are used. They both have a fastball in the mid 90s and also utilize a sweeper with a lot of horizontal break. Warren’s stuff definitely plays at the major league level, but like most young starters, will need some time to adjust to big league hitters. Warren struck out over a batter per inning in his 22.2 inning stint in the majors, but also gave up 5 home runs in just 6 appearances. Warren is a fantastic depth option for the Yankees, should a starter get hurt, Warren will likely step into the rotation. He could be on a similar path that Luis Gil was when he initially came up. Got some run in 2021 in September, then after Tommy John surgery became a big part of the Yankees rotation. Though hopefully Warren can do without the injuries, his stuff will play at the big league level, whether it’s with the Yankees or not remains to be seen.

#7: RHP Ben Hess

Ben Hess was the Yankees first round pick in last year’s draft, and it was one of the more unexpected selections by them recently. Many expected them to select a shortstop in the first round, which over the last 5 years prior, they had done so three times. The Yankees ended up selecting Ben Hess at the 26th overall spot, and signed him for value that was under the slot. Hess pitched for the Alabama Crimson Tide last year, and many raised questions about his 5.80 ERA. However, this does not tell the full story. Hess logged 68.1 innings last year, and tallied 106 strikeouts in that time. This is an impressive feat that I’m sure the Yankees organization is aware of. Hess stands tall at 6’5 and he has solid potential to be a future rotation arm. Hess features a four-pitch mix which all grade above average. Something that also could be cause for concern is his control. He walked 35 batters in just under 70 innings. If Hess’ control issues continue a few years into his pro career, I would not be surprised if the Yankees elected to move him off of starting and move him to the bullpen. His high fastball velocity and big break on his secondaries profiles very well for an above average bullpen arm.

#8: RHP Bryce Cunningham

Cunningham is another one of the Yankees top arm in their farm system, he was drafted in the second round by the Yankees last year in what turned out to be a very pitching heavy draft for them. Like Ben Hess, a fellow SEC arm, Cunningham didn’t put up the best college stats, putting up a 4.36 ERA in 84.2 innings of work last year for Vanderbilt. But the Yankees really like Cunningham’s stuff. He possesses a mid 90s fastball that can touch 97 at its highest. Arguably his best pitch is his changeup, because of its significant fade and sinking action, it was one of the most effective pitches in college baseball last year, and it was a pitch that he was consistently able to generate whiffs on. His slider is his third offering, and it doesn’t grade out as high as his changeup does, but don’t be surprised if his slider becomes a very effective swing and miss pitch this season. Developing sliders and changeups is something the Yankees have done fantastically in recent years. Cunningham has the potential to be a middle of the rotation arm, and I think he’ll be a fast riser in the system, similar to how Drew Thorpe was in 2023, but the difference between Cunningham and Thorpe is that Cunningham is more polished coming into the pro level, and he also has a more effective fastball, something that will definitely aid his development.

#9: LHP Brock Selvidge

Brock Selvidge is one of the more interesting prospects in the Yankees system, he is one of the few non first round high school pitchers that the Yankees have selected in recent years. Selvidge was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2021 draft. He generated some first round buzz for some, but ended up falling due to some injury concerns. Selvidge had not pitched a full professional season until 2023, where he put up a 3.45 ERA in 127.2 innings between Low and High-A. Selvidge showcased a solid 4 pitch mix. He doesn’t have overpowering stuff or velocity, but scouts raved about Selvidge, some comparing him to former Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, which isn’t surprising considering he’s a crafty lefty in the Yankees system. Selvidge added a cutter to his arsenal in 2023, which definitely contributed to his breakout season. Heading into 2024, expectations were high for Selvidge, some argued he was a guy who could break out and potentially break into the big leagues at just 21 years old. Unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition for Selvidge. Selvidge started at Double-A this past season and struggled early, but these early struggles on top of some injuries to his pitching arm, sidelined him for the majority of the season. In his 16 starts last year, he was largely ineffective in the 84.2 innings he logged. The strikeout totals were lower, his walk rate went up considerably, and he was giving up more home runs. Selvidge gave up more homers in 2024 than he did in 2023 with about half of the innings pitched. Despite his struggles, Selvidge is a guy I am excited to watch in 2025, he still has solid stuff across the board, and definitely could be a contributor to the MLB roster at some point. I’d expect he will start in Somerset again, especially due to the otherworldly run environment in the International League at Triple-A.

#10: LHP Henry Lalane

Lalane was an international signee by the Yankees in the 2021 signing class, the same class that delivered  Roderick Arias to the Yankees, Lalane was a more under the radar signing but one that could prove fruitful for the Yankees. Lalane had a good 2023 season in the Florida Coast League, showing a fastball that can touch triple digits as well as a curveball that can generate whiffs at a high level. Coming into 2024 the expectations for Lalane were high, one writer at Baseball America even said that one of his hot takes is that Lalane would finish the season in Triple-A. Unfortunately, that did not come to fruition. During Spring Training last year Lalane suffered an injury that held him out of game action until late in the season, and he later re-aggravated the same injury. Lalane registered less than 15 innings in 2024, and not only were they largely ineffective, but his stuff also took a hit. His velocity was down a few ticks, and he was not having a lot of success. Lalane will likely start the season in Low-A Tampa as he attempts to get more consistency, he is a very high upside arm and if he can stay healthy he could meet that top rotation arm potential. 

#11: RHP Cam Schlittler

Schlittler is the next late round draft arm that finds his way onto this list. Schlittler was a 7th round pick by the Yankees in 2022 out of Northeastern, and they may have found another hidden gem here. Schlittler has a fastball that sits in the mid 90s, as well as a nasty slider that sits in the mid 80s. Schlittler impressed in High-A Hudson Valley last season, posting a 2.73 ERA in 19 starts, and got a cup of coffee at Double-A Somerset at the end of the season, where I suspect he’ll start this upcoming year. Schlittler told reporters upon reporting for Spring Training that he decided to ditch his changeup that was in his repertoire last season, because it didn’t have much success, opting rather for a splitter, which could completely revolutionize his repertoire, pairing it with his already above average curveball. Schlittler has made some noise early on this spring, and could continue to do so throughout the year. Schlittler is someone who reminds me of Will Warren going into last year, obviously injuries at the MLB level are bound to happen sooner or later, and if Schlittler gets that call, I think he may stick around.

#12: SS Mani Cedeno

Cedeno was the Yankees top signing in the 2025 international signing period, and for good reason. Cedeno was not among the top end signings in the class, but the consensus of him was that he was a top 15 prospect in this signing class, which you always like to see. Cedeno is going to still be 16 years old for the majority of his professional debut season, and that could bode very well for him. Cedeno is from San Pedro De Macoris in the Dominican Republic, the city dubbed “The cradle of shortstops” puts an added pressure on Cedeno. Standing at 5’10 and 180 pounds, Cedeno is a guy that I’m interested to see how he does this upcoming year, he’ll likely play the whole season in the Dominican Summer League then come stateside next year. Cedeno has a solid package of tools across the board, and if his power develops we could be looking at a five-tool player here. Though it is still very early for those claims, Cedeno is a guy that we shouldn’t have insane expectations for, but should definitely be excited about going forward. 

#13: OF Everson Pereira

Pereira is a guy who over the last few years was briefly considered a top 100 prospect, what really killed his stock was tearing his UCL at the beginning of 2024 and missing the majority of the season. Now, a fully healthy Pereira is in the mix for the Yankees roster due to the injuries of Giancarlo Stanton. Pereira was signed internationally in 2017. We somewhat know how Pereira may play in the majors in the short term, he had a cup of coffee with the team in September of 2023 where he slashed .151/.233/.194 in 27 games. Though I don’t believe that is how Pereira should be looked at long term. He has plus power, that is the main tool in his game, even with his early struggles in the majors he still ran out some high exit velocities which is a good sign, the main gap in his offensive profile is going to be his strikeout rate. Pereira solid defensively in a corner outfield spot with a solid arm, and is also considered a plus baserunner.  With Stanton sidelined for an unknown amount of time, I would not be surprised if Pereira won the starting DH job out of spring training, if anything I’d probably advocate that he wins that job. 

#14: C Edgleen Perez

Perez is a player that really emerged last year in the Florida Coast League. At the minor league level it seems that the Yankees favor offense more than defense, which makes sense, but it helps that their development for catchers is among the best in the league. Perez is a patient hitter who can hit for solid power, slashing .283/.444/.380 and walking more than he struck out. Perez is average defensively but shows potential to be a solid defensive catcher, he receives pitches well and has solid blocking, he also has above average arm strength which helps him limit the run game. Perez is still a very raw prospect and is still 18, he has a long way to go in his development but he has shown some good offensive potential so far. Once he fully develops physically and gains more muscle, his game power will likely increase for slightly more home run pop. Hitting to all fields is already a strength for Perez, a slightly better power stroke would do wonders for his game. Perez is one of the few catchers over the last few years that the Yankees are not taking as slow, Perez will likely start at Low-A as an 18 year old and could finish his season at High-A Hudson Valley, and with his combination of hard hit rates and lack of whiffs, Perez could find himself on Top 100 lists by midseason.

#15 RHP Eric Reyzelman

Reyzelman is a reliever, which makes him inherently less valuable than other pitching prospects, but his upside is fantastic. Reyzelman is a guy who i’d argue that should start in the Yankees bullpen to start the season, but will likely start in Double-A. Reyzelman has a fastball that sits in the high 90s and can touch 100 MPH on the gun. Reyzelman’s fastball gets a lot of swings and misses which is what makes it such an effective pitch, Reyzelman also offers a mid 80s slider with great late-breaking movement that can also be a pitch that consistently generates whiffs. He also has a changeup in his arsenal, bit the usage is considerably lower than the other two pitches. Reyzelman is a guy that could be a future high leverage reliever for the Yankees, and he pitched fantastically for Somerset last year, posting a 1.16 ERA and a 14.66 K/9 rate in 38.2 innings. Reyzelman has such good stuff and it most definitely will pla7 at the major league level, I would be shocked if he went to Triple-A, mainly because of the crazy run environment. The bottom line is, Reyzelman is a dynamic reliever prospect who has a bright future with the Yankees, and he is a prospect that will be called up if bullpen injuries mount up.