The 2024 all homegrown Yankees

It is fun to imagine what would happen if the Yankees traded every player who was originally from another team and stuck only with homegrown talent.  It’s not always a pretty picture, but this year’s list isn’t as disappointing as year’s prior.

The criteria for this list are as follows:

1. The player must have spent at least one full season in the Yankees minor leagues

2. The player must currently be in the Yankees system, including both the major and minor leagues.

3. Every player currently on the roster who does not meet the above criteria will be traded or released sometime over the next three seasons in this hypothetical scenario.

Let’s dive in.

C – Austin Wells – Wells is just beginning his minor league career in 2021, but he has fans within the organization who feel he could already hold his own in the majors. Wells has the bat to carry him all the way to the majors quickly. According to team officials his defense has rapidly improved as well.

Expected statistics: .275/.350/.475/.825 with 22 HR, 34 doubles.

1B – Josh Breaux – The weird thing is, Breaux is good enough to catch. Breaux has made huge strides defensively with his receiving, and still has a cannon arm. It is distinctly possible that Wells and Breaux will be reversed here. Both have major league level bats though. If Breaux is moved to first, he will be able to focus more on his hitting though, and the numbers will be even better.

Expected statistics: .305/.405/.510/.910 with 33 HR, 45 doubles.

2B – Gleyber Torres – It’s going to be tough to beat Torres at second. Lemahiue is not homegrown so does not qualify for this team. Defensively at shortstop he has some shortcomings, but at second base he is a plus defender. Despite getting off to a slow start in 2021, his bat is also exceptional. He is a guy you want in your lineup and will be an all-star caliber player for years to come.

Expected statistics: .315/.385/.475/.860 with 25 HR, 50 doubles.

SS – Oswald Peraza – He is currently on the brink of a breakout in High-A, and defensively he is as good as they come at short. Peraza has tremendous bat control and all the earmarks of a high average, high on base hitter. Scouts think he will develop above average power too. Peraza has a bright future and the Yankees will be able to use him in the near future.

Expected statistics: .333/.420/.400/.820 with 15 HR, 45 doubles.

3B – Miguel Andujar – There are some middle infielders in the system who could take this spot (like Ezequiel Duran or Steven Volpe), but Andujar is currently the best homegrown third baseman in the system (Urshela doesn’t qualify for this list). He is a high average hitter with power, though he doesn’t have the patience you’d hope for from the hot corner. Defensively he is not a whiz either, but his bat makes up for a lot. All in all, this may not be the strongest member of the 2024 all homegrown Yankees, but you could definitely do worse.

Expected statistics: .310/.350/.410/.760 with 24 HR and 44 doubles.

LF - Jasson Dominguez - Welcome to the Bronx superhero Jasson. With Florial, a stupendous outfielder, in centerfield, Jasson will be relegated to left field. He will be a tremendous defender here with gold glove caliber defense and a top tier arm. Jasson is a superstar in the making, and the numbers will bear that out. 5-tools, all loud. He may be 5-foot-10, but he’s a giant.

Expected statistics: .320/.420/.520/.940 with 30 homeruns, 20 SB, 50 doubles, 10 triples.

CF - Estevan Florial – Florial is in the midst of a big resurgence. With Hicks out of the picture, Florial is going to be ready to step in soon. Florial, like Dominguez, has 5-tools. He plays stellar defense in centerfield, has power, speed, can hit, and has a great arm. If/when he puts it all together, he will be a dangerous force in the majors. We have heard tons of praise being heaped on him recently, and deservingly so.

Expected statistics: .275/.360/.455/.815 with 26 HR, 20 SB, 42 doubles, 10 triples.

RF – Aaron Judge – The only thing preventing Judge from having a long, successful career will be injuries. If he stays healthy, he will own this spot for a long time. He’s the face of the franchise with tremendous power and a captain’s personality. He plays excellent defense in RF with a huge arm. His exit velocity is near the top of the league, and he has surprisingly impressive bat control.

Expected statistics: .270/.390/.490/.880 with 44 HR, 45 doubles.

DH – Chris Gittens – Gittens hits missiles, makes good contact, and hits for a solid average. Gittens is a massive man who puts on an exit velocity show. His numbers are truly elite in that category. Defensively at first, he makes all of the easy plays and has great hands. His range is below average though, which is why Breaux will take over the reins in that position. Gittens has the size and bat to be a force in the majors. With Giancarlo Stanton out since he is not homegrown, Gittens is a poor man’s version, but one with big hitting potential.

Expected statistics: .290/.400/.510/.900 with 37 HR, 35 doubles.

Backup C – Kyle Higashioka – “Higgy” will be a veteran presence by this point in his career, and that will be part of his value. He calls a great game and is a defensive whiz. Offensively he is respectable for a catcher, and can really put a charge in the ball from time to time. He is the perfect backup catcher.

Expected statistics: .240/.340/.450/.790 with 10 HR, 10 doubles.

INF Utility – Ezequiel Duran – He’s a spunky little second baseman who could also probably play third, and likely will be trained in the outfield as he rises up the ladder. Duran has huge exit velocity for his size and appears likely to be a future power hitter. He also has a bit of swing and miss which is probably due to pitch selection. With time that should improve. Defensively at second he is as solid as they come. He could probably play SS but the Yankees have a ton of talented defensive shortstops in the system. Duran will pack a punch off the bench, can pinch run, and be a defensive replacement if needed.

Expected statistics: .275/.330/.490/.820 with five homeruns, 15 doubles, 3 triples.

OF Utility – Clint Frazier – He’ll probably get a lot of playing time over the course of the season. He may be used a lot at DH, OF, and may even play first at times. Frazier will be a boost to the team both offensively and defensively and will pack a punch off the bench.

Expected statistics: .280/.375/.425/.800 with 5 homeruns, 15 doubles

IF/OF Utility – Trevor Hauver – It’s a bit premature to crown Hauver a future major leaguer with just five games under his belt, but they have admittedly been incredible. He has hit six homeruns in five games to start his career. His power and bat will continue to carry him to the majors, and he’ll be a utility man with a crazy good bat off the bench. He can play OF, 2B, and 1B when needed.

Expected statistics: .270/.340/.460/.800 with 5 homeruns, 18 doubles.

SP1 – Luis Medina – The stuff is ace-like, and his athleticism will allow him to develop into just that. He’s got three plus pitches which he can now locate. He has plus velocity and movement. Now it’s just a matter of putting it all together and getting major league hitters out. He has three years to figure that out.

Expected statistics: 175 IP, 2.35 ERA, 230 K : 50 BB.

SP2 – Luis Gil – With the velocity he brings to the table and the ability to locate multiple secondary pitches, Gil profiles as a nice number two. He will be ready to strut his stuff by 2024 in the major leagues. The Yankees will take the training wheels off and let him ride.

Expected statistics: 175 IP, 2.75 ERA, 210 K, 40 BB.

SP3 – Luis Severino – This will be the rotation of Luises. Severino will come back from injury in 2021 and go right back to being himself. He is a bulldog on the mound with plus velocity and secondary pitches. He should continue to pitch well on return from Tommy John Surgery and may come back even better. In 2024, Severino will be a veteran presence and can help guide the young rotation through the long season and playoffs.

Expected statistics: 200 IP, 3.1 ERA, 225 K, 45 BB.

SP4 – Clarke Schmidt – The Yankees will have Schmidt in the fourth starting pitcher role, but he might as well be the number two. He may not have the stuff of the three above him, but in Cory Kluber-like fashion he can just get guys out. It doesn’t hurt he also has four above average to plus pitches. Schmidt will be able to turn over the lineup multiple times and easily throw 200 innings.

Expected statistics: 200 IP, 3.3 ERA, 215 K, 40 BB

SP5 – Deivi Garcia – Any number of guys could slot here or in the number four slot, but Deivi is the most talented option. Montgomery and German could certainly end up here depending on their career trajectory. So could several others like Yoendrys Gomez, Alex Vizcaino, or Beck Way. Garcia has great stuff though and he is aggressive. This rotation has no lefties but that’s not necessary because the talent is there.

Expected statistics: 180 IP, 3.5 ERA, 210 K, 50 BB.

Closer – Jonathan Loaisiga – Back-end reliever stuff, unflappable personality, control and command. All of it spells future closer for Jonny Lasagna.  He will have many years of success with the Yankeees.

Expected statistics: 70 IP, 1.5 ERA, 110 K : 20 BB

Setup man – Albert Abreu – With the ability to hit 101 mph on the radar and some nasty secondary pitches, Abreu is ready to break out at any moment. If and when he does, he has setup man stuff and he will explode. He will make it interesting though. Think Dellin Betances.

Expected statistics – 70 IP, 1.75 ERA, 115 K, 30 BB

Middle relief – Jordan Montgomery – The Yankees will need a lefty middle reliever and Montgomery will fit the bill perfectly. He may even get an extra tick or two on his velocity in relief. Most importantly, he will give the Yankees length when they need it, and a reliable arm.

Expected statistics – 90 IP, 3.5 ERA, 97 K, 25 BB.

Middle relief – Domingo German – German’s stuff will play up in the bullpen, and that’s where he will end up long term. His three pitches will keep batters guessing in that role, and he will likely have an uptick in velocity in short spurts. German should be a bullpen ace and he too will provide length.

Expected statistics: 90 IP, 3.1 ERA, 115 K, 25 BB

Middle relief – Ken Waldichuk – The Yankees have had a power lefty in the bullpen ever since they traded for Chapman. Waldichuk will allow that trend to continue. He hit’s upper 90’s with the fastball already with room to expand even more at his size. He has good secondary stuff too. Waldichuk should excel in the late inning lefty reliever role.

Expected statistics: 60 IP, 2.65 ERA, 85 K, 22 BB.

Middle relief – Justin Wilson – No, not the Justin Wilson on the Yankees current roster. This is the minor league Justin Wilson, who routinely reaches triple-digits. He also has a developing slider and changeup. This guy is dangerous and he will likely end up in the back-end of the Yankees bullpen someday.

Expected statistics: 60 IP, 2.85 ERA, 90 K, 25 BB

Middle relief – Chad Green – Green has been a stalwart in the bullpen for some time, and this will continue. The presence of other multi-inning options will allow him to focus on pitching one inning and he will be more successful. The stuff will play up.

Expected statistics: 60 IP, 2.9 ERA, 85 K, 15 BB.

Middle relief – Nick Nelson – Nelson, like Green, will be able to focus on one inning at a time. The Yankees won’t mess around with him as an opener. He will get this figured out. His stuff is too good not to.

Expected statistics: 60 IP, 3.0 ERA, 90 K, 18 BB.