5 Yankees prospects ranked on ESPN’s 2023 Top 100 list, including a trio of shortstops
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel released his annual Top 100 MLB prospects rankings on Wednesday morning, and the Yankees are one of the most well-represented clubs on the list.
Five Yankees made the cut, trailing only the Baltimore Orioles (nine) and Arizona Diamondbacks (six). The five Yankees prospects on the list are:
SS Anthony Volpe (No. 3)
OF Jasson Dominguez (No. 28)
SS Oswald Peraza (No. 34)
C Austin Wells (No. 58)
SS Trey Sweeney (No. 88)
The headliner here is Volpe, whom McDaniel says reminds him of Bo Bichette and Willy Adames. Volpe, who appears near the top of just about every prospect rankings list, spent most of last season at Double-A Somerset, though he did play 22 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Across both levels, Volpe slashed .249/.342/.460 with 21 homers, 65 RBI, and nd 86 runs scored. There’s a good chance that Volpe makes his MLB debut at some point in 2023.
Coming in at No. 28, Dominguez has been perhaps the buzziest name in the Yankees farm system since the day the team signed him in June 2019. The switch-hitting outfielder is about to play in his age-20 season, but his mix of raw power, speed, and fielding ability make him a potential game-changing prospect, though he’s still likely at least a couple years away from the majors.
Peraza, meanwhile, has already had a taste of major league action, playing 18 games with the Yankees in 2022 as the club dealt with injuries on the infield. While Volpe’s bat is what makes him a top prospect, Peraza is more about the glove, and McDaniel writes that it’s possible Peraza one day becomes the Yanks’ everyday shortstop with Volpe moving to second.
Wells, the team’s first-round pick in 2020, checks in at No. 58. The University of Arizona product is an offensive-minded catcher, but McDaniel notes that he has made “steady progress” behind the plate, and looks like an “average” defender despite a below-average arm. Wells slashed .277/.385/.512 with 20 homers and 65 RBI across three levels last season, playing 55 games with Somerset.
Rounding out the list is Sweeney, yet another prized shortstop in the Yankees’ system. He’ll turn 23 in April and is considered a bit of a late-bloomer, but he got an 11-game run at Double-A last season, and will likely start the year there.
Source: Yahoo Sports
