The Yankees’ farm system has seen a decline in depth over the last couple of years due to trades and free agency, particularly in pitching. Given this relatively poor depth, the team might “go shopping” in the Rule 5 Draft — a rare move for them. For instance, last year they only selected one player, outfielder Luis Durango, who performed well in High-A Hudson Valley, posting a batting average of .258.
Rule 5 Draft Refresher
As a reminder, per MLB rules:
- Players signed at 18 or younger must be added to the 40-man roster within five seasons.
- Players signed at 19 or older must be added within four seasons.
- Failure to add them makes them eligible for selection by another organization.
- A team pays a $100,000 fee for a Major League phase selection.
- The selected player must remain on the 26-man roster for the full season.
- If removed from the roster, the player must first be offered back to the former team for $50,000.
Yankees’ Protected and Lost Players
Ahead of the deadline, the Yankees protected outfielder Spencer Jones and pitchers Chase Hampton and Elmer Rodriguez (who now uses only his paternal surname).
However, the Yankees lost five players to the draft last year:
- RHP Joel Valdez (Reds)
- LHP Oddanier Mosqueda (Cardinals)
- RHP Blane Abeyta (Braves)
- OF Joel Mendez (Pirates)
- RHP Gabriel Barbosa (Phillies) — Ironically, Barbosa was a Yankee Rule 5 pick from the Rockies in 2023.
Expected Losses
The Yankees are widely expected to lose several more pitchers, including RHPs Harrison Cohen and Brendan Beck. MLB also projects Brock Selvidge to be selected, with Eric Reyzelman as a possibility. I do not believe any of these players, aside from Reyzelman, are ready for the Majors yet, making their selection phase uncertain.
While the unprotected minor league talent may not be internally viewed as “MLB ready,” rival scouts often see specialized tools (speed, arm strength, defense) that fill their specific Major League needs. This external interest, valuing them as high-upside assets for specialized roles, heavily impacts roster protection decisions, even if the talent is considered raw internally. Former Yankees prospect Ben Gamel’s career is a strong illustration of this kind of talent. He has reportedly joined his 12th organization after signing with the Braves and has been in baseball for a longer time than his former teammate, Aaron Judge, despite not being a good fit for the Yankees after only playing in 6 Major League games with them.
Potential Targets and System Gaps
Slotted at #28, the Yankees will likely miss out on top picks. My primary target for the Yankees is Phillies RHP prospect Griff McGarry. He is comparable to a pitcher like Ryan Yarbrough. Though primarily a bullpen pitcher, McGarry had an elite 13.34 K/9 and a good 5.27 BB/9, resulting in a 3.24 ERA across 83.2 IP in Low-A, AA, and AAA.
The Bombers also have significant depth issues at 1B/3B, worsened by the loss of Andres Chaparro to free agency. With the organization seemingly not prioritizing the promotion of Rumfield and/or Hardman— both of whom had decent offensive production (121 & 119 wRC+, respectively) — it is plausible one or both could be selected in the Draft. If they are not drafted, they might be packaged with a pitcher in a more significant trade, suggesting they are currently seen internally as roster fillers.
Shortstop is another concern. With Volpe expected to miss the start of the season, a platoon of Caballero and Cabrera appears to be the current plan. The top-tier internal prospect, George Lombard Jr., is at least a year away from being Major League ready. Rule 5 options at shortstop are weak, meaning the Yankees will likely stick with their current path or pursue a major trade for someone like Bo Bichette. A long-shot option could be former Yankee prospect Cooper Bowman, traded to the A’s in the 2022 Frankie Montas/Lou Trivino deal.
Despite significant bullpen holes, I don’t anticipate the Yankees looking to minor leaguers for reinforcement in the Rule 5 Draft, especially since they didn’t do so during roster expansion in late 2025. I was disappointed they didn’t protect Harrison Cohen, who I expect to be taken early, possibly within the first 10 picks, as one of the best available relievers.
The Yankees typically favor trades over the Rule 5 Draft, a pattern likely to continue this season. While drafting a pitcher like McGarry might offer a safer bet, the team also needs depth for Scranton. The ultimate direction of the Yankees will only become clear after the Winter Meetings. The team may be holding onto prospects like Cohen to use them as trade chips rather than losing them “for nothing” in the Rule 5 Draft.
No responses yet