2 Former Top Yankees Prospects Get Designated For Assignment
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Not too long ago, third baseman Miguel Andújar and left-hander Justus Sheffield were two of the biggest names in the Yankees' farm system, ranked as top-four prospects by MLB Pipeline in 2018.
This week, Andújar and Sheffield were both designated for assignment by their new teams, a pair of transactions that'll make a prospect hugger cringe.
Andújar was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Friday, a corresponding move after Pittsburgh's reunion with outfielder Andrew McCutchen. The Yankees cut ties with Andújar in September of last season, allowing Pittsburgh to claim the right-handed hitter off waivers.
It's been a steep decline for the 27-year-old since he finished second in the race for American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2018. Andújar has missed time with injuries, slipping down the depth chart within New York's organization. Since his spectacular rookie season—a campaign featuring 27 home runs, 47 doubles and a .855 OPS—Andújar has appeared in just 114 big-league games, including nine with the Pirates last fall.
Last summer, Andújar requested a trade from the Yankees. That declaration came after his latest demotion to Triple-A, a request rooted in his frustration over a lack of consistent playing time in pinstripes. Another team looking for a high-upside right-handed bat could take a chance on Andújar, although his numbers over the last few years have clouded the potential he flashed in his rookie year.
Sheffield, meanwhile, was designated for assignment by the Mariners earlier this week. Seattle snagged the southpaw from New York in the James Paxton trade before the 2019 season—he never panned out in Seattle, posting a 5.40 ERA over 45 games (33 starts) across the last four years. He pitched in only six games with the Mariners in 2022.
New York initially acquired Sheffield in the Andrew Miller trade with Cleveland in 2016, also adding outfielder Clint Frazier and righties Ben Heller and J.P. Feyereisen in the deal.
After designating Sheffield for assignment, the Mariners no longer have any players in the organization from the Paxton trade. That four-player swap also included right-handers Erik Swanson and Dom Thompson-Williams. Swanson was dealt from Seattle to Toronto earlier this offseason in exchange for slugger Teoscar Hernández.
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