6 Outfielders the Yankees Could Trade For

There are only a few viable options left in free agency. The trade market may offer better choices for the Yankees.

Author:
Gary Phillips
Publish date:
Dec 19, 2022 6:31 PM EST

In this story:

With Aaron Judge re-signing and Carlos Rodón joining a stacked rotation, the Yankees’ top priority is now left field.

Andrew Benintendi, acquired by New York before last summer’s trade deadline, recently agreed to a five-year deal with the White Sox. Michael Brantley, meanwhile, is re-signing with the Astros. While some free agent choices remain, the pickings are slim at this point.

The Yankees’ internal options include Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Cabrera, but the former struggled in 2022 and has a history of injuries, while the latter may be better suited in a utility role.

Then there’s the trade market, which offers a few enticing targets, as well as some depth candidates. Let’s take a look at some names the Yankees could swing a deal for as they try to upgrade in left…

Outfielders the New York Yankees Could Trade For This Offseason

Here are six solutions to New York's vacancy in left field on the trade market.

Bryan Reynolds

Reynolds is the biggest name on this list, and he wants out of Pittsburgh. That doesn’t mean the Pirates will abide by his wishes, though. If they do, it will likely take a strong package of prospects to acquire the switch-hitting Reynolds, who’s mostly played center field since 2021.

Michael A. Taylor

Kansas City Royals OF Micheal A. Taylor hitting — Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the Royals are wiling to move Taylor, and the Yankees were linked to him over the summer. A light hitter with a strong glove, Taylor would work best as a fourth outfielder in the Bronx.

Max Kepler

Kepler hasn’t exactly wowed since hitting 36 homers with 90 RBI in 2019, which is why the Twin has frequently come up in trade rumors this offseason. However, Baseball Savant is a fan of Kepler’s underlying metrics. Perhaps a change of scenery would benefit the lefty swinger.

The Diamondbacks’ Trio

The Yankees have already been connected to the Diamondbacks, who could move Dalton Varsho, Alek Thomas or Jake McCarthy.

Thomas and McCarthy were both rookies in 2022. Thomas debuted as a top prospect, but it was the speedy and contact-oriented McCarthy who found more success last year after appearing in 24 MLB games in 2021.

Varsho, meanwhile, offers unique versatility. In addition to playing all three outfield positions, he can also catch. Varsho’s bat also showed serious pop in 2022, his first season with more than 400 plate appearances.

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