Aaron Boone: Top Shortstop Prospects Will Impact How Yankees Approach Free Agency
There's no question the Yankees need to address the shortstop position this winter.
With Gleyber Torres moving over to second base, there's a gaping hole on the depth chart, a spot that can be filled with one of the superstar options available in free agency.
It's not as easy as signing a top-tier asset and committing to them for the rest of the decade at the position, though.
Two of the Yankees' top prospects also play shortstop and according to manager Aaron Boone, their presence within the organization (and their meteoric rises in 2021) will have an impact on how New York approaches free agency.
"There's no question that factors in," Boone said Tuesday.
Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza occupy the first and third spots, respectively, on the Yankees' prospect rankings, per MLB Pipeline. Both youngsters posted elite numbers in the minor leagues in 2021, climbing closer and closer to the big leagues.
While Volpe hasn't played above High-A yet, Peraza is one phone call away from heading to the Bronx. The 21-year-old spent eight games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after tearing it up in Double-A Somerset.
Just a few days ago, at the General Managers Meetings, Brian Cashman told MLB Network that he believes Peraza would be capable of playing defense at the big-league level right now. He also told reporters that Volpe is capable of sticking at shortstop in the bigs.
With those two studs looming, perhaps the Yankees won't sign a player like Carlos Correa or Corey Seager, two superstars in the prime of their careers that will certainly be seeking long-term contracts this winter.
"We do feel like Peraza and Volpe are two future longtime impact big-league players," Boone added. "With Peraza getting up to Triple-A, he's knocking on the door. Anthony kind of rifled through a couple different levels this year. So, we're obviously very excited about those players and believe that they are real and that certainly always factors into any kind of decision."
READ: Which Path Will the Yankees Pick at Shortstop?
One alternative, however, would be to sign a shortstop with the intention of moving them to third or second base once one of those prospects is officially ready to take over in the Bronx.
It doesn't have to Correa or Seager. Stars like Trevor Story, Marcus Semien and Javier Báez are all available on the free agent market as well.
READ: MLB Insider Predicts Yankees Will Land Marcus Semien, Justin Verlander in Free Agency
Or, New York could use Volpe or Peraza in a trade, using their surplus of young talent to bolster another position. Perhaps the Oakland Athletics could be persuaded to trade Matt Olson to New York if a package included one of those two shortstops.
In the end, Boone acknowledged that Cashman and all parties involved are weighing every possible alternative when it comes to free agent acquisitions and possible trades.
Finding the balance between banking on prospects or using those unproven commodities to acquire big-league talent is one of the many challenges in running a successful organization.
"That's all part of the equation," Boone said.
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- Report: Yankees Show Interest in Free Agent Freddie Freeman
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