Here’s the Yankees’ new Top 30 Prospects list

August 17th, 2022

There was no doomscrolling through social media at Anthony Volpe’s locker in the hours before the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline expired, which is precisely how you’d want that sort of business conducted. Whatever the Yankees did to upgrade their current squad, the top prospect remained focused on his mission to be part of the organization’s future.

“It’s great to be a part of this team and this organization; it’s the only one I’ve really known and experienced,” said Volpe, the star shortstop at Double-A Somerset. “There’s so many good people -- our coaches, teammates, support staff. I don’t know if it was a stressful week because it was so far out of my control. All the guys in the clubhouse, we were just enjoying the time together, trying to go out there and compete every day.”

Though Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reworked the big league roster by importing outfielder Andrew Benintendi, right-hander Frankie Montas and more, they held tightly to four top-ranked prospects in the organization, including the 21-year-old Volpe.

Other talent came and went before the Deadline, a shuffle that prompted MLB Pipeline to offer a fresh look at its ranking of the Yankees’ Top 30 prospects.

Here’s a look at the Yankees’ top prospects:
1. Anthony Volpe, SS (MLB No. 5)
2. Jasson Domínguez, OF (MLB No. 42)
3. Oswald Peraza, SS (MLB No. 53)
4. Austin Wells, C (MLB No. 87)
5. Everson Pereira, OF
Complete Top 30 list »

Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the preseason list:

Jump: Will Warren, RHP (Preseason: Not ranked | Midseason: 8)
An eighth-round selection in the 2021 MLB Draft from Southeastern Louisiana University, the 23-year-old Warren posted a 3.60 ERA in eight starts at High-A Hudson Valley and has continued to pitch even better at Double-A Somerset, including an Eastern League Pitcher of the Week award for July 4-10.

Fall: Brock Selvidge, LHP (Preseason: 15 | Midseason: Not ranked)
A third-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft from Hamilton HS (Chandler, Ariz.), Selvidge dropped out of the Top 30 in this ranking. Selvidge has pitched this season in the Florida Complex League, posting a 3-1 record and 2.79 ERA through 10 games (eight starts), while averaging better than a strikeout per inning.

Top 30s:
ALW:
HOU | LAA | OAK | SEA | TEX
ALC: CLE | CWS | DET | KC | MIN
ALE: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
NLW: ARI | COL | LAD | SD | SF
NLC: CHC | CIN | MIL | PIT | STL
NLE: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH

New to the list
Here are the players added to the Top 30 from outside the organization:

No. 7: Spencer Jones, OF (1st round, 25th overall in 2022 MLB Draft)
No. 9: Clayton Beeter, RHP (trade with Dodgers for OF Joey Gallo)
No. 13: Drew Thorpe, LHP (2nd round, 2022 MLB Draft)
No. 17: Trystan Vierling, RHP (3rd round, 2022 MLB Draft)
No. 19: Anthony Hall, OF (4th round, 2022 MLB Draft)
No. 30: Juan Carela, RHP (signed as international free agent in 2018)

Impact callup
While Isiah Kiner-Falefa has shored up the Yankees' defense at shortstop, Volpe would provide a significant offensive upgrade after recovering from a slow start. A 2019 first-rounder out of a New Jersey high school, he's batting .250/.349/.459 with 16 homers and 39 steals in 96 Double-A games at age 21.

Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.

Hit: 60 -- Anthony Volpe (Trey Sweeney) 
Power: 60 -- Jasson Dominguez (Anthony Volpe)
Run: 75 -- Brandon Lockridge
Arm: 70 -- Antonio Gomez (Roderick Arias)
Field: 60 -- Oswald Peraza (Roderick Arias, Estevan Florial, Brandon Lockridge, Alexander Vargas)
Fastball: 70 -- Luis Gil
Curveball: 60 -- Randy Vasquez (Clayton Beeter) 
Slider: 60 -- Will Warren (Yoendrys Gomez)
Changeup: 65 -- Drew Thorpe
Control: 65 -- Sean Hermann (Brendan Beck, Jhony Brito, Drew Thorpe)