Yankees Trade Rumors: Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier Unlikely To Be Dealt Before 2018 Deadline

It’s been assumed for most of the 2018 MLB season that the New York Yankees would acquire a starting pitcher at some point before the July 31 trade deadline. The Bronx Bombers are well on their way to making the playoffs with the best record in baseball, but their rotation could be their undoing in the postseason.

The Yankees certainly have the pieces to make a deal. Not only did they start the year with one of the league’s top minor league systems, but multiple prospects are contributing in the majors after being promoted within a few weeks.

General manager Brian Cashman has admitted that he’s trying to improve the 25-man roster. After starter Jordan Montgomery was lost for the season because of Tommy John Surgery and Masahiro Tanaka was put on the disabled list with strained hamstrings, Cashman told reporters he had reached out to at least 20 teams about possible trades, claiming the team “deserves the right to get reinforced” and make a World Series push.

That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy for the organization to part with promising young players.

There’s Gleyber Torres, who started the year as the crown jewel of the Yankees’ farm system. The 21-year-old began the season in the minor leagues and has been everything New York could’ve hoped for and more since being called up.

In 54 games, Torres leads all AL rookies with 14 home runs and 35 RBI. When asked if he might consider trading Torres a few weeks ago, Cashman made it clear the organization has no plans to part with the young second baseman.

“Come on now,” Cashman said. “I’ve got to walk around this city.”

Teams will inevitably ask about Torres and be rebuffed. New York has other prospects to trade, especially because of the depth they have at certain positions. Clint Frazier appears to be MLB-ready, but he’s spent much of the season in Triple-A because of the Yankees’ crowded outfield.

Frazier might be New York’s most expendable highly touted prospect. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton figure to be in the Yankees’ outfield for years to come. Brett Gardner and Aaron Hicks are regular starters, as well. It’s why Frazier has gotten just 43 major-league at-bats in 2018, despite hitting .350 with the Yankees and .312 with a .947 OPS in Triple-A.

Cashman is high on the 23-year-old. Don’t expect Frazier to be included in a trade for any run-of-the-mill starter.

“We’re lucky to have him,” Cashman said of Frazier when speaking with Bruce Beck Sunday night on “NBC Sports Final.” “He’s getting better. He’s a toolbox that every year since we’ve gotten him he’s exponentially improved.”

“We’d like to hold on to him. I know he’s someone that we’re going to get asked a lot about, and so far we’ve been able to say no and hand-check everything, but I’m a big Clint Frazier fan.”

If Cashman doesn’t want to trade Frazier, that probably means Miguel Andujar isn’t going anywhere either. He’s even younger than Frazier with a .284 batting average and a .524 slugging percentage as a rookie this season.

Estevan Florial is the Yankees’ best outfield prospect. Minor-league pitchers Justus Sheffield, Albert Abreu and Chance Adams are also highly regarded. Those might be some of the names that ultimately get dealt if New York makes a major trade before the deadline.