The Yankees pulled off a trade for left-hander Ryan Weathers without touching the crown jewels of their farm system - a notable win for a team that’s trying to thread the needle between contending now and building for the future.
Four Yankees prospects landed on Baseball America’s Top 100 list for 2026, and each one brings something unique to the table. At No. 46, shortstop George Lombard Jr. continues to climb the ranks.
Just 20 years old, Lombard spent last season in Double-A, playing in 108 games. His offensive numbers - eight home runs and a .695 OPS - don’t jump off the page, but the tools are there.
He’s athletic, smooth in the field, and has the kind of baseball IQ that keeps evaluators intrigued. At this stage, it’s all about development and consistency.
Right behind him at No. 59 is right-hander Elmer Rodriguez, who was named the Yankees’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year. That honor wasn’t just ceremonial - Rodriguez led the entire farm system with 176 strikeouts.
He’s got a live arm and a deep arsenal, and he’s starting to figure out how to use it. If he keeps trending the way he did last season, he could be knocking on the Bronx’s door sooner rather than later.
Dax Kilby, the Yankees’ 2025 first-round pick, checks in at No. 61.
At just 19 years old, he’s already flashing serious upside. In a brief but electric stint at Single-A Tampa, Kilby posted an .898 OPS and swiped 16 bags in 18 games.
That’s the kind of combo - power and speed - that turns heads. He’s still raw, but the ceiling is sky-high.
Then there’s Carlos Lagrange at No. 93, a right-hander with a fastball that can touch triple digits. That kind of velocity always gets attention, but Lagrange isn’t just a flamethrower.
There’s a growing belief he could be a real bullpen weapon for the Yankees as soon as this season. If he can harness his stuff and stay healthy, he gives the team a high-octane option in the late innings.
One name notably absent from the Top 100? Spencer Jones. And that’s where things get interesting.
Jones might be the closest of the group to making a Major League impact, but his omission speaks to the concerns scouts still have. The power is undeniable - 35 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A last year - but the strikeouts are a red flag. He went down on strikes 179 times in 506 plate appearances, and that swing-and-miss tendency against upper-level pitching is something that can’t be ignored.
Still, there’s a path for Jones to break camp with the big club, especially if Cody Bellinger signs elsewhere. In that scenario, the Yankees could look to Jones to share left field duties with Jasson Dominguez. It’s not out of the question - the tools are there, and if he can tighten up the swing, he could force the issue.
For now, the Yankees have managed to bolster their big-league roster without sacrificing their top-tier prospects. That’s not easy to do, especially when the pressure to win now is as high as it is in the Bronx. But with a deep farm system and a few names on the cusp, the organization is positioned to contend in both the short and long term.