Major League Baseball's offseason is underway, and that means everyone is thinking about the future. In most cities, that means next season; in some, though, it means the bigger picture, the next three to five years. You're either selling wins or you're selling hope, the old saying goes. We here at CBS Sports like to provide as much hope as we can around this time of the winter by evaluating each team's farm system.
Of course, that doesn't mean every team has an equally good farm system -- some, as you'll find out throughout this process, are lacking in that respect. It does mean, nevertheless, that CBS Sports will be spending the next couple of months examining the top three prospects in each organization. We define "prospects" as retaining their rookie eligibility for the 2024 season, so if a young player is missing that's likely why.
These lists and evaluations are formed following conversations with scouts, analysts, and player development types. There's also firsthand evaluation and bias thrown into the mix. Keep in mind that player evaluation is a hard task, and it's fine if you disagree with the rankings. These are opinions, and they have no real bearing on the future. You can check out our winter top 25 list by clicking here.
With that in mind, let's get to it by dissecting the New York Yankees.
1. Jasson Domínguez, OF (21 years old)
- The short version: "The Martian" made an impressive landing, albeit one that came with a costly injury.
- MLB ETA: Debuted in 2023
Domínguez made the most of his much-anticipated debut last September, homering four times in eight games before tearing his ulnar collateral ligament. He subsequently underwent Tommy John surgery that will delay the start to his 2024 campaign. Domínguez, to his credit, has demonstrated several key abilities in recent years, including minding the strike zone. He's capable of making consistent, hard contact against right-handed pitchers, too. (He bats switch, though he's always been better from the left side.) On the debit side, he's highly prone to swinging and missing as well as hitting pop-ups. That combination could limit his average, even if his on-base and slugging capacities still enable him to become a legitimate big-league contributor.
2. Chase Hampton, RHP (22 years old)
- The short version: Rising righty with a full arsenal and bat-missing ability
- MLB ETA: Summer 2024
Hampton was one of the biggest risers in all of the minors last season, striking out more than 12 batters per nine innings in 20 starts across High- and Double-A. He has a budding arsenal that includes a rising fastball and a pair of breaking balls. Hampton does have an extremely long arm action that could suppress his command if he's unable to consistently repeat his release. It hasn't mattered so far, and his ability to miss bats affords him sloppier geography than the typical pitcher.
3. Roderick Arias, SS (19 years old)
- The short version: Big upside from a relatively unproven talent.
- MLB ETA: Summer 2027
This is admittedly an aggressive and wholly premature ranking based on track record. Still, Arias has the upside to move up rankings in a hurry. The Yankees signed him out of the Dominican Republic for $4 million in January 2022. He's since dealt with wrist and hand injuries the last two years, though he hit .267/.423/.505 with six home runs in 27 complex-league games. Arias is a switch-hitter who has shown some power upside to go with a strong arm and fast set of wheels. Health is the sixth tool and the one that might be the most difficult to project. For now, we're willing to take a swing to get him on the list.
