Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With the Yankees signing Gerrit Cole to a record contract earlier this winter, it's been a pretty buzzworthy offseason already in the Bronx. 

How great would it be if they kept that sizzle going and made a trade for Josh Hader, the lefty strikeout machine who has anchored Milwaukee's bullpen the last two years? 

Maybe the Brewers are just in listen mode and the whole idea's a longshot. Perhaps it'd be easier and smarter to just re-sign Dellin Betances, considering the hefty return Milwaukee likely will demand. 

The Yankees made the move to protect seven prospects and avoid December's Rule 5 Draft by adding them to their 40-man roster ahead of Wednesday's 8 p.m. ET deadline.

New York added OF Estevian Florial, RHP Deivi Garcia, RHP Luis Gil, RHP Brooks Kriske, RHP Luis Medina, RHP Nick Nelson and RHP Miguel Yajure to its MLB roster.

As corresponding moves, it released OF Jacoby Ellsbury while designating 1B Greg Bird and LHP Nestor Cortes for assignment.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

It's obvious that Gerrit Cole should be far and away the Yankees' top priority this offseason. But what if he really is determined to play in California, as so many people seem to think? 

Or what if Hal Steinbrenner isn't ready to break the budget for an ace? Where would Brian Cashman turn, then, for top-notch starting pitching -- the Yankees' only real need this winter? 

They will be looking for someone who can dominate a postseason start, not a regular season innings-eater, so that narrows the field considerably. 

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Deivi Garcia, RHP, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (No. 1, MLB No. 64) -- ETA 2020

In the bullpen for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since Aug. 22, Garcia's continues to adjust. His second appearance came last Monday when he allowed two runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batter while he struck two out on 42 pitches, battling command issues with 24 strikes to 18 balls. Garcia's latest outing and third overall as a reliever occurred last last Friday with mixed results. He surrendered three runs on two hits, including a home run, plus two walks to two strikeouts on 38 pitches -- 21 strikes.

In three games from the 'pen, Garcia has given up six runs on eight hits (two home runs) and sports a 11.57 ERA. However, his swings and misses are still evident of the power arm that made the 20-year-old rise up the Yankees' list of prospects, striking out nine while walking three.

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Deivi Garcia, RHP, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (No. 1, MLB No. 64) -- ETA 2020

Garcia was moved to the bullpen, with many believing it was in preparation for a potential promotion to the bigs to see what he could give the Yankees in September. In his first appearance in his new role, Garcia allowed one earned run on three hits, while striking out five and walking one over two innings of work. Not bad for his first outing.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Deivi Garcia, RHP, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (No. 1, MLB No. 64) -- ETA 2020

Garcia failed to get through the fifth inning in either of his two starts this past week. He allowed two runs in both contests, walking four and striking out nine batters in 8 1/3 combined innings.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Deivi Garcia, RHP, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (No. 1, MLB No. 66) -- ETA 2020

Garcia failed to get through the fifth inning in either of his two starts this past week. Garcia allowed two runs in both contests, walking four and striking out nine batters in 8 1/3 combined innings.

Deivi Garcia jumping to No. 1 (while Estevan Florial slipped to No. 2) and stud international signing Jasson Dominguez coming in at No. 3 are just some of the changes on the new Yankees Top 10 prospects list that was released by MLB Pipeline.

Also of note: Albert Abreu dropped to No. 7 and Luis Gil jumped all the way from No. 13 to No. 4.

RHP Deivi Garcia, No. 1
OF Estevan Florial, No. 2
OF Jasson Dominguez, No. 3
RHP Luis Gil, No. 4
RHP Clarke Schmidt, No. 5
RHP Jonathan Loaisiga, No. 6 
RHP Albert Abreu, No. 7
RHP Yoendrys Gomez, No. 8
C Anthony Seigler, No. 9
OF Everson Pereira, No. 10

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Deivi Garcia, RHP, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (No. 1, MLB No. 66) -- ETA 2020

Some believe that Garcia might see some time in the big leagues this season. A courtesy call-up could be in store, but the chances of Garcia providing meaningful innings are dwindling as he's been torched by Triple-A batters in his four turns through the RailRiders' rotation.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Deivi Garcia, RHP, Double-A Trenton (No. 1, MLB No. 66) -- ETA 2020

Garcia, who has played at three levels this season, vaulted to MLB Pipeline's No. 1 ranking in the Yankees system and No. 66 in MLB. Garcia went six innings and allowed four runs in his latest start for the RailRiders. In 82 2/3 combined innings, Garcia owns a 3.38 ERA and has struck out 128 batters.

With just nine days to go until the July 31 trade deadline, asking prices will fluctuate, rumors will swirl and big names will likely be on the move.

The Yankees are one of the many teams actively searching for starting pitching reinforcements. And Brian Cashman's team is well-positioned to build on its nine-game lead in the AL East.

In recent years, Cashman has been extremely cautious in deadline dealings. He's been careful to hold on to his most valued prospects, and for the most part, that strategy has paid off.

Look at the Sonny Gray deal as an example. He didn't work out in New York, but the trade is significant for another reason - -it's the most recent example of Cashman surrendering top prospects in a midseason deal. He sent out James Kapreilian, Jorge Mateo and Dustin Fowler, all of whom were top-15 names in New York's system, according to MLB Pipeline. So far, only one of those prospects (Fowler) has reached the Major Leagues.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, High-A Tampa (No. 1, MLB No. 46) -- ETA 2021

Florial is mired in a slump, which has him hitting .176 (6-for-34) over his last 10 games. During the stretch, Florial has struck out 12 times and has failed to draw a walk, bringing his ratio of strikeouts to walks for the season to 56:10. As a result, Florial has generated a disappointing .619 OPS.

As the July 31 trade deadline approaches, Yankees top prospect Estevan Florial's name is sure to come up. 

The 21-year-old outfielder is hitting .229/.282/.359 with four home runs and 17 RBI in 34 games this season with High-A Tampa. 

While the numbers do not quite jump off the stat sheet, it is just the 34 games played this season -- and just 84 last season -- that really seems to stick out to evaluators.

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, High-A Tampa (No. 1, MLB No. 47) -- ETA 2021

Florial had a 4-for-4 night on July 10 that included two runs scored and an RBI. But he collected only two more hits the rest of the week, as he went 6-for-26 (.231). Overall, Florial is hitting .29/.282/.359 this season with the Tarpons.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, High-A Tampa (No. 1, MLB No. 47) -- ETA 2021

Florial had a modestly better week than he had turned in of late, going 5-for-22 in his last five games, which including his second home run of the season. Florial has struck out 30 times among his 81 at-bats.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, High-A Tampa (No. 1, MLB No. 47) -- ETA 2021

Florial had a modestly better week than he had turned in of late, going 5-for-22 in his last five games, which including his second home run of the season. Florial has struck out 30 times among his 81 at-bats.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, High-A Tampa (No. 1, MLB No. 47) -- ETA 2021

After a 0-for-4 game on Sunday, Florial is hitless in his last four games (0-for-14). Worse, Florial has just five hits in his last 37 at-bats and is hitting .200 with a .599 OPS this season.

It's no secret that the AL East-leading Yankees will be looking to upgrade their roster prior to the trade deadline on July 31. It was clear before the Edwin Encarnacion trade, but the team's primary focus will be starting pitching. 

We know that the organization will make a move, but when and for whom remain to be seen. The real question is, what type of move(s) can be expected from GM Brian Cashman? 

Each summer, big names are tossed through the rumor mill, and 2019 has been no different. The biggest names circulated thus far range from Madison Bumgarner, Trevor Bauer and potentially Max Scherzer. While the flash and attention of elite names always creates intrigue, it's worth taking a look at similar past opportunities and what the Yankees have done in those situations. 

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, High-A Tampa (No. 1, MLB No. 47) -- ETA 2021

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, High-A Tampa (No. 1, MLB No. 48) -- ETA 2021

Florial returned from the IL after recuperating from a non-displaced right wrist fracture that he sustained crashing into the outfield wall toward the end of spring training. Florial got off to a very nice start, going 6-for-20 with two doubles and a home run in six games. He has already swiped three bases, too. 

Estevan Florial is healthy, and he's already making a huge impact with his bat.

The 21-year-old center fielder, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Yankees' top prospect, made his season debut Monday night for High-A Tampa and went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer as the leadoff hitter.

Florial was out for more than two months after suffering a non-displaced right wrist fracture during Spring Training. He was injured when he crashed into the outfield wall during an exhibition game.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees need rotation depth, and the time is fast approaching when they'll have to make a decision as to the route they'll take to secure it.

The Yankees lost another rotation member Tuesday, when the club placed CC Sabathia on the 10-day injured list due to pain in his surgically repaired right knee. The Yankees are already down staff ace Luis Severino. And while James Paxton is close to returning from an injury of his own, he's not exactly the poster child for health.

The Yankees saw another big blow in the injury department on Saturday, when slugger Aaron Judge went down with a left oblique strain. Judge was grimacing in pain, holding his left side after a swing during the win against the Royals. 

It is unclear how long the Yankees will be losing Judge, as he went to the hospital today to receive an MRI to check on the severity of the injury. But there is no doubt the big man will see a stint on the Injured List, a place where multiple key cogs of the Bombers has landed so far this season. 

Judge will join the likes of Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton as injured outfield pieces. Hicks and Stanton are progressing in their rehab nicely, but they are not expected to join the team any time soon. That leaves only Clint Frazier, Brett Gardner, and Mike Tauchman as the only healthy outfielders on the Yanks.  

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top 10 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, Double-A Trenton (No. 1) -- ETA 2021

Florial, 21, despite missing a majority of the 2018 season, sits atop the Yankees prospect rankings. He continues to ride the upside his five-tool ability, though he is getting to the stage where the results on the field will begin to matter more

Yankees prospect Estevan Florial will wear a cast for "a few weeks," according to Aaron Boone, after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his right wrist during Saturday's game.

An MRI revealed that there is more damage than initially known from X-rays, but it won't affect Florial's timetable.

"He had a second little fracture in there, which, in the grand scheme of things, is inconsequential because it heals along with the other one," Boone told reporters on Monday. "It's very similar. It should be - I think from a prognosis, it's very similar from what we anticipated, after getting all the images and after seeing the hand specialist."

Estevan Florial, ranked as the Yankees' top prospect by MLB Pipeline entering 2019, suffered a non-displaced right wrist fracture on Saturday, as revealed by X-rays, according to the Yankees. Florial was sent for X-rays after a hard collision with the outfield wall during Saturday's game.

Aaron Boone initially described the X-rays as precautionary. The Yankees said Florial will undergo further testing on Monday.

One half of the Yankees' split squad (7-6) faces the Tigers (7-9) on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. 

Yankees Notes...

Luke Voit gets the start at first base as the battle with Greg Bird continues. ... Estevan Florial starts in center field. ... Nestor Cortes is on the mound.

The Yankees' pitching staff was on point Thursday afternoon, blanking the Phillies in a 6-0 win. >> Box Score

Five things to know about Thursday's game

1) Estevan Florial broke the game open for the Yankees in the top of the sixth with a three-run blast to left center to make it a 5-0 game. Florial finished his day 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored as he continues to have a solid spring.

The Yankees got some good pitching and timely hitting Tuesday afternoon in a 5-1 win over the Braves in Tampa. >> Box score

Five things to know about Tuesday's game

1. Aaron Judge is in midseason form. He followed up Sunday's two-homer performance by launching another homer, this one a three-run shot in the fifth inning to give the Yanks a three-run lead. Judge is hitting .462 this spring with three homers and six RBI.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone called center fielder Aaron Hicks "the most underrated player in the game" over the weekend.

Now he and the Yankees hope he can be one of the franchise's cornerstone players into the next decade.

"This is where I want to be," Hicks said on WFAN to Mike Francesa on Monday afternoon, hours after he signed a seven-year, $70 million contract extension that will keep him in pinstripes until at least 2025.

After being ranked No. 2 last year behind Gleyber Torres, outfielder Estevan Florial enters 2019 as the Yankees' No. 1 prospect, according to the latest top-30 list released by MLB Pipeline.

Rounding out the top five are RHP Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP Albert Abreu, RHP Deivi Garcia and RHP Clarke Schmidt.

While MLB.com's Jim Callis notes there are "swing-and-miss concerns" with Florial, his multiple above-average tools put him atop the Yanks' farm system. The site gives Florial a 65 grade for running and arm, a 60 for defense and a 55 for power.

The Yankees may be lacking a blue-chip prospect in their farm system. 

Fangraphs released its rankings of the top 100 prospects in Major League Baseball and no Yankees made the list, which was based on available data, industry sources and their own observations. 

Outfielder Estevan Florial just missed the top 100, ranking in at 106 on an extended list. 

The Yankees' farm system is not what it used to be. 

ESPN's Keith Law produced his rankings of all 30 MLB farm systems this week and the Yankees saw a significant drop from Law's 2018 preseason rank, falling to 19th from second overall. 

Much of the reason for the fall is because many of the Yankees top prospects from last season, such as Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar, are now on the MLB roster.