The Yankees Have Two Top 100 Prospects They Might Actually Trade. Here’s Who They Are.

The New York Yankees have roughly two weeks to figure out what they’re doing at the trade deadline. And as usual, their shopping list is pretty specific: a right-handed hitting catcher and bullpen help. That second one is basically an annual tradition under Brian Cashman.

To get that kind of help, the Yankees are going to have to give something up. And their farm system? It’s already been picked over. No team traded more Top 30 prospects between 2025 and 2026 than New York did.

So who’s actually available? That’s the question. Two of the system’s best young players look like they’re off limits. Infielder George Lombard Jr., the team’s No. 1 prospect and No. 20 overall on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, isn’t going anywhere. Neither is right-hander Carlos Lagrange, the No. 4 prospect in the organization and No. 80 overall. Those guys are staying put.

Which leaves Dax Kilby and Elmer Rodriguez as the two Top 100 prospects most likely to get moved.

Dax Kilby: The Bat the Yankees Want to Keep

Kilby is 19 years old. He was taken 39th overall in the 2025 draft and came in as one of the more polished high school hitters in that class. He’s a lefty bat with legitimate 20-20 potential — power and speed both there — and MLB Pipeline has him ranked No. 58 overall. The catch is his defense. He’s got a history of shoulder problems and evaluators keep calling his arm action “funky.” That’s why most scouts see him ending up at second base or center field, not shortstop.

Here’s what we know about his bat: He hit .353 in his pro debut last year. The exit velocity numbers were legit — 108.9 mph max, 49.1% hard-hit rate. He’s got plus speed and an advanced feel for contact.

The problem? He’s barely played this year. A hamstring injury cost him most of the season. He just started a rehab assignment. So any team trading for Kilby is buying the tools and the track record, not the 2026 production. Cashman would prefer to hold onto him. It would take a serious offer to pry him loose.

Elmer Rodriguez: The One Who Makes Sense to Move

Rodriguez is the more logical trade piece. He’s 22. He’s already gotten a taste of the majors this year — four starts, 0-2, 4.76 ERA. That’s not great. But down in Triple-A? He posted a 2.85 ERA over 13 starts. The stuff is there. It just needs a little more polish against big league hitters.

Here’s the real reason he’s available: roster math. The Yankees already have Max Fried, Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler, Carlos Rodon, Ryan Weathers and Clarke Schmidt on the 40-man. Lagrange is coming up soon too. There’s just no room for another young starter to break through right now.

That depth makes Rodriguez expendable in a way most of New York’s young arms aren’t. He’s probably the most appealing trade piece the Yankees have heading into deadline week.

Both Kilby and Rodriguez represent the balancing act Cashman has to manage: give up real Top 100 talent to fix the catcher and bullpen spots now, while trying to hold onto the guys the front office still sees as long-term core pieces. Kilby is that guy. Rodriguez is the one who could be packing his bags.