AL Club Demands Yankees' Top Prospect for Coveted Trade Target

The Yankees would have to give up a fortune for this possible acquisition.

Jun 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (45) throws the ball against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees are looking to reel in a big fish at the trade deadline.

They are one of many teams pursuing Chicago White Sox reliever-turned-starter Garrett Crochet, who may be the best pitcher available on the market. In 20 starts this season, the southpaw boasts an impressive 3.02 ERA and 2.36 FIP, while boasting a deadly combination of velocity and control; he's struck out 150 batters in 107.1 innings, while allowing just 23 walks.

However, Crochet will cost a fortune for any team to acquire due to his outstanding play and remaining years of control, as he won't hit free agency until 2027. This is no different for the Bronx Bombers, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today revealed that the White Sox are "demanding" Yankees' No. 2 prospect Spencer Jones in any potential trade for their 2024 All-Star.

"The White Sox are insisting on Yankees prized prospect Spencer Jones in a deal for Crochet," Nightengale wrote.

“Things happen that are outside of our control,’’ Jones said. “We’ll see.’’

MLB draft prospects with big-league dads carry weight of expectations https://t.co/zcshom2aUy

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 14, 2024

Jones is a left-handed batter who has drawn comparisons to superstar Aaron Judge in terms of size and playstyle; he stands at a towering 6'6" and weighs 235 pounds, while boasting prodigious power.

The 23-year-old has gone through a down year so far with the Double-A Somerset Patriots, only hitting .237/.317/.403 with just 33 walks against 124 strikeouts, but he has 26 extra-base hits (including 10 home runs) and 18 stolen bases (while only getting caught four times), while playing great defense in center field. There's a reason why the Yankees value him so much, and if the White Sox's insistence on trading for him is any indication, the rest of the league values him highly as well.

Giving up Jones would certainly be a difficult decision for the Yankees to make, and making it even harder is the inherent risks that Crochet has.

This is the 25-year-old's first season as a starting pitcher; in his three previous seasons, he's solely been used as a reliever, and he missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. While Crochet has been outstanding, he's never had this type of workload before and is still on an innings limit; this resulted in him throwing just two innings on Friday, although this was fortunately workload-related and not injury-related. Regardless, with Crochet's velocity, previous Tommy John surgery, and recent transition to a starter, he is a risky option for the Yankees despite his incredible talent.

If the Bronx Bombers are serious in their pursuit of Crochet, it would be the ultimate "high-risk, high-reward" move, as they'd have to give up a key component of their future for a starting pitcher who would need to be carefully monitored. But with the Yankees looking to win their first World Series since 2009, Crochet's electric play could be the final piece to their puzzle.