New York Yankees Top Prospect Named Player They 'Should've Traded'

The New York Yankees would've been a better team in October if they decided to make this deal.

Mar 4, 2024; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones (78) hits a single against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Similar to what could be said for every team in Major League Baseball that bought at the trade deadline, there could've been more done. The New York Yankees might be at the forefront of that take, as this team is in a win-now position arguably more than any other team around the league. 

They had a decent trade deadline, and suggesting that it was a bad one would be unfair. Jazz Chisholm is still an All-Star talent if he can stay healthy, and it's not the craziest suggestion to say that he was the best player traded at the deadline. He's been excellent for the Yankees in his first seven games, racking up nine hits and four home runs. 

There were other areas they could've improved, including adding more to the bullpen. A starting pitcher wouldn't have hurt, either, but the market for some of the top pitchers traded might've scared them away. 

In a few months, there's a chance that Brian Cashman and the rest of the front office will look back at this and regret some of the decisions they didn't make.

If this year doesn't end in a World Series, there's a possibility that there's going to be major changes. Rightfully so, too, as it's been far too long since New York has won a World Series. 

Looking at what else they could've done, Zach Pressnell of FanSided wrote that Spencer Jones was one player they should've traded but didn't, suggesting they should've gone out and traded him for Garrett Crochet. 

"The Yankees needed to deal Spencer Jones to acquire a talent like Garrett Crochet. They should have done whatever it took to acquire Crochet, even if that meant dealing Jones away as the headliner."

Crochet is an interesting player to land for a prospect of Jones' status.

He said right before the trade deadline that if he was going to be moved to a contender who was going to be playing in October, he wanted a new contract. Not only did that kill his trade value, but the Chicago White Sox certainly couldn't have been too happy about his comments.

It's not the end of the world that he didn't get traded from the White Sox perspective, as he still has team control until 2027, but they likely lost out on a package that could've completely changed their franchise.

If he hadn't said that, perhaps moving Jones would've been the right decision. However, it's also important to recognize that this was Crochet's first year as a full-time starting pitcher, which poses many worries about his health and how he'll throw towards the back end of the campaign.