Baseball America has revealed its first top-100 ranking for the 2026 season, and the Yankees have a healthy amount of representation.
Four prospects made the cut, with George Lombard Jr., Dax Kilby, Elmer Rodriguez, and Carlos Lagrange all making the list as Spencer Jones falls off and Cam Schlittler graduated.
The Yankees’ farm system has lost a good chunk of its depth over the last 365 days due to a flurry of trades, as Brian Cashman has looked to deal quantity over quality in these trades.
Whether another trade occurs between now and Opening Day or not remains to be seen, but for now the organization has a good top of the farm system to be excited about.
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Why the Yankees’ Top Four Prospects Are Catching National Attention
George Lombard Jr. saw his ranking drop a bit from last season’s end-of-year list and now, as his offensive profile hasn’t progressed the way some scouts hoped it would.
With that being said, his elite defense at shortstop and strong athletic profile leaves him as a prospect worth keeping tabs on as he’s a swing adjustment away from becoming a truly excellent player.
Hot on his tail for the no. 1 prospect spot is Dax Kilby, who wowed scouts and analysts who saw him in Single-A as he hit the ball much harder than expected while making tons of contact.
There’s a belief in some circles that he already is the best prospect in their system and Baseball Prospectus’ rankings suggest he is.
Elmer Rodriguez was the closest challenger to Lombard’s top spot based on Baseball America ranking, as he jumped over 40 spots to become one of the top pitching prospects in the game.
His breakout was sensational and the Yankees got to see him evolve into a well-rounded arm who could end up making a healthy number of starts for the big-league club in 2026.
Carlos Lagrange was ranked a bit behind this trio, but his 100 MPH fastball and dominant secondaries keeps Baseball America intrigued even though they view him more as a reliever.
The Yankees’ depth in the farm system is poor, but their top-end talent does match some of the best farm systems in the game, and since its unlikely that they’ll sign a player with a QO this winter, they’ll get to replenish it a bit next draft.