Some offseasons begin with a splashy signing. Others hinge on the players a team is willing to move. For the New York Yankees, the biggest story might end up being the pieces they’re prepared to offer rather than the ones they hope to acquire.
The Yankees want impact talent. They want cost-controlled players who fit their timeline. They want legitimate lineup upgrades and a deeper playoff-ready roster. And they’re one of the few teams with enough assets to pull off a major trade if the right opportunity appears.
If names like Brenden Donovan, Fernando Tatís Jr. or Steven Kwan are even loosely on the radar, three Yankees stand out as the most realistic and most valuable trade chips.
Will Warren: A pitcher whose best days may still be ahead
Every winter produces one pitcher who sits on the edge between long-term contributor and blockbuster trade bait. Will Warren is that guy right now.
Warren threw 162.1 innings this past season and finished with a 4.44 ERA, a number that doesn’t fully reflect how teams view him. He struck out 24.1 percent of hitters, held an above-average ground-ball rate and showed flashes of a plus sweeper when everything clicked. For a club seeking a mid-rotation arm under control and still developing, Warren looks like a textbook buy-low, bet-on-upside target.
The Yankees could keep him. They probably like him. But if they want a high-end everyday player, Warren is exactly the type of arm rival front offices would ask about first.
Spencer Jones: Sky-high power and sky-high variance
If any prospect in the Yankees’ system can headline a major trade, it’s Spencer Jones. The question is whether the Yankees believe the risk is worth the possible reward.
The upside is obvious. Jones hit 35 homers across AA and AAA last season and finished with a .274/.362/.571 line, showing elite power that few prospects in the sport can match. But that 35.4 percent strikeout rate is impossible to ignore. If he trims that even into the high-20s, he becomes a potential star. If he doesn’t, he might struggle to stick at the major league level — think Joey Gallo’s career arc.
Teams love ceiling, and Jones has as much as anyone. In a trade package for someone like Tatis or Donovan, he’s the kind of blue-chip piece that turns a conversation into a serious negotiation, but he’s just one part to a much larger deal.
Jasson Dominguez: A talent the Yankees like but may not fully trust
The most interesting name might be the one Brian Cashman didn’t mention.
When Cashman told Ryan Garcia of Empire Sports Media recently that the Yankees still had “two vacancies” in the outfield after pulling Trent Grisham back on the qualifying offer, he didn’t reference Jasson Dominguez as part of the solution. That raised eyebrows.
Dominguez played 123 games last year, hitting .257/.331/.388 with 10 homers, 47 RBIs and a 103 wRC+. He was passable at the plate. The problem was the glove. He posted -7 defensive runs saved and -10 outs above average over 793 innings, looking uncomfortable and inconsistent in center.
The Yankees aren’t giving up on a 22-year-old with real offensive feel and natural bat speed. But if the right player becomes available, Dominguez is no longer an automatic “untouchable.” His value is still respectable, and he may carry more appeal to a rebuilding club than he currently holds for a win-now Yankees team.
A winter defined by restraint — or a bold swing
The Yankees have the capital to make a trade that shifts the balance of the roster. What they decide to move will reveal how aggressive they truly want to be.
Warren offers safety and depth. Jones offers upside. Dominguez offers a blend of both, depending on the evaluator. Together, they give the Yankees the ammunition to chase a star if that’s the path they choose.
The question now is simple: will the Yankees push their chips in, or keep holding until the perfect deal arrives?