Yankees: The Presumptive IFA Class and Other Markets

There's been a lot of harumphing and calling for heads over the Yanks latest draft.   That's extreme.  There are certainly cases that can be made for dismissal over much larger areas and time samples than the latest draft, but you can't judge a draft, especially a baseball or hockey, on draft day or the day after.

Also, since the roster problem the Yanks have now can't be fixed in what we we'll refer to as the draft market this particular draft is immaterial to their current struggles.   There could be executive turnover before any of the drafted players even whiffs the bigs.

Likewise the monster IFA class, lead by Dermis Garcia and others, won't help those currently in charge unless something changes.  But what the IFA class will do is greatly expand the talent that's coming into the farm this summer, and that's a great thing for the long haul.

There are really just a few avenues open to helping the team right now.   Promotions is the first one, but the one they resist exploring.

Trades is the second one.  And, sadly, this one they will feel forced to explore.  One thing that can be said for this draft is that it didn't make trading any of the prospects any easier.

There is also the older international market.  That would include Cuban "pros" and guys from Japan, who aren't covered by the IFA rules.

That's the market where they got their best pitcher.  I guess it's possible they might add a Cuban or two over the next couple of months.   They've been associated with a few of them lately.  But the Japanese market is more formal and must wait for the offseason.

So, it still remains likely that the Yanks will make a trade or two at the deadline.   Unfortunately, most of the guys they should trade are untradeable, and thus they will lop of the top of their prospect list.

As much as talent will come in from the draft and IFA, talent will also go out through trades.   One can only wonder what will be brought back.  Cliff Lee is old.