New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters this week that he’s in the market for two outfielders. Primarily, Cashman is looking for someone to man left and center while seeking a left-handed bat at one of the positions.
A lot of this has to do with top prospect Jasson Domínguez having to undergo Tommy John Surgery and likely missing the first half of next season.
While New York has been linked to big names such as Juan Soto, there is a good chance that the team will also seek out lesser-known names to fill one of the spots.
According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that could include young Cardinals players such as Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan.
Both are under team control for the foreseeable future. Each one bats left handed, which is a known need for the Yankees. Meanwhile, St. Louis is said to be seeking controllable young arms. That’s been the case since the in-season MLB trade deadline.
Related: 4 New York Yankees outfield options
St. Louis Cardinals youngsters as fits with the New York Yankees
Of the two, Donovan has a larger track record in the Majors. The former seventh-round pick from South Alabama finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting back in 2022, winning the Gold Glove Award while playing a whopping six different positions.
He saw the most action at second base and third base, but did play left field. It’s interesting in that New York has a surplus of middle infielders and are rumored to be considering moving second baseman Gleyber Torres for outfield help.
If Cashman and Co. project Donovan as a left fielder, a potential trade makes sense. His versatility obviously helps, too. Donovan, 26, hit .284 with 11 homers, 34 RBI and a solid .787 OPS last season.
As for Burleson, he was a second-round pick of the Cardinals out of East Carolina back in 2020. The youngster saw his first full action in the Majors this past season, hitting .244 with eight homers and 36 RBI. His .691 OPS was substandard. He ranked as a top-10 prospect for the Cardinals opening the 2022 season, per MLB.com.
Burleson saw most of his action in left field this past season while also playing first base and right field. Again, versatility would be key here.
As for who St. Louis might target from the New York Yankees, there are ample options. Donovan would likely require a higher-end prospect than Burleson. No. 10 in the Yankees’ farm, Will Warren comes to mind as a possibility. He’s Major League ready, which would be key for St. Louis in any deal.