When people talk about the Yankees farm system, most discussions tend to bring up star infielders. It’s for good reason as their number one prospect, Anthony Volpe, who’s widely viewed as the next great Yankee shortstop, has a 154 wRC+ in AA since June 1st and is on pace to steal over 40 bases. Oswald Peraza has a 141 wRC+ in AAA since June 1st, while it’s likely that he’s traded by the August 2nd trade deadline, he’s still one of the best in the Yankee farm. Also can’t forget about 2021 1st round pick Trey Sweeney, who has a 125 wRC+ in high-A since June 1st. All of these players are great, but there’s one player in particular who could make a big impact and isn’t brought up that much.

the forgotten one

Enter left-handed-hitting 23-year-old Oswaldo Cabrera. He’s listed as a 2B/3B/SS on FanGraphs, but he spends most of his time at short. He also has a high ceiling and is unlikely to get traded at the deadline. He spent 2 months sidelined with an injury he suffered in May, but he’s made a big impact in AAA since his return on July 12th. He’s slashing .292/.393/.667 for a 1.060 OPS and 174 wRC+ in Scranton since his return. For reference, Oswald Peraza is slashing .327/.397/.577 for a .973 OPS and 157 wRC+ since that same date. Cabrera has been a more productive hitter, granted it’s in a way smaller sample size but he was injured for multiple months. This isn’t to discredit Peraza, it’s only to give credit to Cabrera.

Batted ball data

Cabrera’s batted ball data is very encouraging for someone who’d be spending most of his career at Yankee Stadium. He only has a 33.7 GB% in AAA this year with a 47.8 FB%, he hits the ball in the air. This really comes together with his 42.6 pull%, which usually leads to large amounts of offensive production, especially as a left-handed hitter in Yankee Stadium. It’s salivating to imagine the potential of a left-handed, pull-happy, power hitter who hits the ball in the air and walks (with the exception of Joey Gallo) in pinstripes.

The yankees hitting lab

The Yankees farm system has quietly produced an armada of quality hitters, so it’s hard to get lost in the sea of prospects, but Oswaldo Cabrera could have a shot at becoming a Yankee as soon as next year after the deadline dust settles. The underlying data suggests that the Yankees could have their hands on a powerful utility man who would thrive in Yankee Stadium. I, for one, can’t wait to see what the future holds for Oswaldo Cabrera.