Justus Sheffield is next Yankees prodigy awaiting call to The Show

Yankee fans are obsessed with the idea of acquiring a big name starting pitcher in a trade. Brian Cashman knows Justus Sheffield might eliminate that need.

There’s no question that the Yankee Universe would feel better about their team’s chances for October success if they acquired at least one frontline starting pitcher ahead of the trade deadline. The price for such an acquisition may prove too much for Brian Cashman. That’s precisely why the New York GM may give Justus Sheffield an opportunity to grab a spot in the rotation sooner, rather than later.

Some Yankee fans were surprised to see Jonathan Loaisiga get the start on Friday night instead of the more highly acclaimed southpaw. Not many scouts are predicting stardom for Sheffield, but he comfortably projects as a middle of the rotation starter for a good time. The fact that he’s already pitching effectively in AAA while Loaisiga had struggled a bit in AA made it an even more surprising decision for the club.

Of course, the success Loaisiga achieved in his first start has quieted any questioning of the decision. No one really expected him to put up five scoreless innings in his debut, but that’s exactly what he did against the Rays. Now the logical question is where does Sheffield fit into the Yankees plans.

Fortunately, Cashman elected to remove any confusion over the situation. He made it clear to the media that Sheffield is only one step away from the majors. Specifically, Cashman pointed out that anyone playing in AAA is “in play” in the event that something happens at the major league roster.

The obvious inference is that Sheffield is the next pitcher up if a spot opens up in the big league rotation. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. He’s got the reputation and the performance to make a case he’s already ready to step up and compete against hitters at the big league level. The team would prefer to get him some more innings in Trenton before he gets his chance in the Bronx.

Hopefully, the Yankees will be able to keep Sheffield on his current timeline. Assuming Loaisiga and Domingo German can keep pitching at a reasonable level, the only immediate need for Sheffield would be in the event of another injury to a starter. That would obviously be very bad news for the team.

Next: 5 starting pitchers the Yankees can target via trade

The good news is that the Yankees still have high hopes for Justus Sheffield. It’s only a matter of time before he makes his way up to the major leagues. He’s going to be the next in a long line of young players to make their way from the Yankees’ farm system to the big league club.