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MLB: 5 prospects that can help the Yankees in 2020

By Rucker Haringey

CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 07: Deivi Garcia #64 of the American League Futures Team pitches during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Progressive Field on Sunday, July 7, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 07: Deivi Garcia #64 of the American League Futures Team pitches during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Progressive Field on Sunday, July 7, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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CLEARWATER, FLORIDA – MARCH 07: Estevan Florial #92 of the New York Yankees hits a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during the Grapefruit League spring training game at Spectrum Field on March 07, 2019 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA – MARCH 07: Estevan Florial #92 of the New York Yankees hits a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during the Grapefruit League spring training game at Spectrum Field on March 07, 2019 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

3. Estevan Florial

Florial was the organization’s consensus No. 1 prospect heading into the 2019 season, but an injury-riddled campaign sees him down at the No. 3 spot a year later. The Yankees would like to give him some time to bounce back in the minors, but the team’s lack of depth in center field could easily prompt a call-up earlier than expected.

The Yankees are likely going to bring Brett Gardner back into the fold to be their starter in 2020, but Aaron Hicks’ Tommy John surgery is going to cause him to miss significant time. Florial is clearly the organization’s most talented pure center fielder. That gives him an outside shot to force his way onto the roster out of Spring Training.

The more likely route for Florial will be to get his game back together in the minor leagues when the regular season begins. Even so, an injury to Gardner or another one of Boone’s athletic outfielders could gift him a ticket to the big leagues.

No matter how you slice it, the 2020 season could prove to be a make or break campaign for the 22-year-old prospect. Florial doesn’t need to make it all the way to the majors to classify his season as a success, but he needs to advance to get his career back on track.

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