2021 New York Yankees Depth Chart
There is not much competition left in the American League beyond the talents of the Yankees and Red Sox. These two have exchanged blows in the AL East, causing one to start the post-season away from home. A steady mix of come-to-fruition prospects and veteran fill-ins marks for the design of the Yankee’s lineups and rotations. In the past, the team has relied on its large payroll to acquire the major pillars within the organization. Aside from a few key player signings, the team has not had to look much past their farm system and the strong stance of the management team that set-up the organization for success with player trades over the past few seasons. This is a team that signed Aroldis Chapman to a lucrative contract, was able to unload his salary to the Cubs in favor of the league’s best short stop prospect in Gleyber Torres and bring Chapman back for less money the following season. Internal clicking is what makes this organization go around.
| Catcher | Gary Sanchez | Kyle Higashioka | |
| 1st Base | Luke Voit | Jay Bruce | |
| 2nd Base | DJ LeMahieu | Tyler Wade | |
| Shortstop | Gleyber Torres | ||
| 3rd Base | Gio Urshela | ||
| Left Field | Clint Frazier | ||
| Center Field | Aaron Hicks | Brett Gardner | |
| Right Field | Aaron Judge | ||
| Designated Hitter | Giancarlo Stanton |
Top Pitchers
A busy trade deadline helped the team bolster a strong starting rotation. Bringing in two veteran arms to challenge their younger talents marks for a promising move for the organization. J.A. Happ has had a year of revitalization, playing winner in 16 contests and only posting 6 losses. His 173 strikeouts have him on pace for a career year in that department. Nabbing Lance Lynn from the Twins was a second move that creates a 6-man starting rotation. This build helps prepare the team for the post-season and afford guys like C.C. Sabathia the necessary time off between starts. Luis Severino has been magical for the organization. His 17 wins are the best amongst starters and at only 25 years of age, the Yankees finally have their ace in their back pocket. Severino has already surpassed the 200-strikeout mark and a 3.52 ERA is manageable for his offense to challenge. The set-up and relief team also continue the consistency through and through. Bringing back Chapman created a two-headed attack in the 8th and 9th innings. Dellin Betances now plays owner to the 8th with Chapman coming on in the 9th. Betances owns a 2.56 ERA, with Chapman playing host to a 2.11 ERA. A majority of the relief arms fall under the 4.00 ERA mark, which is promising for support and shutting down the opponent at key points of the contest.
Top Infielders
When looking back at Yankee lineups of old, it is hard to find an infield that is built solely around homegrown talent. Although the team acquired Gleyber Torres from the Cubs, he spent a couple of years within the farm system to foster his improvement at his position. Favoring a heavy workload early, Torres did find himself up against the odds with minor injury concerns. His bounceback to a .277 batting average and tallying 23 home runs to match his 70 RBIs has the prospect carving out consistency at his position. Miguel Andjuar is the rookie 3rd base man that has increased his prevalence within this roster. He is batting just under .300 and his home run and RBI production has him just ahead of Torres. Didi Gregorius continues to offer relief across the infield. His production is never wavering, offering a consistent, veteran talent the team can lean on. Greg Bird continues to work his way back into the infield discussion. Bird has battled injuries, but his strong output levels have him increasing his role within this offense. Gary Sanchez is still patiently awaiting a return to the lineup following injury rehab. When this tier of offense and defense is at full strength, there is little competition for league best discussions.
Top Outfielders
The Yankees made the biggest splash this off-season when they signed Giancarlo Stanton to the richest contract in major league baseball history. Stanton currently holds the team lead in home runs at 33, with a bevy of players coming behind in the 20s range. His 86 RBIs are also good for best on the team, an offensive output that is not easily matched by opposing arm talents. Aaron Judge has had a minor falloff this season. His numbers are shadowed by injury, which begs to reason why his home runs and RBI totals are trending lower this season. Judge has rebounded nicely from injuries, which is a promising sign for his longevity within the organization. Aaron Hicks and Brett Gardner continue to be the team’s top utility choices in the outfield. Both players have proven day-to-day consistencies that are worthy of a starting spot, so having options at this tier creates sound match-ups for the team.
Starting Lineup
The infield remains consistent with its starters. Torres, Andujar, and Gregorius occupy everyday roles, with variations of Bird, Judge, and Neil Walker at first base. Judge and Stanton are firmly planted in the outfield, seeing a timeshare between Gardner and Hicks for the third starting role. The batting order is a constant influx of power and production, so slotting their talents occurs on a match-up clip.