Yankees could upgrade second base through waivers

The non-waiver trade deadline has come and gone, but that doesn't mean the Yankees can't still make a trade. Between now and August 31st, players can be placed on revocable waivers which gives the other 29 teams a chance to claim those players. It can be a fairly difficult process since the order that teams can claim players in is based on the reverse order of the standings, meaning that the worst teams get the first shot. If a player is claimed by another team, that player can be: a) called back by their current team, b) traded to the claiming team or c) released to the claiming team (thus sticking them with the player's contract). A player can be traded anywhere if they go unclaimed by all 29 teams. Since the Yankees have the second best record in the American League, it might be challenging to find a worthwhile player that the majority of teams have passed on, but it's possible.

In a departure from previous seasons, the Yankees were quiet at the trade deadline this year. Their one and only move ended up being a trade for Dustin Ackley, who the Yankees saw as a utility player. Though he broke into the majors as a second baseman (and can play some first base), Ackley spent most of his time in the outfield over the past few years. The Yankees subsequently cut Garrett Jones, who had spent the season backing up right field and first base. Unfortunately, Ackley was placed on the disabled list with a herniated disk just a few days later, and Jones signed a new deal to return to the Yankees. Since their only move at the deadline turned out to be a bust, it seems reasonable to think that the Yankees would be looking for another utility player or infielder before the waiver deadline.

One player who could be a really good fit is Martin Prado. Over his major league career, Prado has experience playing every position except center field and catcher. Although he was only a Yankee for a short time last season, the team used him to back up both the infield and the outfield. For whatever reason, the Yankees seem adamantly opposed to replacing Stephen Drew on the roster, but it really needs to be done. At the very least, they could get rid of either Brendan Ryan or Drew, let Prado start at second, and only let Drew/Ryan play when Prado is needed in the outfield. Prado is batting .272/.311/.358 compared to Drew's .196/.266/.386. Prado has had some injury concerns this season as he spent a month on the disabled list with a shoulder sprain, but he appears to be fully recovered. It's unclear if the Marlins would be interested in trading Prado, but it's possible that all of the teams ahead of the Yankees would pass on him since he's owed $11 million in 2016.

Would you like to see the Yankees reunite with Martin Prado?