4 Early Predictions for the Yankees at the 2026 Trade Deadline
With just over a third of the MLB season underway, we take an early look at four players I have identified as potential fits for MLB’s trade deadline, now just two months away.
I envision the Yankees looking for relief pitching help and a right-handed catcher to platoon with Austin Wells and take some at-bats away from the struggling catcher position.
I do not see all four of these trades happening together, but here are a few names that I believe make a lot of sense for the Yankees.
1. Ryan Jeffers
C | Minnesota Twins
Proposed Trade
Yankees Receive:
C Ryan Jeffers
Twins Receive:
Thatcher Hurd (Yankees #9 Prospect)
Jace Avina (Yankees #19 Prospect)
Why It Makes Sense
We will start with the most talked-about player and most obvious fit for this Yankees team: Ryan Jeffers.
Jeffers, in his age-29 season, is making $6.7 million this year and is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. Currently, the Yankees rank 26th in MLB in both wRC+ and batting average, along with ranking 28th in OPS from the catching position (according to Fangraphs.com).
Despite being very solid behind the plate and managing a starting pitching staff that ranks No. 1 in MLB in ERA, the Yankees are essentially getting no offensive production from the catcher position. In addition, it does not help that both Austin Wells and backup JC Escarra are left-handed hitters.
Jeffers provides the Yankees with:
A proven threat against left-handed pitching
A solid framer behind the plate
A reliable everyday catcher option if Wells’ struggles continue
Adding Jeffers also simplifies Wells’ role on the Yankees and could ultimately be a major positive for his development. Allowing Wells to continue playing the majority of his games as a strong-side platoon option enables the Yankees to keep his defense and pitch calling on the field while eliminating difficult at-bats against left-handed pitching.
Potential Concern
The one concern with this move comes from Jeffers’ recent hamate bone injury. The injury has sidelined him for a few weeks as he nears a rehab assignment.
Even with the injury and the possibility of decreased production compared to his pre-injury numbers, Jeffers still appears to be the clearest fit on the market.
For all of the reasons listed above, I believe Jeffers is the safest bet and the most likely move for the Yankees at this year’s trade deadline.
2. Antonio Senzatela
RP | Colorado Rockies
Proposed Trade
Yankees Receive:
RP Antonio Senzatela
Rockies Receive:
Chase Hampton (Yankees #8 Prospect)
Pico Kohn (Yankees #10 Prospect)
Eric Reyzelman (Yankees #28 Prospect)
Why It Makes Sense
Senzatela is another player who will have a hot market at this year’s trade deadline.
The 31-year-old reliever for the Rockies is making $12 million this season and has a $14 million club option for next year.
Senzatela is a former starter who has dealt with injuries and inconsistency over the past few seasons. However, this year he has emerged as one of MLB’s top relievers, posting:
1.30 ERA
0.89 WHIP
3.28 FIP
Pitch Arsenal
Senzatela features a heavy fastball mix:
Four-seam fastball
Cutter
Sinker
His four-seam fastball averages 97 mph and is thrown 35% of the time.
He also mixes in:
Curveball
Slider
Changeup
This makes him an ideal trade candidate for a rebuilding Rockies team looking to acquire prospects and accelerate its rebuild under a new GM.
Senzatela will have many suitors, and I believe the Yankees will be right there in the mix for his services.
3. Anthony Bender
RP | Miami Marlins
Proposed Trade
Yankees Receive:
RP Anthony Bender
Marlins Receive:
SP Bryce Cunningham (Yankees #7 Prospect)
SP Henry Lalane (Yankees #14 Prospect)
IF Jackson Lovich (Yankees UR Prospect)
Why It Makes Sense
The third player I have the Yankees targeting is Anthony Bender of the Miami Marlins.
The Marlins and Yankees appear to have strong trade relations, and I believe the Yankees would be interested in Bender while the Marlins would likely be interested in acquiring prospects in return.
Bender is a 31-year-old reliever who has quietly put together a strong last couple of years in the big leagues (3.68 era since 2024). He is under contract through next season, which we know is very attractive to Yankees GM Brian Cashman.
This season, Bender boasts:
3.42 ERA
0.93 WHIP
2.91 FIP
His numbers could even suggest positive regression moving forward.
Pitch Profile
Bender features:
A funky low arm slot
A sweeper as his primary pitch (49% usage)
A 96 mph sinker
A slider with a different movement profile than the sweeper
He also ranks in:
77th percentile strikeout rate
83rd percentile hard-hit rate
Bender would be another very strong addition to the Yankees bullpen, and I believe they will have strong interest in him.
4. Joey Bart
C | Pittsburgh Pirates
Proposed Trade
Yankees Receive:
C Joey Bart
Pirates Receive:
IF Core Jackson (Yankees #12 Prospect)
Why It Makes Sense
The fourth player I have the Yankees targeting is Pirates catcher Joey Bart.
Bart is a former top prospect from the Giants and a 29-year-old right-handed catcher with a history of strong production against left-handed pitching.
He is a solid fallback option if the Yankees miss out on Jeffers.
Bart is also under team control through the 2027 season, which could make him especially attractive for the Yankees.
Production vs Left-Handed Pitching
Against lefties:
2025: .891 OPS in 72 ABs
2024: .996 OPS in 66 ABs
Similar to Jeffers, Bart would allow the Yankees to continue playing Wells against right-handers while limiting difficult at-bats versus lefties.
This makes Bart a valuable platoon option for the Yankees and someone they could potentially develop even further given their recent success in developing catchers defensively.
Sources
Fangraphs.com — Player statistics, team offensive rankings, and advanced metrics.
BaseballSavant.com — Pitch data, percentile rankings, pitch usage, and Statcast metrics.
MLB Pipeline — Prospect rankings and organizational prospect lists.
