Orioles hold prospect edge over Yankees for trade deadline splashes

The Orioles hold a narrow one-game edge over the Yankees. But when it comes to the trade deadline, the Orioles possess a larger advantage than that.

The Yankees’ prospect stash is decent, and they are adept at dealing their dregs for useful pieces, but thanks to several years of basement-dwelling and some keen high draft choices, the Orioles are better equipped than anyone to make impact trades.

The Orioles, with their No. 1 ranked farm system (to No. 11 for the Yankees), presumably will hold onto MLB’s No. 1 overall prospect, Jackson Holliday, but they still have four others in the top 32: catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo (No. 17 heading into the season), outfielder Colton Cowser (19), third baseman Coby Mayo (30) and outfielder Heston Kjerstad (32).

When I wrote the Yankees shouldn’t trade their top prospect Spencer Jones (84) unless they could somehow land Tarik Skubal, that may be a bit of wishful thinking, since it’s hard to see the Yankees outbidding the Orioles for pitchers at the very top of anyone’s wish list.

The Yankees’ prospect list is solid, but top guy Jasson Dominguez (41) is out again, at least into August, in a big blow, and the Yankees are said “very reluctant” to trade either outfielder (especially with Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo free agents). Shortstop Roderick Arias (86) and pitcher Chase Hampton (92) are other Yankees prospect in the top 100.

The Orioles and Yankees (and many others) are competing for available pitching, with both looking at starters and relievers (though the Yankees are favoring relievers and the Orioles starters). But even if the Orioles’ more obvious need is the rotation, they are in touch on big relievers, including two All-Stars — ex-Oriole Tanner Scott and even the 103.7 mph-throwing Mason Miller. Miller may not go anywhere, but don’t put it past the Orioles to be able to land both a useful or better starter and reliever.