Homegrown talent has historically been the nucleus of Yankees championship teams.
The “Core Four” of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte each earned World Series rings in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. The legendary group came up through the Bombers system at the same time.
Now, the current Yanks have a quartet of talented youngsters who are being counted on to be the foundation of many championship teams to come.
Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, Jasson Dominguez and Luis Gil were on every postseason roster during the Yankees’ run to the World Series in 2024. They each got a taste of the big dance and invaluable experience as they navigate the early stages of their careers.
Volpe, Wells and Gil all played enormous roles throughout October with Dominguez limited to pinch-running duties. However, the Martian is expected to arrive for good this season with Brian Cashman hinting that he will be starting in the outfield on Opening Day in 2025.
The switch-hitting center fielder flashed his incredible talent when he briefly came up in 2023, blasting four home runs in eight games — most notably his first-career hit being a homer off of Justin Verlander in his first at-bat — but his cup of coffee in the bigs came to a halt after tearing his UCL and undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was sidelined until May 2024 and eventually suffered an oblique injury on his way back, further derailing his season.
Dominguez auditioned to be the Yanks’ left fielder in the postseason during September but fell short to Alex Verdugo with shaky defense and subpar offense — .617 OPS in 18 games. However, the Bombers are clearly excited about the 21-year-old’s impressive tools he’s flashed so far.
“I continue to be super excited about Jasson’s future,” said Aaron Boone in November. “I’m in that camp of people that think he’s going to be a great big league player. I love his makeup, I love his talent, and so I do expect him to be a big part of things moving forward.
“Always, though, as a young player, you’re working to earn those things and earn those opportunities. But I fully expect him to be a big part of what we do this coming year.”
While the Yanks’ top prospect is the least established of the group, the rest of their young talent made themselves known throughout last season — but didn’t come without their struggles. Volpe’s rollercoaster season ultimately ended with a strong postseason, slashing .286/.407/.408 in his October debut including leading his club to their lone World Series victory in Game 4 with a grand slam.
Wells entered the playoffs as the Yankees cleanup hitter behind Juan Soto and Aaron Judge after the backstop turned in a largely impressive rookie campaign, posting a .718 OPS and then finishing third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. When you take out the 25-year-old’s slow start, the numbers look even more impressive as he slashed .245/.330/.440 with 14 homers in 101 games after April 24.
The catcher struggled mightily in the postseason, slashing .120/.200/.260 but showed enough to excite the Yankees about his future with the expectation that he could be a long-term solution behind the plate.
Wells’ bid for Rookie of the Year came up short to his teammate. Gil ultimately took home the honors, posting a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts. The right-hander made two starts in October, one in the ALCS and one in the World Series, and figures to be part of playoff rotations moving forward — the Yanks were reportedly reluctant to part with him for former Astros star Kyle Tucker.
Gil has his share of control issues as he led the league in walks allowed. However, his electric arsenal provides the Yankees with something to dream on.
Replacing the production of Soto will be virtually impossible in 2025. But should this group of youngsters take a leap next season, it would surely ease the blow and keep the Bombers in playoff contention for the foreseeable future.
