The history of the New York Yankees features its share of stories about regrettable trades involving young prospects who went on to achieve greatness in a different uniform.
Willie McGee, Doug Drabek, Jay Buhner, Fred McGriff….
Could Rafael Flores end up being another name on that list?
The Yankees have made it clear that 2025 is a win-now season. Which means the team will approach the trade deadline hoping to improve in a few areas, including its bullpen.
However, this season’s trade deadline is widely regarded to be a seller’s market, meaning Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman may be forced to outbid his counterparts for desired targets. The question is: how much is too much?
MLB Analyst Pitches Trading Prospect for Pirates Closer David Bednar
One bold trade idea proposed by Newsweek’s Jon Vankin has the Yankees acquiring two-time All-Star closer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a package headed by Flores, a 24-year-old catcher at Double-A Somerset. And on the surface, it makes sense.
With Luke Weaver injured and Devin Williams not providing what the Yankees hoped for when they acquired him during the offseason, the team needs a closer-caliber arm to stabilize the late innings.
Bednar should be able to fill that need. The 30-year-old right-hander has 93 saves over the past five seasons, including an NL-best 39 in 2023. Plus, he is under contract for just $5.9 million this season with one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining.
Last season was a bit of a struggle for Bednar, who posted a 5.77 ERA, and this year, he was sent to Triple-A on April 1 to iron out some control issues. But since returning on April 19, Bednar has gone eight-for-eight in save opportunities, with 32 strikeouts and just three walks in 21.2 innings.
In a June 7 article for MLB.com, Theo DeRosa listed Bednar as one of the top relievers potentially available at the deadline:
“Bednar has bounced back from a demotion to Triple-A early in the season, lowering his ERA to 3.74 and allowing just one earned run in his past nine outings,” DeRosa wrote. “The 30-year-old is making an arbitration salary of $5.9 million in 2025 and is under contract for next year, too. The extra year of control could drive up Bednar’s price at the Deadline — if the Pirates decide to part with the closer, who saved an NL-best 39 games with a 2.00 ERA in 2023.”
Swapping Rafael Flores for David Bednar Could Come Back to Haunt Yankees
But based on Vankin’s proposal, getting Bednar for Flores could be another regrettable trade that the Yankees will wish they could take back.
An undrafted discovery out of Southern California, Flores has opened a lot of eyes during his slow climb since joining the Yankees system in 2022. The 6-foot-4, 232-pound right-handed swinger has posted a .276/.361/.455 slash line in 290 minor league games, with 42 home runs and 154 RBIs.
Last summer, Flores played 57 games at High-A Hudson Valley and 65 at Somerset, combining to slash .279/.379/.495 with 21 homers and 68 RBIs. He was named the winner of the 2024 Kevin Lawn Award as the Yankees’ Minor League “Position Player of the Year,” and was also named the Yankees’ Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America.
So far this season, Flores, the Yankees’ No. 15 prospect, is slashing .290/.345/.498, and he is tied for second in the Eastern League with 11 home runs and third with 39 RBIs.
A recent profile by Forbes highlighted Flores’ rare blend of power, plate discipline, and defensive leadership behind the plate, posting the following synopsis by a scout for a rival AL team:
“He’s got raw power to the pull side, for sure, and doesn’t chase out of the zone. His strikeouts have come, from what I can tell, on pitch recognition, change of speeds. That gets the best of them.
“The best of them learn to adjust and become more selective. Flores has got to do that.
“Defensively, he’s got an average arm for a catcher but pretty good footwork for such a big guy. He needs to play there and gain experience.
“I think he could be an average catcher with big power, probably off the bench as a backup or in a platoon and get some ABs at DH and first base.”
So again the question is: how much is too much? Especially if a bidding war has the Pirates seeking multiple prospects in return.
And therein lies the risk vs. Reward scenario. Because if David Bednar is brought on board but the Yankees fall short of the title again, this trade could do nothing more than bring up a history of bad memories.
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