New York Yankees: Potential trade deadline targets
By Phil Akre
Gerrit Cole
Originally drafted by the Yankees in the first round of the 2008 draft, Gerrit Cole opted to go to college. He wound up being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011 out of UCLA. Yankees GM Brian Cashman would surely love to have one of his draft picks return to the team.
As the ace of the Pirates, Cole has enjoyed a great deal of success through his five-year tenure with the team. A career 3.20 ERA and his ability to limit the long ball (43 given up) are something the Yankees would take gladly.
The Pirates look like they could be entering a rebuild sooner than later, and dealing Cole would help jump-start that. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports spoke about how the Yankees could have interest in Cole.
"The Yankees have always loved him so they’d make sense. New York drafted him out of high school as a late first rounder, but Cole’s father told them then that there was no offer that could keep him away from UCLA."
If the Yankees were to deal for Cole, it’d cost a pretty penny. It’s safe to say top prospect Gleyber Torres is off limits, but everyone else seems like fair game, especially if the Yankees go all-in.
With an abundance of outfield prospects, the Yankees could hold the cards with who’d they like to deal.