Brian Cashman finally did it. On January 13, 2026, the New York Yankees woke up the winter stove by shipping a package of young talent to the Miami Marlins. At the center of the deal? The Yankees trade minor-league outfielder prospects Brendan Jones and Dillon Lewis to land left-handed starter Ryan Weathers.
It's a classic Bronx gamble.
The rotation is basically a MASH unit right now. Gerrit Cole is rehabbing from Tommy John. Carlos Rodón is recovering from elbow surgery. Clarke Schmidt is out long-term. Honestly, the Yankees were staring at an Opening Day rotation featuring guys most fans would struggle to pick out of a lineup. So, they traded from their depth. They gave up some legitimate "toolsy" players to get a 26-year-old lefty who, if we’re being real, has struggled to stay on the mound himself.
Breaking Down the Return: Who the Yankees Gave Up
When a team like the Yankees trades minor-league outfielder talent, people usually pay attention. They’ve had a weirdly good track record of finding late-round gems lately.
Dillon Lewis is the name that hurts the most for prospect junkies. He’s 22, he’s 6'3", and he hits the ball incredibly hard. He was a 13th-round flyer out of Queens University of Charlotte in 2024. Last year, he put up a 20/20 season (22 homers and 26 steals) in the low minors. Scouts love his center field defense, but there’s a massive "but" here: he strikes out nearly a quarter of the time. In High-A, that's a red flag. In the Bronx? That’s a death sentence.
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Then there is Brendan Jones. He’s a different breed.
- He’s a left-handed hitter.
- He walks a ton (15% walk rate).
- He stole 51 bases last year.
He’s not a power threat like Lewis, but he’s the kind of high-floor player who ends up being a very annoying fourth outfielder for a rival for the next decade. The Marlins also snagged infielders Dylan Jasso and Juan Matheus to round out the deal. It’s a lot of quantity.
Why Ryan Weathers?
You might be asking why the Yankees would part with three Top-30 prospects (according to MLB Pipeline) for a guy with a career ERA that doesn't exactly scream "ace."
The answer is simple: desperation.
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Weathers is 26. He’s the son of David Weathers, who actually played for the Yankees back in the late 90s. There’s a nice "full circle" narrative there, but Brian Cashman isn't trading for nostalgia. He's trading for 97 mph fastballs and a sweeper that can miss bats. Weathers looked great in 2024 (3.63 ERA over 16 starts) before the injury bug bit him again. Last year, he was limited to just eight starts.
He’s cheap, though. He’s making about $1.35 million this year. For a team deep in the luxury tax, that matters. Basically, the Yankees are betting that their pitching lab can keep him healthy and refine that changeup. If he’s just "fine," he’s an upgrade over a Triple-A call-up.
The Risk of the "Lottery Ticket" Trade
The fan reaction has been... mixed. Some think the Yankees trade minor-league outfielder depth way too easily. They remember when the Marlins turned a "low-level" Yankees prospect like Kyle Stowers into a productive regular.
There’s a legitimate fear that Dillon Lewis will find his hit tool in Miami and become the next 30-homer star the Yankees should have kept. But let's be honest for a second. The Yankees' farm system is currently ranked in the bottom third of the league by most outlets. They aren't trading away Juan Soto-level prospects here. They are trading "40 FV" (Future Value) players. These are lottery tickets.
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If Ryan Weathers gives the Yankees 120 innings of 4.00 ERA ball while Cole and Rodón are out, the trade is a win. If he lands on the IL by May, and Dillon Lewis is hitting tanks in Miami? Well, the local sports radio lines are going to be very busy.
What This Means for the 2026 Season
The Yankees aren't done. You can't just add Ryan Weathers and call it a day when your ace is on the 60-day IL. Rumors are still swirling about Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta.
The projected rotation currently looks like this:
- Max Fried (The big free agent prize)
- Cam Schlittler
- Will Warren
- Ryan Weathers
- Luis Gil
It’s... okay? It’s a bridge. It’s a group meant to keep the ship afloat until the cavalry arrives in June. Trading Jones and Lewis creates a bit of a hole in the upper-minor outfield depth, but with Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones ready for the big leagues, the Yankees clearly felt they could afford the hit.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking the impact of this move, keep an eye on these specific metrics:
- Dillon Lewis’s K-Rate in Miami: If he drops that strikeout rate below 20% in Double-A, the Yankees might have made a massive mistake.
- Weathers' Fastball Velocity: If he’s sitting 95-97 mph in Spring Training, the Yankees' pitching coaches have likely found something.
- The Next Move: The Yankees still have an open spot on the 40-man roster. This trade wasn't just about a pitcher; it was about clearing space and balancing the books for a potential larger splash before February.
The trade is a gamble on health over potential. In the Bronx, where the window is always closing, potential doesn't win games in April. Ryan Weathers might.