Can a Diamondbacks’ Shortstop End Up With the Yankees?

Can a shortstop from the Diamondbacks replace Derek Jeter in the Bronx? Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The idea only came to me while while preparing for another fun Thursday. The great Derek Jeter held a press conference yesterday, speaking publicly for the first time since he announced his retirement last week. Since then, there has been speculation about who would be the one to fill some gigantic shoes starting next season. Michael Montrone at fellow FanSided site yanksgoyard put forth a piece about Cito Culver, a player the Yankees drafted out of high school in 2010. I don’t know why I didn’t think about it when I read Mike’s article but it finally hit me before the sun came up this morning.

What if, at this time next year, a shortstop from the Arizona Diamondbacks will be calling the Bronx home?

The D’backs will have three Major League ready players at the position by the end of 2014: Nick Ahmed, Didi Gregorius and Chris Owings. Right now, Gregorius and Owings are fighting it out for the starting role in Arizona while Ahmed is ticketed for Triple A Reno. The former two already have played with the D’backs while the latter will most likely be a a September callup. Gregorius and Ahmed are known for their gloves while Owings wields the best stick of the three. The Yanks could pick from one of the three should they decide to pursue a trade. In case you think this is not realistic for either side, consider this.  Before coming to the D’backs, general manager Kevin Towers spent the 2010 season in the Yankee organization as an advanced scout. Towers and Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman are close with one another so would it shock you if there were some discussion after the season about a deal involving a shortstop?

I can’t speculate what the D’backs would get in return in this hypothetical scenario because frankly, I am not sure there is a match at the moment. That could change in ten months depending on how certain Yankee prospects progress. There doesn’t seem to be anyone on the Yankees’ Major League roster right now that the D’backs could use or fit. If a deal goes down between the two clubs in December, remember where you read about it first.

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