The New York Yankees did it to themselves. They didn’t plan ahead. They knew that not one, but both of their center fielders were going into their walk years, yet they didn’t make any attempt to plan for the future, putting the all-important outfield position in a precarious spot. That certainly makes it seem like it’s Cody Bellinger or bust this offseason for the Bombers, but a reunion won’t be easy.
The Yankees are far from the only club interested in Bellinger’s services this winter. Other big market behemoths like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies are believed to be sniffing around the 2019 NL MVP. With a projected price tag of $180 million, there’s a decent chance that the bidding gets even sillier.
And with that, we all know that there’s a limit for New York. At a certain point, Brian Cashman will bow out if Bellinger’s market gets beyond a certain threshold, leaving a gaping hole in center field.
The other alternatives? Well, there’s some intrigue, but all have at least something to be desired. Sure, the Yankees could look to upgrade elsewhere, like signing Kyle Tucker to slot into left field or pursuing a trade for the Cleveland Guardians’ Steven Kwan, but in terms of center field in a vacuum, it could get very interesting.
Here are the Yankees’ best center field alternatives if Cody Bellinger bolts in free agency
Trade for Byron Buxton
When healthy, Byron Buxton is one of the most electrifying players in all of baseball. Unfortunately, the operative words are “when healthy.” Since breaking in back in 2015, Buxton has topped 100 games played thrice. The good news? Two of those three seasons came in the last two years, with 102 contests logged in 2024 and 126 in 2025.
Speaking of 2025, it was a spectacular year for the Twins center fielder. He slashed .264/.327/.551 while crushing 35 dingers and swiping 24 bases, coming close to realizing the perennial 30-30 potential he has. At 31, his defense wasn’t as fantastic as it’s been in the past, but his three outs above average are respectable.
Contract-wise, Buxton is owed a hair over $45 million for the next three years, with a luxury tax hit of $14.3 million. That’s remarkably affordable if you can get close to three full seasons out of him. As a right-handed bat, he’d bring balance to the Yankees’ lefty-heavy lineup.
Health and trade cost/availability are the two drawbacks. Buxton has a full no-trade clause, which in the past he’s staunchly proclaimed he would use in order to stay in Minnesota. He’s said to be softening on that stance, though another shoe would have to drop first.
Reunite with Trent Grisham
Trent Grisham at $22 million? Thank you, next. However, it’s looking like the Juan Soto throw-in is going to decline the Yankees’ qualifying offer overture. That could change the calculations.
On the one hand, Grisham declining the offer indicates he’s likely prioritizing long-term security. That was always going to be a tough proposition given the stark difference between his sensational 2025 campaign and the rest of his career. Still, some small-market team likely would’ve rolled the dice on a $12-$15 million deal over three or four years for him. Now, with draft pick compensation attached to signing him, that’s a tougher sell.
The Yankees probably don’t want to be locked into Grisham long-term, either, though they might not have much of a choice. A perfect world for the Yankees would involve a nightmare scenario for Grisham, resulting in him striking out on the open market and coming back on a significantly cheaper one-year prove-it deal. In that case, they could do a lot worse than running it back.
Hand the reins over to Jasson Dominguez
Prospect fatigue is a real thing, and you’d be excused for feeling it with Jasson Dominguez after his uneven rookie season. After half-decade of hype, the Martian finally landed and looked downright terrestrial once he did. The 22-year-old posted a .719 OPS in 2025. The major league average OPS in 2025 was, you guessed it, .719.
In addition to the struggles with the bat, including looking completely inept when batting right-handed, Dominguez has struggled mightily in left field, posting -10 outs above average in 2025. Still, he’s a natural center fielder, and while it’s reasonable to believe that left would be the easier position, it is an adjustment when it comes to reading spin and playing the corner.
At the end of the day, it’s easy to forget just how young Dominguez is. While you might want to write him off now, it’s premature to close the book on him.
Trade for Luis Robert Jr.
While you can take the rumor with a grain of salt, the Yankees have been connected to Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. recently. If the mention of that name makes you feel like he brings the health issues of Byron Buxton with the inconsistencies of Jasson Dominguez rolled up into one player, you’re probably not far off the mark.
But to play devil’s advocate, there are some reasons why Robert Jr. could make sense. First, the White Sox need to move him. They can’t keep paying him and exercising $20 million option after $20 million option for him to ultimately walk for nothing at the end of the day. They missed the boat last season to move him when he was still in the affordable portion of his deal, and now have to live with the fact that he’s put together back-to-back 84 wRC+ seasons anchoring down his trade value.
Still, aside from a lower cost in terms of prospects than he’d command a year ago, there are some reasons to like Robert Jr. In just 110 games, he stole 33 bases while posting seven outs above average in center. Though it’s only a 31-game sample, he also came alive in the second half, slashing .298/.352/.456.
The 28-year-old is only two years removed from a 38-homer campaign, and if it all clicks he can be a five-tool player. He’ll be making $20 million this year, with a $20 million option for 2027, meaning if he can turn it around and get back to his true ceiling, he could be a bargain. If not, he could be an expensive one-year mistake.
Promote Spencer Jones
Promoting Spencer Jones and handing him the keys to the outfield might be the most boom-or-bust option. One of the club’s top prospects, Jones enjoyed a sizzling summer surge that spanned both Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. That performance put him firmly in the outfield conversation for 2026, despite him cooling down dramatically down the stretch.
At six-foot-seven with otherworldly athleticism, it’s easy to look at Jones and see a left-handed version of Aaron Judge. There’s a difference, though. Despite the same issue with long levers, Judge never experienced the strikeout issues that have plagued Jones throughout his professional career.
Jones’ 67-game stint at Scranton underscored those concerns, with him going down via the K an eye-popping 36.6% of the time. It won’t matter how far he can launch the ball if he rarely makes contact with it, and it’s hard to see that improving at the big league level.
Overall, when it comes to Jones the ceiling is sky-high, but the floor is subterranean.
Sign Harrison Bader
Harrison Bader’s Yankees tenure was relatively forgettable. While battling injuries, Bader posted a .627 OPS in 98 games in pinstripes, battling injuries along the way.
While he’s had better stretches, the majority of his career has seen a player with a subpar bat whose above-average glove can’t quite cancel out his offensive shortcomings. A .277/.347/.449 line with 17 homers in 2025 might lead you to believe that he’s turned the corner at age 31, but the underlying metrics show that not much has changed.
Bader’s well-below-average hard-hit rate combined with his other quality of contact metrics led him to a .223 xBA, a .364 xSLG, and a .295 xwOBA, which should tell you that much of that production was a mirage. Bader is projected to land a deal that pays him upwards of $10 million annually, which takes him out of the bargain category as well. If the Yankees reach these depths in search of a Bellinger replacement, they’ll find themselves in big trouble.
