Yankees of the Future: Who Does New York Have for 2012?

The New York Yankees have been built around major free agent acquisitions and trades.  (How'd they get Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Hideki Matsui, and on and on?) However, the greatest Yankees in the past few years have been home-grown talents (Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Robinson Cano).

As the Red Sox have shown, baseball has become again a game where the young, home-grown players will help the team the best.

So, if baseball's changing, are the world's greatest team prepared for a change?

Probably not.

Anyway, there are a few prospects who could make a difference in a few years.

In the majors already include some great young guys:

Cano, Brett Garner, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and Ian Kennedy. But what's in the minors?

Well, No. 1 is Austin Jackson, featured in the picture above. He is the Yankee's top prospect, and last year hit .285 in the minors, and he is 21. 

Yet, in my opinion, the most important prospect is Jesus Montero.  He is a catcher, and will have to be Posada's replacement in a year or two, unless the Yankees try to pursue Mauer.

Montero is a good gap hitter, and has solid defense, catching about a quarter of would-be base stealer's.

He hit .326 in A Clearwater, with 17 long balls.  The Yankees will have to push him, however, perhaps finding him a spot in Double-A or Triple-A if they want him to be Posada's replacement soon.

What would the Yankees 2012 roster look like?

Maybe like this:

1B: Teixeira

2B: Cano

3B: Rodriguez

SS: Jeter (Last Year)

RF: Garner

CF: Jackson

LF: Cabrera

DH: Nady, Swisher

C: Montero

SP:  Wang

SP:  Hughes

SP:  Kennedy

SP:  Chamberlain

SP: Horne

CL: ?