Yankees acquire pitcher Cody Morris from the Guardians for Estevan Florial
Yankees outfielder Estevan Florial looks on against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 18, 2022. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The beginning of the end of Estevan Florial’s status as a top Yankees position prospect started at least two years ago.
It officially ended Tuesday when the Yankees dealt the 26-year-old lefty-swinging outfielder to the Guardians in exchange for right-handed reliever Cody Morris, who has a decent chance to slide into one of the Bombers’ open spots in the 2024 bullpen.
Florial, rated their top position prospect as recently as 2019, never fulfilled the promise that came with his signing into the organization in 2015.
Florial, stuck in the minors much of that time in large part because of an inability to develop any kind of sustained plate discipline, hit .230 (14-for-61) with three doubles, a triple, eight RBIs, seven walks and three stolen bases in 19 games with the Yankees in 2023 (he whiffed 20 times in 71 plate appearances).
Florial, who made his big-league debut during the 60-game COVID-shortened 2020 season, hit .209 with one homer and a .609 OPS over just 48 big-league games, spread over four seasons.
The 27-year-old Morris, a seventh-round pick of Cleveland’s in 2018, had a 6.75 ERA in six relief appearances with the Guardians in 2023. He had a 2.28 ERA in seven games (five starts) in his debut season of 2022.