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The New York Yankees have already made big changes this offseason, but there are several more things that need to be done after Jan. 1 to get this team over the hump.

There are a few New Year’s resolutions that Yankees management needs to make in an effort to ensure the most success in the upcoming season. The Bombers have been very active this offseason, but there’s more to be done and more things that need to change.

Barring any major shakeups, the Yankees stand to enter next season as one of the most different-looking teams in the league. Making sure the newcomers are comfortable and ready to work is essential, but putting them in positions to do well is even more important.

Manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman still need to be active in the last six to eight weeks of the offseason. With spring training less than two months away, every day needs to be spent productively.

Sign Masahiro Tanaka

The Associated Press reported (via USA Today) that Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka was posted on Friday morning for MLB clubs to bid on and eventually sign.

The Yankees, long considered to be the favorites to acquire his services, must not fail in their pursuit of the starter. Girardi should not feel comfortable going into the season with CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Ivan Nova, David Phelps and Michael Pineda as his five starters. Adding Tanaka and taking pressure off both Phelps and Pineda would represent an immediate upgrade.

Tanaka will likely command a big contract, but the Yankees have been holding out on free agents in recent weeks to make sure that they have the resources available to bring him aboard.

They have a good rapport with Casey Close (Tanaka‘s agent) because of Derek Jeter, and that could ultimately be a factor in negotiations. Tanaka will only be posted for 30 days before the Rakuten Golden Eagles take him back. New York will have to make a splash quickly to ensure that he’s theirs.

Signing Tanaka will be the next logical step for the Yankees this offseason. Missing out on him will have a negative effect on the team in 2014.

Sign a Reliever

The confidence that the Yankees have shown in David Robertson this offseason is amazing. With Mariano Rivera retired and out of the picture, Girardi seems content with handing the closer’s role to Robertson.

While that’s a role that is well-earned for Robertson, the bevy of cheap closing options available on the free-agent market makes me wonder why Cashman hasn’t made a move.

Joaquin Benoit would have been a great choice, as would have Joe Nathan. Both ultimately signed for a bit more money than Cashman liked, though—hence why they’re wearing different uniforms.

Fernando Rodney and Grant Balfour are now the talk of the market, and both could come cheap. Balfour is an especially attractive option. After his deal with the Baltimore Orioles fell through, Balfour set himself up for a cheap contract with a ton of incentives. That’s something Cashman should be more than willing to do.

A one-year deal with a base salary of $5 million that could work its way up to $8 million based on performance would work for both parties, and the Yankees could even include a team option for a second year with the same salary structure.

That would keep Robertson in the role that he has been dominant in the past few seasons, while also bringing in an established closer.

Change the Philosophy

Losing Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and potentially Alex Rodriguez for 2014 will necessitate a change of philosophy. The amount of power that the Yankees have lost this offseason is undeniable.

Bringing in free agents Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran helped to mitigate the losses a bit, but even their 25-homer power can’t replace Granderson’s 40-homer pop.

The Yankees need to play a bit more small ball this season. Don’t expect a ton of sacrifice bunting, but Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury need to be active at the top of the lineup. If the two can’t combine for at least 70 stolen bases, then Girardi is not doing his job effectively.

Putting runners in motion and getting them into scoring position is a must for this new crop of Yankees. McCann and Beltran are extra-base machines, as are Mark Teixeira and a healthy Brian Roberts. Heck, even Kelly Johnson can spray the gaps and post some decent RBI numbers.

While the run production potential of this Yankees team is right where it has been in years past, the power potential is less. The Yankees will need to hit well with men in scoring position and keep runners constantly on the move to push across runs.

That shouldn’t be an impossible task for next season’s Yankees.

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An interesting tidbit of news came from New York Yankees team president Randy Levine on Friday, December 13, as he claimed that Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Mike Trout would be a player he would be willing to give a 10-year contract to.

Levine told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that he was unwilling to give Robinson Cano a 10-year contract because he is over 30 years old, though Trout would be worthy of such a contract when he hits free agency in 2018.

“Now, if it was Mike Trout, I’d offer him a 10-year contract,” Levine said. “But for people over 30, I don’t believe it makes sense.”

Trout, 22, would be 27 years old by the time he hits the open market, and it’s interesting that Levine used him as a comparison to Cano.

Using him could have simply been an example to prove a point, but there’s always the chance that Levine and the Yankees brass have big plans for him should he hit the open market.

Trout has already established himself as one of the premier players in the sport after just two full seasons in the league. In his career of two-plus years, Trout has hit 62 home runs, stolen 86 bases, hit 17 triples, driven in 196 runs and slashed .314/.404/.544.

He has finished second in the American League MVP voting twice already and won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2012. Combine that with his stellar defensive work, and you’ve got yourself the total package.

Should the Angels allow him to test the free-agent market, Trout will undoubtedly command a hefty payday. Not many teams would be able to compete financially with the Yankees, and if they’re actually willing to go 10 years, the competition might just be blown out of the water.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw may be the first $300 million player when he hits free agency after the 2015 season, but Trout could very well be the first position player to earn such a contract.

The Yankees appear willing to give that to him, and that will create for an interesting offseason in several years’ time.

For now he’s an Angel, and likely not at all thinking about his free agency. When it becomes the talk of baseball in a few seasons, though, look for the Yankees to gear up for a run at baseball’s youngest superstar.

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The New York Yankees have been pretty busy so far this offseason, and the moves they’ve made have resulted in new roles for several players on the roster.

Not every player will be benefiting from these new roles, however.

Spring training will bring clarity to a few of these situations, but that’s a long time to wait before knowing the definitive roles of these players. Of course, they could be resolved with corresponding moves later this offseason.

For that, we’ll just have to sit and wait. 

The Yankees seem determined to make the big moves this offseason to get back to the playoffs, and that will leave several role players displaced. Because general manager Brian Cashman is committed to making improvements, expect middling reserves to have different responsibilities in 2014.

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The Boston Red Sox have several decisions to make this offseason in the wake of their World Series victory against the St. Louis Cardinals, but luckily for them, there don’t appear to be too many major issues for them this winter.

Sure, Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Napoli are free agents, but the Red Sox presumably have the cash to be in on each of the players until they decide where they’d like to sign. If nothing else, expect the Red Sox to drive up their price for other teams.

Most of Boston’s offseason thus far has been comprised of rumors behind the dish, and that’s an area that will need to be addressed by spring training.

Multiple reports would suggest that they’re on their way to doing so.

The Catching Conundrum

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is one of Boston’s free agents, though he’ll be courted by multiple teams this offseason. 

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com believes that the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies or Toronto Blue Jays could make a run at Salty, with the Red Sox of course being the in the mix as well. Heyman cites options like A.J. Pierzynski and Dioner Navarro as possibilities for Boston as well, but general manager Ben Cherington may have other ideas for a backstop.

Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports that the Red Sox have discussed opening the season with Ryan Lavarnway splitting time behind the plate with 37-year-old David Ross. This would be done in the hopes of using them as stopgap options until prospects Christian Vazquez and Blake Swihart are ready to compete at the major league level.

Saltalamacchia put together arguably his most consistent season in 2013, hitting .273/.338/.466 with 14 home runs and 65 RBI. The in-house options presented by Lauber likely wouldn’t be able to equal that production.

Michael Young

Infielder Michael Young appears to be interested in joining an American League East club, as Peter Gammons reports that the 37-year-old is interested in joining either the Red Sox or Baltimore Orioles.

It’s unclear as to whether or not the teams have expressed interest in him, but it seems as if he’d be more than willing should the teams go after him. For a team like the Red Sox, Young would be a quality super-utility infielder that could find his way into semi-regular at-bats at third base.

Will Middlebrooks was nothing special last season, and Xander Bogaerts took at-bats away from him late in the season. If Stephen Drew leaves via free agency, Bogaerts could slide over to short and surrender third to Middlebrooks.

Young would give them a quality backup plan.

A team-friendly one-year deal would likely be reached with Young, and there really isn’t a downside to bringing him aboard. Maybe Gammons‘ tweet will spark some interest.

Patience with Mike Napoli

The Red Sox will have a huge hole at first base if they don’t re-sign Mike Napoli, and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that they plan on being patient in their pursuit of him this winter.

After signing a one-year deal with Boston last offseason, Napoli more than earned the right to seek a multiyear deal during the season. He hit .259/.360/.482 with 23 home runs and 92 RBI in the middle of the lineup, and he could likely reel in a deal similar to Jhonny Peralta’s on the open market.

In his stead, the Red Sox could convert outfielder Daniel Nava to first base. That wouldn’t be ideal, however, as Napoli is actually a very good defensive first baseman and supplies much more pop to the lineup.

Coming off a World Series win, the Red Sox would be wise to bring back Napoli. He made an impact on the lineup and in the clubhouse, and those types of players are few and far between.

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Free agency is finally starting to get exciting, and there are even more MLB rumors surrounding the top names on the market now that other players have signed on with new teams.

The New York Yankees made the first big splash in free agency this past weekend, inking catcher Brian McCann to a five-year deal with an option for a sixth year. A sixth year would bring the deal to $100 million.

A few pitchers have been signed as well. Tim Hudson inked a two-year pact with the San Francisco Giants, and the San Diego Padres were able to agree to a team-friendly one-year deal with Josh Johnson.

There are still a bevy of quality free agents available, and the rumors continue to swirl as we head into the holiday season.

Robinson Cano

The top free agent on the market, Robinson Cano still hasn’t made much progress on securing a hefty contract this winter.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News tweeted that Cano met with New York Yankees representatives on Tuesday but that the gap between the two sides is “still very substantial.”

Wallace Matthews of ESPN.com reminds us that the Yankees have a seven-year, $160 million deal out there for him, but that he is seeking $310 million. For those non-math people, that’s a difference of $150 million.

Matthews did tweet that there was some movement between the two sides in a recent meeting, though no information regarding the alleged movement was disclosed.

With such a large gap between the two sides, it doesn’t appear as if a deal will be happening any time soon. That being said, Feinsand tweeted that the two sides are still in contact and plan to meet again after the holiday weekend.

There don’t appear to be many teams outside of the Yankees with the funds to lock up Cano, though Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post opines that the Washington Nationals should make a run at the second baseman.

Cano would be a clear upgrade to Danny Espinosa, though Espinosa is still under contract and probably isn’t that valuable to other teams.

For now, Cano’s best bet is getting a grip on reality and lowering his demands.

Justin Morneau

Justin Morneau finished last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and helped them make the playoffs for the first time in what seemed like forever.

The first baseman is one of the better value players available on the market. He can still provide 20-plus home run power with a decent on-base percentage, and it won’t take an average annual value (AAV) of more than $15 million to sign him.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the Colorado Rockies are “aggressively pursuing” Morneau, and he’d be a perfect replacement for the recently retired Todd Helton. Assuming he stays healthy in the field, Morneau would thrive in Colorado.

After hitting 17 homers last season with the Minnesota Twins and Pirates, Morneau would likely see a boost playing in the thin air of Colorado.

No figures have been floated around just yet, but he could probably be had for a three-year, $36 million contract. Signing him for anything longer or more expensive would be a huge risk.

Carlos Beltran

The Yankees have made Carlos Beltran their top priority after signing McCann, reports CBS New York, but there are multiple teams in the mix to acquire the corner outfielder.

Primera Hora’s Noel Pineiro broke the news that the Cincinnati Reds are now in the mix of teams that want to acquire Beltran (English link from C. Trent Rosecrans of cincinnati.com), and Rosecrans reminds us that the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals and Yankees are the other teams currently interested.

The Reds represent an interesting fit for Beltran. Sure, they’ll have an opening with Shin-Soo Choo more than likely signing elsewhere, but Beltran seems best suited for an American League team at this point in his career.

No longer should he be a full-time outfielder—even in a corner spot. A team with the flexibility to offer him part-time DH duties represents the best fit for his career.

The Yankees and Rangers could presumably offer that.

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The New York Yankees are in the market for a third baseman this offseason as a result of Alex Rodriguez‘s potential suspension, but the market at the hot corner continues to get thinner and thinner with each passing day.

The St. Louis Cardinals signed arguably the top third baseman available, as they inked Jhonny Peralta to a four-year deal just this past weekend. While some viewed the contract as an overpay, Peralta was clearly able to dictate his contract based on his standing in the market.

David Freese of the Cardinals was a trade target of general manager Brian Cashman‘s, but he was dealt to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim a few days before the Peralta signing to make room for the free agent. He had been linked to the Yankees earlier in the offseason.

Now that the market has thinned out, it’s time for the Yankees to sign one of the following fallback options before they sign elsewhere as well.

Omar Infante

The Bombers had been looking at Omar Infante, reports Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports, to potentially replace Robinson Cano over at second base, but he also has experience at the hot corner and would be a fine addition to the lineup.

He hit .318/.345/.450 with 10 home runs and 51 RBI for the Detroit Tigers last season, and he’d be a fantastic option to hit seventh or eighth in a potentially deep Yankees lineup. While the season was a bit of an anomaly in terms of his slash line, Infante has hit over .300 two other times in his career.

The fact that this was a career season will drive his price up, but the Yankees should have no problems throwing him $20 million or so over two years. If Peralta was worth over $50 million, then Infante certainly has every right to ask for at least $20 million.

Infante doesn’t have much pop, but his ability to put the ball in play and get on base makes him a perfect fallback option. He was already being courted by the Bombers, and now they can offer positional flexibility his way as well.

Mark Reynolds

Mark Reynolds might strike out a ton and play poor defense at third, but there isn’t a single cheaper source of power available right now.

On a one-year deal worth about $5 million, the Yankees could get a guy that has the potential to hit 30 home runs with regular at-bats. Sure, he’ll hit .225 and strike out nearly 200 times in the process—making him a poor man’s Curtis Granderson—but he’ll provide plenty of power in a lineup looking to replace A-Rod’s.

Reynolds finished his 2013 season in pinstripes, hitting six home runs in 110 at-bats and striking out 31 times. Having already made his initial adjustment to New York, coming back for another season in 2014 would likely come with a short acclimation period. That’s obviously a positive for the Yankees.

Reynolds offers flexibility in that he can also play first base. Surprisingly, he plays first pretty well and would probably be best suited for a full-time spot there. The Yankees can offer him full-time at-bats at the hot corner with the chance to play sporadically at first when Mark Teixeira needs a day off, though.

In terms of a value signing, there may not be a better one still available.

Eric Chavez

The Yankees would need to platoon right-handed hitter Eduardo Nunez with Eric Chavez, but that doesn’t mean a reunion with the 36-year-old is a bad idea.

Chavez’s skills are certainly declining, and he’s no longer a lock to play an everyday role, but the Yankees saw exactly what he could do when he stepped up to play in 113 games in 2012. He hit .281/.348/.496 with 16 home runs and 37 RBI, all his highest marks since 2006.

Chavez left for the Arizona Diamondbacks after the season and produced at a similar clip, but the Yankees need to sign him back before the Diamondbacks negotiate with him. Chavez would be a perfect fit in the bottom third of the lineup, and he can still play close to that Gold Glove caliber defense he used to possess.

Like Reynolds, Chavez would be a fantastic value signing. The difference between the two is that Chavez is clearly the more well-rounded player, of course.

If Cashman wants to save money and allocate it towards another area of the team—Carlos Beltran or Joe Nathan, perhaps—then signing Chavez is a no-brainer.

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Mariano Rivera continued to be showered with recognition this past week, as the corner of East 4th Street and Broadway was temporarily re-named “Mariano Rivera Way” on November 21.

The event was sponsored by New Era Caps, as it was in honor of the limited edition cap they released on the same day. The cap features each of Rivera’s five World Series rings, the commemorative Rivera patch sported by the New York Yankees on Rivera’s final homestand and a list of his accomplishments—amongst other things.

New Era CEO Chris Koch spoke a few words about Rivera and the company’s intent with the new cap before handing the stage off to Rivera, who was brief in his address to the small crowd in attendance.

His reaction to having his name hang over the intersection, though, was priceless.

The media was then given the opportunity to interview Mo in a brief 20-minute session, and you can bet that Bleacher Report was right there for the action. I was able to ask the greatest closer of all time about the Yankees’ plans to play a few exhibition games in Panama City during the upcoming spring training to honor him, and he was humbled by the gesture.

“I will be there, definitely. It’s amazing,” he said. “Thank God for that, for the organization and the players. Hopefully, it happens.

“It will be something that I will never forget.”

Questions regarding the ongoing sagas of Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano were also asked. His opinions on the Rodriguez debacle were semi-neutral, though he did say what would happen if A-Rod decided to tell him his story.

In regards to Cano’s contract, Rivera claimed that, “I want him to to do what is right and what is good for him—not anybody else.”

Of course, Rivera spent every day of his 19-year major league career with the Yankees. That being said, he was a free agent before and knows what it’s like to be a part of negotiations.

The afternoon was capped off by a photo opportunity of Rivera holding the “Mariano Rivera Way” sign that resided over East 4th and Broadway for the day, and he was all smiles while various media outlets snapped picture after picture of the Yankee legend.

His retirement may have occurred a few months ago, but the always humble Rivera will continue to be showered with praise and accolades for the foreseeable future. The exhibition games in Panama are a perfect example of how the Yankees will forever honor him.

Unfortunately, fans who were hoping to see Rivera in uniform again as a coach sometime down the line will be sadly disappointed by the rather lighthearted quote he offered regarding the possibility.

“No, I don’t want to.”

Rivera is apparently thoroughly enjoying retirement, and he deserves everything that a retired man should enjoy. As the awards and honors keep coming, Rivera will continue to take it all in.

I was just honored myself to be a part of the special honor on November 21.

*Note: All quotes and photographs were recorded/taken first-hand.

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The New York Yankees are certainly afraid that second baseman Robinson Cano might be leaving in free agency, as general manager Brian Cashman has reached out to Cincinnati Reds GM Walt Jocketty regarding the availability of All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

The price is apparently very high, and understandably so. Phillips is arguably the best defensive second baseman in the game, routinely making highlight-reel grabs and throws that not many other middle infielders could make.

Phillips was a Gold Glove winner for the fourth time in his 12-year career in 2013, and he was also pretty good at the plate. He hit .261/.310/.396 with 18 home runs, a career-high 103 RBI and five steals.

Cashman has also reached out to free-agent Omar Infante about the potential vacancy at second, per George A. King III and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, and Infante is arguably the best free-agent second baseman available after Cano.

Infante did hit .318/.345/.450 with 10 home runs and 51 RBI this past season, but Phillips is by far the better option offensively and defensively. That, however, will come at a price.

Heyman cites that Phillips is still owed $50 million over the four years remaining on the six-year, $72.5 million contract he signed a few seasons ago. The Yankees could certainly fit that number into their payroll if Cano were to leave, but a declining on-base percentage since 2011 should be an area of concern.

Overall, Cano is the top option at second for the Bombers. He’s the best player on the team—and one of the best in the American League—and simply cannot be replaced.

Is he worth upwards of $300 million? Probably not.

Is he worth a seven- or eight-year commitment in the $200 million range? I think so.

When asked about what it would take to re-sign Cano, Cashman told Pat Bradley of NESN.com that he wasn’t sure what it would take:

I don’t have a gut [feeling], I really don’t. We’d certainly like that to happen, but the better you are at something, the more options and opportunities you create, and he’s certainly going to create a lot of opportunities for himself. 

Cashman will negotiate for as long as it takes with Cano, so don’t expect to see anybody different manning second in 2014. In the end, Cano will be hard-pressed to find another team that can pay him what the Yankees will.

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The New York Yankees have several difficult decisions ahead this offseason, but following a blueprint would help to mitigate the tough choices that general manager Brian Cashman will inevitably have to make.

It wasn’t a great season in New York. Sure, recently re-signed manager Joe Girardi did the best he could with a roster decimated by injury, but his team failed to miss the postseason for just the second time in the past 19 seasons. To make matters worse, they had to watch the Boston Red Sox win their third World Series title in the past 10 seasons.

Expect that to light a fire under the members of the Yankees’ front office this offseason. They’ll be looking to spend, despite initial reports that they were looking to cut costs and get under the $189 million mark for luxury tax purposes.

Needless to say, it will be an interesting offseason in the Bronx. If Cashman can follow this blueprint, then there’s plenty of reason to believe that his team will be back in October in 2014.

Re-Signing Robinson Cano

There should be one priority this offseason—re-signing Robinson Cano.

For more reasons than one, keeping Cano makes sense. He’ll definitely cost a pretty penny, something that could haunt the Yankees in the long run, but he’s simply too good of a hitter to let him walk via free agency.

Plus, the free agent market at second base is exceptionally weak around him. The Yankees have already reached out to Omar Infante to let him know that he’s a candidate to replace Cano should they have to cross that bridge, reports Craig Calcaterra of NBCSports.com, but even he can’t hold a candle to Cano.

I’m in no way a proponent of giving Cano $300-plus million, but I would not be opposed to something in the $200-220 million range over seven or eight years.

Ultimately, I think that’s what he’ll get to finish his career in pinstripes.

Upgrading the Pitching Staff

Boy, the pitching staff needs work. Aside from not knowing which CC Sabathia we’ll be getting in 2014, there are also questions surrounding Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda. Who knows how well they’ll perform next season?

Hiroki Kuroda is a free agent, Andy Pettitte has retired and the Yankees have still yet to make up their mind on what role David Phelps will fill on the team. This leaves two—potentially three—openings.

The big name on the market is Japanese import Masahiro Tanaka. Tanaka will likely require a posting fee of at least $50 million, and then it will take even more money to lock him up to a contract.

He’s been mentioned as the next Yu Darvish, and after missing out on Darvish a few offseasons ago, I’d bet that Cashman will go all-in for the newest Japanese sensation.

To fill out the rest of the rotation, look for Cashman to go after pitchers who would be willing to accept one-year deals. Bronson Arroyo and Tim Hudson appear to fit that mold, as does the injury-prone Josh Johnson. Johnson is a risk given his injury, but he’ll accept a one-year, incentive-laden deal this offseason.

A rotation with these names in it has potential to be one of the top in the league.

Upgrade the Left Side of the Infield

Derek Jeter is back for 2014, but that doesn’t mean Jeter should see the field with consistency. In a perfect world, Jeter would start less than 50 games at shortstop and the rest of the games at designated hitter.

He’s a liability in the field at this point, and his overall health should be of the utmost concern. Keeping him in the lineup as the DH would allow the Yankees to benefit from his production, and presumably, his better health.

To play shortstop, Cashman should look no further than Brendan Ryan. A wizard with the glove, Ryan is easily one of the top defensive shortstops in baseball. A middle-infield pairing of Ryan and Cano would create for some exciting plays, and hitters will be hard-pressed to get base knocks up the middle.

Ryan would come cheaply, as it’s not often that general managers pay a premium for guys that don’t hit particularly well. If he hits .220 or higher, then the Yankees will be getting a bonus.

To play third (presumably in Alex Rodriguez’s absence), Jhonny Peralta and Mark Reynolds should be considered. Reynolds will be cheaper and likely more willing to accept a one-year pact, but Peralta is very consistent at the plate and has shortstop-like skills at the hot corner.

Bringing in both of these guys would do wonders for a crippled left side of the infield in 2013.

Sign an Outfielder

The Yankee outfield currently consists of Brett Gardner, Alfonso Soriano, Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki—not to mention young guys like Zoilo Almonte—but an upgrade is certainly in order.

Soriano and Gardner are safe in left field and center field, respectively, but the right field position needs some work. Neither Wells or Ichiro can really be relied upon at this point, and looking to dump one or both this offseason for cheap should be an avenue that Cashman explores.

Both Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Beltran make sense as replacements, though it’s not easy to choose between the two. Choo brings a great on-base percentage and strong play in the outfield, whereas Beltran is arguably the top postseason hitter of all-time.

It might come down to the cheaper option for Cashman, and in that case, Beltran could be wearing pinstripes in 2014. Choo will take a long-term contract and likely more AAV (average annual value) than the 36-year-old Beltran.

Sign Brian McCann

To top off the perfect offseason, the Yankees need to sign Brian McCann. Any other catcher wouldn’t make the impact that McCann would.

Other catchers like A.J. Pierzynski and Dioner Navarro can not bring to the table the offense and defense that McCann does. Plus, a three or four-year deal for McCann would be the perfect amount of time for prospect Gary Sanchez to make his way to the bigs.

Solidifying the catcher position should be one of the top priorities for Cashman this offseason. Chris Stewart, Austin Romine and J.R. Murphy were sometimes serviceable behind the dish, but they lacked overall consistency and thump in the batter’s box.

As a left-handed bat in Yankee Stadium, McCann has 20-plus home run potential. In an offseason that will likely see the Bombers let Curtis Granderson walk, bringing in offense in other areas is important.

McCann would do just that.

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With the offseason just around the corner, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman may be presented with the opportunity to pull off a few trades to improve his squad.

Prospects will more than likely be dealt in such trades, but a few prospects should be considered completely untouchable. Whether it’s because of their minor league numbers or their sheer potential, certain Yankees prospects are just too valuable to give up.

As an older team, the Yankees will eventually need to rely on a few young players to act as cornerstones for the next generation of Bronx Bombers. A few of those players may be in the Yankees system right now, and Cashman would be foolish to trade them away.

Fans might be OK with trading even the most untouchable prospects for Giancarlo Stanton or Carlos Gonzalez, but seeing as both of those players are likely unavailable, Cashman shouldn’t push to make a trade with his top minor leaguers.

Gary Sanchez, Catcher

Gary Sanchez appears to be the next great Yankees catcher. He has all the tools to be successful at the big league level. All he has to do now is continue to develop against higher levels of pitching until he’s ready to make the jump to the majors.

He hit only .253 last season (his career average is .275), but he did manage 15 home runs and 71 RBI. He also walked a career-high 41 times.

Sanchez has big-time power from behind the plate and could potentially put himself right in the middle of the lineup when he gets the call.

Defensively, Sanchez has a great arm. He threw out 44 percent of would-be base stealers this season. He also started seven double plays behind the dish. He doesn’t have a long-term future at catcher, however, given his body type. We could see him at first base 10 years or so down the line.

Quality catching is at a premium, and if the Yankees are willing to wait two more seasons, they’ll have a top-of-the-line catcher.

Mason Williams, Center Field

Like Sanchez, Mason Williams is coming off a down season in which he failed to post a .300 on-base percentage. But that doesn’t mean Cashman should give up on one of his top prospects.

Williams has virtually no power at this point in his professional career, though he could feasibly develop into a Brett Gardner-like power threat. With a quick bat, Williams just needs to drop the barrel on the ball like Gardner. That will come with time.

Williams is proficient in stealing bases. He has 64 stolen bases in four career minor league seasons. He’s been gunned down 36 times, but I’m willing to attribute that to the fact that he’s still learning the art of base stealing. By the time he’s in the majors, that should no longer be a problem.

Like premium catchers, great leadoff hitters are hard to find. Gardner is solid now, but Williams could end up being better in a few years time. The worst-case scenario would have Gardner and Williams hitting first and second, respectively. This is all assuming Gardner is still with the team in two or three seasons, of course, 

Williams may not have much power, but he will make plenty of things happen with his speed. There’s a reason he’s a top prospect.

Jose Campos, Pitcher

Jose Campos is a lesser-known prospect and isn’t necessarily the best pitcher in the Yankees system right now. He does, however, have the most potential based on some key statistics.

For starters, he walked just 16 batters in 87.0 innings this past season. His control is great, and that’s what will make him attractive to the Yankees when the time comes. His control doesn’t do anything to hurt his strikeout numbers, either. Campos tallied 77 strikeouts on the year.

The right-hander came over as an “add-on” in the Jesus Montero-Michael Pineda swap with the Seattle Mariners a few seasons back, but he’s already proved to be more valuable to the organization than Pineda.

There are questions about whether Campos should be a starter. He started 19 of his 26 appearances in 2013, but the final seven appearances were all out of the bullpen. He had success there, but he could make far more of an impact in the rotation.

It’s not a question of his stuff. Campos has a tendency to run up high pitch counts and essentially take himself out of games earlier than expected. He has too much potential to be dealt away, though. All he needs to do is learn a bit more about pitching.

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