Another Former Cub Prospect Touted As Yankees Future...

Once upon a trade deadline in 2016, the Yankees got the better end of a rental deal with the Cubs. You remember the swap—Aroldis Chapman goes to Chicago to help them break a 108-year curse, and the Yankees get a sweet little return package headlined by Gleyber Torres, who was MLB Pipeline’s No. 24 prospect and the toast of the Cubs’ farm system.

Torres came in hot, shined like a diamond, and even made a couple of All-Star Games. Then the Yankees did what they often do with young talent: they micromanaged, underappreciated, and slowly but surely grew tired of him. Fast forward to now? Torres is gone, thriving elsewhere, and the Yankees are once again kicking the tires on another former Cub. Meet Brennen Davis—please don’t mess this one up.

Let’s talk about Davis. Once billed as the future face of the Cubs’ outfield, Davis was a second-round pick in 2018 who cashed in a $1.1 million bonus instead of going to the University of Miami. By 2021, he looked like a franchise-altering talent—slugging .494 across three levels, knocking 19 dingers, and taking home MVP honors at the All-Star Futures Game. Every major outlet had him as a top-30 prospect going into 2022.

Then came the injury parade: a knee contusion, followed by back surgery. Davis’s bat cooled, his star dimmed, and the Cubs—ever so patient—DFA’d him this past November. The Yankees, never ones to resist a high-upside reclamation project (especially if it once wore Cubbie blue), scooped him up on a minor league deal in December.

And guess what? Davis is hitting again.

After an impressive showing in Double-A Somerset—two homers in eight games, .890 OPS—the Yankees just promoted him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This isn’t just a guy filling a roster spot. This is someone who, if healthy, still has major-league tools and upside.

Let’s spell it out: Davis is a right-handed outfielder, he’s still just 24, and while he’s been derailed by injuries, he hasn’t lost that spark scouts once drooled over. The Yankees clearly see something. So do I. But we’ve all read this story before.

It’s the Gleyber Effect. The Yankees hype you up, tease you with potential, then toss you aside when you don’t turn into Derek Jeter overnight. Meanwhile, they’re still writing love songs about Anthony Volpe, who’s built more of a reputation on marketing and moisturizer than onfield consistency.

Here’s the concern: Davis puts it together, gets a cup of coffee in the Bronx, and the minute he hits a cold streak or tweaks a hamstring, the Yankees send him down, bury him on the bench, or flip him for a bullpen arm and a bag of Double Bubble. The cycle continues.

But this time, maybe they get it right. Maybe Davis finds his groove, stays on the field, and reminds everyone why he was once the best-kept secret in baseball. Maybe the Yankees stop treating prospects like TikTok trends and actually commit to letting this one develop.

So yeah, I’m cautiously optimistic. I’m rooting for Brennen Davis—not just because he deserves a fair shot, but because it’d be nice to see the Yankees learn from their own mistakes. They had something special in Gleyber once, and they let that flame die.

Here’s to hoping they don’t ghost Brennen Davis, too.