Yankees Acquire 22-Year-Old Pitching Prospect in Trade With Astros

Mar 18, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; A view of the field and the New York Yankees logo before the game between the Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Orioles defeat the Yankees 11-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Yankees Acquire 22-Year-Old Pitching Prospect in Trade With Astros

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI
By Justin Binkowski | Last updated Apr 19, 2026 2:44 PM ET

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The New York Yankees and Houston Astros have agreed to a two-player swap on Sunday.

The Astros traded right-handed pitcher Wilmy Sanchez to the Yankees for infielder Braden Shewmake, New York announced. Sanchez is a 22-year-old who made 46 relief appearances for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks last year, while Shewmake is a 28-year-old infielder who spent the 2025 season with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

Sanchez is the second young arm that the Yankees have acquired in the last couple of months. In March, New York sent infielder Jorbit Vivas to the Washington Nationals in exchange for 21-year-old right-handed pitcher Sean Paul Liñan. In three starts this year for the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades, Liñan has a 3.72 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings pitched. With the Yankees' strong track record of developing young pitchers in recent years, Sanchez joins Liñan in getting the opportunity to add to the organization's list of exciting arms who could contribute in the future.

Outlook on Sunday's trade between Yankees and Astros

This trade isn't expected to move the needle much, especially in the short term. Shewmake played 29 games for the Chicago White Sox in 2024, but it seems most likely that he'll act as minor league infield depth for the Astros for now. The 2019 first-round pick by the Atlanta Braves hit .244 with the RailRiders last year, and he started the 2026 Triple-A season 8-for-32 at the plate.

Sanchez, on the other hand, posted a 6.05 ERA for Corpus Christi in 2025. In 61 Double-A innings pitched last year, the young righty had 75 strikeouts but walked 51 batters. So far this year, the 22-year-old has a 1.29 ERA with eight strikeouts and four walks in seven innings of work. The strikeout numbers are promising, but the Yankees will undoubtedly want to help Sanchez improve his control.

Overall, this trade could end up being a case of the Yankees acquiring a long-term project while the Astros land a player who could be an option for the big league club sooner. Regardless, both minor leaguers now have the chance to showcase their talents to their new franchises.

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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