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TAMPA, FL - MARCH 02: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees bats during the Spring Training game against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 2, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 10-9. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Yanks decline blockbuster trade offer

In what could have been a blockbuster deal, the Yankees ended up holding onto their core group of prospects instead of acquiring an established superstar along with key pieces.

The Atlanta Braves were eager to get a large return on star outfielder Jason Heyward, and the Yankees were on their radar as potential trade partners.

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Braves offered Heyward, BJ Upton, Chris Johnson, Andrelton Simmons, and David Carpenter in the winter of 2014-15.

However, the Braves wanted pieces the Yankees were unwilling to part with at the time including Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, Manny Banuelos, Ian Clarkin, and Gary Sanchez – many of whom who are considered untouchables to this day within New York’s farm system.

The Bronx Bombers pushed hard to acquire Heyward and Simmons a winter ago, but the Braves ended up dealing Heyward for Shelby Miller before the Yankees could make a deal.

According to Heyman, Heyward said he had heard several times “the Yankees were close to getting him.”

While the Yankees did not make the deal, the Braves got a return in their favor in the end, dealing Heyward for Miller. They then turned around and dealt Miller to the Diamondbacks to acquire the 2015 1st overall draft pick in Dansby Swanson and also outfielder Ender Inciarte.

If the deal went through, the landscape of the farm system would look much different for the Yankees. They also would have acquired a player in Heyward who would have been a free-agent after just one season, and he decided to bolt for Chicago after his short tenure in St. Louis. It would have been no guarantee the Yankees would have been able to bring back the speedy outfielder if he was traded for in the first place, so they decided to hold onto talent that is on the fringe of stardom.

Severino, Judge, and Sanchez have been sought after pieces within the organization, and the team has had to turn down many offers to keep the young talent around.