Athletics | Keith Law ($): It’s time for the pre-season prospect rankings. Today it is Athletics. To the surprise of, I guess, literally no one, George Lombard Jr. is the highest-ranked Yankee farmer on Keith Law’s list. Ranked 24th overall, Law is optimistic about Lombard’s future, noting the young shortstop’s bat speed and knowledge of the strike zone. “He’s at least a future everyday shortstop and he still has potential beyond that because of the potential as a hit tool.” He is joined by another Yankee prospect, pitcher Carlos Lagrange. Lagrange comes 88th on Law’s list. Law is complimentary of Lagrange’s work and clean delivery, projecting that “he should remain a starter and could find himself in the top two spots of a rotation depending on his control improving.” A local starter at the top of the rotation? Rest easy, my heart.
SNY | Anthony McCarron: It’s been a strange and frustrating offseason for Yankees fans. But it hasn’t been bad in itself, I suppose. McCarron individually reviews and grades every move the Yankees have made since the end of the season. He gives high marks to the recent re-signing of Cody Bellinger. Meanwhile, varied movements aimed at strengthening rotational depth earn it the lowest grade (C+). This still looks like a disappointing offseason, but I think I’d feel a lot worse if there were D’s or, God forbid baseball, F’s on that scoreboard.
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Fox Sports | Ryan Morik: The captain defends Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner. Derek Jeter addressed the team’s championship drought, saying, “I’m sure Hal is frustrated, too. Hal has been willing to go out and find players and put the Yankees in a position to win. But at the end of the day, you have to go out there and perform.” Jeets makes an interesting point elsewhere in the article, saying that the trade deadline is probably the critical factor, given that teams can turn around drastically at the deadline.
Yahoo Sports | Billy Hayen: It’s been a tough time for the Yankees in the international free agent market. And the hits keep coming. Dominican infielder Marion De La Rosa, who recently decommitted (to borrow a college football phrase) from the Yankees, has apparently agreed to terms with the Seattle Mariners. De La Rosa won’t be able to sign with them until 2027 and technically teams and players can’t agree to those terms in advance, but…either way, now the challenge for Seattle will be keeping him in the fold for a year until he can sign on the dotted line.
