Yankees Notes and Opinions for 1/4

Past articles:
12/28/25
12/22/25
12/18/25
12/15/25
Rule 5 Analysis
12/11/25
12/9/25
12/5/25
12/2/25
11/28/25
11/25/25
11/18/25
11/15/25
11/7/25
10/30/25
Japanese Free Agents
Rule 5 Primer

1. The Yankees sign Paul DeJong to a minor league deal

He will earn a prorated $1 million for every day he spends on the MLB roster, if any. It is safe to assume that he has opt-outs included in the contract, including one during or after spring training. That’s standard for a veteran.

DeJong is a right-handed bat with experience at second, shortstop, and third.  In 2025, he made his debut at first base, playing the position for the first time. It was only one game, however.

While he has power in his profile (including 24 home runs in 2024), defense has been his calling card. That calling card failed him a bit in 2025, and he compiled only 0.2 fWAR in 57 games for the Nationals.

If you are wondering if he is a platoon option, the answer is likely no. During that 2024 campaign, he hit .237/.281/.449 vs. RHP and .198/.260/.360 vs. LHP.

He doesn’t take walks (.294 OBP; 7.1% BB in his career) and strikes out a ton, including a 32.8% K rate in 690 plate appearances between 2024 and 2025.

Bottom Line:

DeJong is a good enough depth piece who still had value as recently as 2024. I’m not sure if he would willingly go to Scranton if he misses making the team. That is dependent on whether there is interest elsewhere.

With Anthony Volpe out to start 2026, there could be competition for a bench slot. As it stands now, if Jose Caballero is penciled in at shortstop, the bench is J.C. Escarra and Amed Rosario. That leaves two slots open, for now. However, it is one slot because an outfielder will be added.

DeJong would battle with Oswaldo Cabrera, Braden Shewmake, Jorbit Vivas (out of options), Jonathan Ornelas, and Zack Short for that spot.

2. The Yankees are “discussing” an Edward Cabrera deal with the Marlins

One rumor circulating suggests that the package would be headlined by RHP Ben Hess and OF Dillon Lewis. If your first thought is “Why Lewis instead of Spencer Jones?”, note that Lewis is surging in the Yankees’ system while Jones has slipped.

Hess was the Yankees’ first-round pick in the 2024 draft, the first of seven consecutive pitchers chosen by the organization. Bryce Cunningham is a top prospect in the system, while Gage Ziehl (for Austin Slater)/Griffin Herring (Ryan McMahon) were used in deadline deals in 2025.

In 22 starts between Hudson Valley and Somerset, Hess compiled a 3.22 ERA over 103.1 innings with a 33% K and 10.9% BB.

It is no surprise that Lewis’ value has surged. The 13th round pick in 2024 finished the 2025 season in Hudson Valley, where he hit .228/.320/.426 (121 wRC+) over 332 plate appearances with 13 home runs and 13 stolen bases. Overall, he hit 22 home runs, stole 26 bases (28 attempts), and put up a 10.2% BB and 23.5% K. Something that likely encourages other organizations is that his strikeout rate dipped considerably after his promotion (from 28.2% in Tampa to 20.8% in Hudson Valley).

Lewis can play any of the three outfield positions. Like with many center field prospects, there are questions about his ability to stick there long-term.

As for Cabrera, he checks boxes. He is cheap with several years of team control. While injuries have been a concern (isn’t that true of most pitchers?), you can’t deny how good he was in 2025. In 26 starts covering 137.2 innings, he pitched to a 3.53 ERA (3.83 FIP) with a 25.8% K, 8.3% BB, and 46.6% GB. The Marlins changed his pitch mix considerably, as he lessened his reliance on his 4-seamer and increased his usage of his sinker and slider. He also has a curve and a change in his arsenal. Combined, he uses those two pitches approximately 50% of the time.

Bottom Line:

I don’t want to type this as though it is a done deal, though I guess I did. If Cabrera is available, other teams will offer packages for him.

That would likely require the Yankees to up the ante and include other solid prospects in the mix. Everything is speculation, and the above analysis is based on a Reddit post that referenced Talkin’ Yanks.

However, it is fun to type about as he is precisely the type of pitcher the Yankees should target.

There is talk that they also remain engaged on Freddy Peralta. Unlike Cabrera, Peralta would be a one-year rental.

The overall theme is that the Yankees want to add a starter, whether it is a cheap option with team control or a veteran who doesn’t have a long-term commitment.

I prefer Cabrera to Peralta, though nobody should complain about either.

3. Scott Effross signs a minor league deal with the Tigers

This is quite a comedown from the previous bullet point, eh?  Effross didn’t work out with the Yankees due to various ailments and will try to get his career back on track with the Tigers.  Stuff happens.

4. The Blue Jays sign 1B/3B/OF Kazuma Okamoto

If Yankees’ fans are disappointed, why? They were never going to sign any of the “big three” Japanese free agents. Even if they were interested in Okamoto, why would he come to a situation where playing time wasn’t guaranteed? He didn’t come to America to play a straight platoon role, and the Yankees weren’t going to hand out $15M/year for a wrong side of the platoon hitter anyway.

There are enough red flags with this year’s Japanese crop for the Yankees to justify passing.

This is not to say the Jays made a mistake. I have no idea. Okamoto received the best contract amongst the Japanese contingent this year, as it is a four-year deal without any opt-outs or options. That suggests that maybe competition for his services existed, though we haven’t heard anything definite.

While he has won awards for his fielding in Japan, scouts project him to be average-ish at third base (which is fine if he hits). While he didn’t abandon third base in Japan, he was seeing increased time at first.  His ability to play the outfield also adds to his desirability.

If he maintains some of his production, the Jays will be happy. His offensive profile in Japan matches what Toronto appears to value. Whether or not he can is the unknown.

Bottom Line:

None of what I write is 20/20 hindsight, as I wrote about the Japanese free agents in November. I stated the Yankees may see value in any of the three, but it seemed unlikely that they would feel this was the Japanese market for them to invest in. We’ll see how it plays out.

5. The Astros sign RHP Tatsuya Imai

Imai signed a player-friendly deal, which allows him to opt out either after 2026 or 2027.  There are variables involved, including how good he pitches (duh) and the potential for a lockout.

The good thing for other organizations is that they get a free look at Imai to see how he adjusts to MLB lineups. If he pitches well and re-enters the market, a bidding war could commence. If any organization was skeptical of his MLB potential, they will find out firsthand how right or wrong they are.

Imai projects as a middle-of-the-rotation starter. If that comes to pass, the Astros at least get a one-year bargain out of it. How many middle-of-the-rotation talents can be signed for $18M for one year?

Bottom Line:

There is no use in going crazy here. It is possible (probable?) that Hal Steinbrenner has a tight budget this winter.  However, it would be premature to assume that this was the sole reason for the Yankees’ lukewarm interest in foreign free agents this winter.

Their scouting department, assuming it still exists, may believe the players aren’t good enough.