Yankees Notes and Opinions for 1/9

Past articles:
1/8/26
1/4/26
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 claim RHP Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Astros

Instead of signing Tatsuya Imai, the Yankees decided to claim the pitcher who was designated for assignment to make room for Imai.

Sarcasm aside, this is a homecoming for Ort, who pitched in the Yankees organization from 2017 to 2019. This was after the Diamondbacks signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2016, only to release him.

In the 2020 Rule 5 draft, the Red Sox selected two pitchers from the Yankees: one was Ort (who was chosen in the Triple-A phase) and the other was Garrett Whitlock.

Ort made 47 appearances for the Red Sox between 2021 and 2023, pitching to a 6.27 ERA in 51.2 innings with a 20.9% K, 10.2% BB, and 29.7% GB. That last number is “oof” worthy.

To his credit, he pitched better for the Astros over the last two campaigns, compiling a 4.08 ERA (5.10 FIP) over 70.2 innings with a 26.1% K, 10.8% BB, and 38.5% GB. He features a 4-seamer (averages 96.4 MPH in his career), cutter, slider, and change-up mix.

Bottom Line:

Add the 33-year-old Ort to the bullpen competition mix, assuming he survives the winter on the roster. The Yankees didn’t have to make a corresponding move because they have 40-man roster space. They currently have 37 players on the 40-man roster, 21 of whom are pitchers.

As an aside, Ort is a success story regardless of his statistics. He was an undrafted free agent from the days when drafts went 40 rounds. Converting that into a 118-game MLB career is an impressive feat.

2. The Yankees come to terms with all their arbitration-eligible players

Yesterday, I mentioned that Camilo Doval agreed to terms on a one-year deal. Add Jazz Chisholm Jr. (the only player to hit $10M+), David Bednar ($9M), Jose Caballero ($2M), Fernando Cruz ($1.45M), Anthony Volpe ($3.475M), and Luis Gil ($2.1625) to the list. While not in the Curry tweet referenced, Oswaldo Cabrera ($2M) and Jake Bird ($1M) also agreed to contract terms.

Bottom Line:

I am sure nobody is joking about Volpe’s 2026 salary. If you are going to joke about it, be creative. The “I will take millions to be as mediocre as he is” schtick wore itself out long ago.

I’m not sure if the final tally comes with cost savings, but settling these cases is always wiser than enduring the messy salary arbitration process.

3. More on Cody Bellinger

I guess Bob Klapisch is reporting that $30M is still far below Bellinger’s asking price, which he says is in the $36-$37 million range.

It’s not my money, but that’s a steep overpay unless he agrees to a short-term deal, which isn’t happening.

Bottom Line:

It doesn’t hurt to ask. Bellinger’s likely argument is that he is more valuable as an overall player than Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber. There is truth to that, given that Bellinger plays defense and steals bases. But is it worth $6-7 million more per season than Alonso ($31M) and Schwarber ($30M) are getting?  I don’t see it.

These rumors are coming with a supposed increased interest in infielder Bo Bichette, which I think is a smokescreen. The Yankees are interestingly using Bichette as their decoy instead of Kyle Tucker. Tucker is made for our ballpark in the Bronx, but I have said my peace on that more than enough times.

4. David Cone no longer works for ESPN

While ESPN has a package of games, it will not be Sunday Night Baseball. Cone is out and seemingly doesn’t have any other national broadcast offers.

It seems probable that the Yankees knew this was coming, which is why YES trimmed its broadcasting roster. I can see Cone taking on a vastly expanded role next season, along with Paul O’Neill and Joe Girardi.

Bottom Line:

Cone is fun to listen to and a perfect sidekick for O’Neill’s more playful approach (though O’Neill is great at talking about hitting when he puts on his serious cap).

Speaking of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC/Peacock has gobbled up four Yankees’ games. They have chosen games against the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Phillies. The 4th game is against the Twins on July 5th. Part of the broadcasting contract with NBC/Peacock includes exclusive rights to every game that day.

5. The whole league is interested in Freddy Peralta

While that may be an exaggeration, consider this your reminder: Peralta won’t come cheap, even as a short-term rental.  One full year of Peralta is going to cost a team’s top prospects. Any organization engaging in talks knows this.

By the way, Peralta is an example of patience paying off. From 2013 through 2015, he pitched exclusively in the rookie leagues for the Seattle Mariners. During the 2015 offseason, he was included in a three-prospect package for Adam Lind, who would go on to hit .239/.286/.431 for the 2016 Mariners. Three years later, Peralta was making his debut for the Brewers and hasn’t looked back.

Bottom Line:

Prepare to pay. The prospect package would likely start with a pair of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects and go from there.

If you ask me if I would rather have Peralta or MacKenzie Gore, I lean towards Peralta. It’s only one fewer year of control, and Peralta’s consistent success is more desirable. However, that attribute is attractive to many teams. Hence, acquiring his services will be tough. Remember that the Brewers aren’t in the business of rebuilding. They are consistent NL Central contenders and are looking for prospects who can help them in the near term.

6. MLB Executives aren’t fond of the Yankees’ system.

The most humorous part of the poll was the refusal to credit the Yankees for their success in developing pitchers. I won’t claim the Yankees are the best at developing pitching. However, receiving zero votes is insane.  The Yankees have dealt countless pitching prospects in recent years, yet the same executives who refuse to give them credit are the ones constantly asking for their arms in trade talks.

Additionally, the Yankees’ 2025 rotation included Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Will Warren. 

I can be critical of the Yankees’ system at times. I don’t have the Pollyanna viewpoint that many others embrace. However, I don’t think it is fair to minimize their pitching pipeline. It’s been rather fruitful lately.

Bottom Line:

The entire series of “Executive Polls” is content creation and little else. I get that aspect. However, I can still be annoyed by the silliness.

The Yankees will continue to develop pitchers. A few more may make their debuts in 2026.