Yankees Notes for 1/23
Other posts:
Cody Bellinger thoughts
Ryan Weathers acquisition
1/22/26
1. The Yankees claim OF Michael Siani, designate RHP Kaleb Ort for assignment
The 26-year-old Siani was the Reds’ 4th round pick in the 2018 draft. He has played in 160 games over the last five seasons with the Reds and Cardinals.
The Cardinals gave him an extended look in 2024, when he appeared in 124 games, hitting .228/.285/.285 in 334 plate appearances. He stole 20 bases in 23 attempts and led Major League Baseball with 11 sacrifice bunts.
So, how was a player who hit like that worth 1.1 fWAR? Two reasons: His baserunning and, especially, his elite-level defense. In 838.1 center field innings, he posted a remarkable +14 OAA and +8 DRS.
As for Ort, the Yankees claimed him off waivers from the Astros on January 9th. For a while, the Yankees had roster space on their 40-man roster. That is no longer the case, so it is time to play musical chairs. Once the Cody Bellinger transaction is official, another move will be needed.
Bottom Line:
Siani is a good depth signing. He brings nothing offensively (if he did, he would be a top 50% center fielder in baseball, given his defense), but a speed/defense guy is never a bad thing to have around.
Unlike yesterday’s claim (Marco Luciano), Siani has a minor league option. Hence, if he can survive on the 40-man roster through Spring Training, the Yankees can store him in Triple-A.
Ort was another face in the bullpen crowd. If Vegas had betting odds, he would have been one of the longest shots on the board to make the Yankees’ bullpen this spring.
2. The Tigers’ asking price for Tarik Skubal
According to Jon Heyman, the Tigers asked the Yankees for RHP Cam Schlittler, C/1B/DH Ben Rice, SS George Lombard Jr. and more for the back-to-back Cy Young Award winner.
Contrary to your initial reaction of horror, this is not an unreasonable ask. However, this trade will not happen. The Tigers are setting their price tag in the “You will never do this, but just in case” range for their star pitcher.
The Yankees need Rice’s production and Schlittler comes with several years of cheap team control. I don’t mind dealing prospects, but Lombard Jr. is a tough one for the Yankees to give up right now.
“I can’t wait until we are talking about this like when the Yankees wouldn’t give up a package with Miguel Andujar for Gerrit Cole!”
Yes, that’s possible a few years from now. If I could predict the future, I would be making the decisions, not writing about them.
Bottom Line:
It’s both a reasonable ask and a reasonable “No.” The Tigers are unlikely to retain Skubal, and if they fall out of the playoff picture in July, they can still flip him for something significant at the deadline. Given who he is, I don’t think he loses any value if he is a full-year rental or a three-month rental. The only way he loses value is injury or unexpected decline, and those are the risks the Tigers would be taking.
3. The Yankees place four prospects in the Pipleine Top 100
Yesterday, I said that I didn’t expect to see Dax Kilby on the list. Call me an idiot (I have been called worse), as Kilby is the #94 prospect in baseball.
The others making the list are SS George Lombard Jr. (#32), RHP Carlos Lagrange (#79), and RHP Elmer Rodriguez (#82).
Kilby, drafted 39th overall in the 2025 draft, is a shortstop who is likely going to find himself playing somewhere else in due time. As an 18-year-old, he hit .353/.457/.441 (159 wRC+) in 18 games for Tampa. He didn’t hit his first professional home run, but did steal 16 bases in 17 attempts. He instantly received rave reviews across baseball, and his inclusion on the list is based on that insane upside and buzz he generated. I don’t mind being wrong when I end up underestimating a prospect. It would be fun if at this time next year, the evaluators on MLB Network are talking about how he jumped 50 spots in the rankings.
Lagrange makes the list because of his eye-popping size and talent. His fastball reaches triple digits and sits at 97-99. Like many pitchers his size, his control sometimes eludes him. He made strides in High-A Hudson Valley in 2025, walking 7.1% of batters in 41.2 innings. However, the control issues resurfaced after his promotion to Somerset, where he walked 14.9% in 78.1 innings.
When a kid has this level of talent, however, you can accept some walks. You want the number to come down, but he can survive with a number that is higher than average. His ceiling is that of an ace-level pitcher. Every pitcher comes with a floor of crashing and burning, but where’s the fun in that? His floor feels like a high-leverage relief pitcher.
Rodriguez burst onto the scene in 2025. After being acquired from the Red Sox for Carlos Narvaez, he was able to progress from High-A Hudson Valley to Triple-A Scranton. His ability to strike out hitters (29%) and generate ground balls (54.5%) makes me drool. The Yankees seemingly have a logjam of starting pitching, but Rodriguez can still make it to MLB in 2026. This time last year, I would have laughed at you at the mere suggestion that Cam Schlittler would be a factor for the Yankees, never mind dominating the Red Sox in Game 3 of the Wild Card series.
Lombard Jr. has a lot of pressure on him heading into 2026. The Yankees have infield holes to fill, and are relying on him to move into the infield picture for 2027. Whether that is as a shortstop or second baseman is to be determined, but there isn’t anyone else on the immediate horizon.
Bottom Line:
I am pleasantly surprised about Kilby. The others were expected.
If you are wondering about Spencer Jones, it seemed unlikely he would stick around after sneaking in at #99 on the final 2025 list. A full reevaluation of the Top 100 was always likely to knock him off the list.
It’s all about the swing and miss. Complain about people (me) obsessing over that if you wish, but it’s reality. He’s either a unicorn or he needs to improve his bat-to-ball skills considerably.
Jones will probably be #5 on the Yankees’ Top 30, but don’t count out pitchers Bryce Cunningham and Ben Hess.