The New York Yankees have plenty of holes to fill this offseason, both on the roster and in the organization.
They began winter by not renewing the contract of their longtime international scouting director, Donny Rowland. Rowland spent the last 15 years as the Yankees' scouting director and was employed by the American League East club for the previous 23 years.
“His contract had expired,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters, including The Athletic's Brendan Kuty, on Wednesday evening at the GM meetings. “Just like anything else, you’ve got to make some very difficult decisions. I’ve been involved with Donny Rowland for a long time. … But, fork in the road, contract had expired, and I made the difficult decision to look for a different lead voice in that chair.”
Recent failed international signings
Most of New York's recent international signings have not panned out to become Major Leaguers. Luis Severino, Miguel Andujar, and Jasson Dominguez are the exceptions. Dominguez received a $5.1 million signing bonus from the Yankees out of the Dominican Republic in 2019, a club record.
Infielder Oswald Peraza signed with the Yankees as an international free agent from Venezuela in 2016, and received much prospect hype but never lived up to expectations at the plate. A mid-season trade in 2025 gave him a fresh start with the Los Angeles Angels.
South Korean second baseman Hoy Park earned a $1 million bonus from the Yankees in 2014, but played just one game with the club, and was out of MLB after 2022.
Several others did not live up to expectations, and the Yankees hope Dominguez, still just 22, becomes a superstar outfielder.