Major League Baseball's international signing period for 2026 began Thursday and runs until December 15. The signing period helps amateur prospects from outside the United States and Canada have an opportunity to sign professional contracts with MLB organizations.
The New York Yankees are one of the teams that are usually very busy negotiating deals with players they hope are baseball's next stars. This year, they have about $5.4 million in bonus pool money.
However, they have no international scouting director after firing Danny Rowland in November. Rowland was with the organization for 15 years, and the Yankees have yet to find a replacement.
Yankees are 'not close' to finding a new international scouting director
Sources close to the New York Daily News reported on Tuesday that the Yankees have not made significant progress in hiring a new international scouting director.
This could complicate the Yankees' system and signing process, pushing them behind in the race for several of the top international prospects. However, many of the players have verbal agreements with their future club well in advance of the signing day.
MLB Pipeline's No. 2 international prospect, shortstop Wandy Asigen, made headlines in December for backing out of his agreement with the Yankees and instead signing with the New York Mets for $3.9 million.
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