NEW YORK YANKEES
2025 finish: 94-68 (2nd in AL East, lost in ALDS)
Manager: Aaron Boone (697-497, 9th season)
Leading the front office: Brian Cashman, senior vice president and general manager (29th season)
DOLLARS AND SENSE
Largest luxury tax hit: OF Cody Bellinger ($44.8 million)
Top returning players: OF Aaron Judge (10.1 fWAR), Bellinger (4.9), 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (4.4)
Top returning starting pitchers: LHP Max Fried (4.8), LHP Carlos Rodon (3.2), RHP Will Warren (2.1)
Top returning relievers: RHP David Bednar (0.8), RHP Fernando Cruz (0.8), RHP Camilo Doval (0.1)
ROSTER WATCH
Key additions: LHP Ryan Weathers (trade), SS Paul DeJong (minors), OF Seth Brown (minors), RHP Angel Chivilli (trade), RHP Rafael Montero (minors), RHP Dylan Coleman (minors), OF Randal Grichuk (minors)
Key losses: RHP Devin Williams (free agent), RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (free agent), RHP Luke Weaver (free agent), INF D.J. LeMahieu (free agent), RHP Marcus Stroman (free agent), RHP Ian Hamilton (free agent), RHP Scott Effross (free agent), OF Austin Slater (free agent), RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (free agent), RHP Jake Cousins (free agent)
Baseball America top-100 prospects: SS George Lombard (46), RHP Elmer Rodriguez (59), SS Dax Kilby (61), RHP Carlos Lagrange (93)
TAMPA, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 25: Ryan Weathers #40 of the New York Yankees pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals during a Grapefruit League spring training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 25, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
KEEP AN EYE ON
RHP Gerrit Cole was back to facing hitters early in spring training after losing all of 2025 to Tommy John surgery. He should return at some point this season. In the interim, the Yankees will hope that RHP Cam Schlittler’s back inflammation doesn’t sideline him long and that LHP Ryan Weathers, a former Padres first-rounder, acclimates quickly after the trade from Miami.
With Trent Grisham (34 HRs, .811 OPS) accepting a qualifying offer and Cody Bellinger (29 HRs, .813 OPS) returning after flirty with free agency, the Yankees boast the game’s best outfield. Aaron Judge, of course, leads the way after mashing 53 homers (1.144 OPS) on the way to his third MVP in the last four years.
La Costa Canyon grad Spencer Jones has yet to make his MLB debut, but he has nothing left to prove in the minors after hitting 35 homers in 116 games (.932 OPS) split between Double-A and Triple-A. If only there was room in that Yankee outfield.
Fangraphs projection: 86.1 wins