SNY | Andy Martino: The Yankees are moving on from two coaches after their elimination in the ALDS. As reported by Martino, bullpen coach Mike Harkey and infield/first base coach Travis Chapman will not
be returning for the 2026 season. Harkey is the more surprising move of the two — after an initial stint with the team from 2008-2013 (only leaving when offered the pitching coach job in Arizona), he’s manned the bullpen since 2016, spanning the tenures of both Joe Girardi and Aaron Boone. Chapman joined the major-league coaching staff in 2022 after coaching in the Yankees’ minor-league system.
Martino also reported that hitting coordinator Jake Hirst will be promoted to the MLB staff in a not-yet-announced role — perhaps in part due to the possible news in the next item. The 30-year-old has worked with quite a few of the younger players near the top of the organization since initially joining the organization in 2019, working his way up through the minors. Assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler might be reassigned. Also of note: Martino says that third-base coach Luis Rojas interviewed for the Orioles’ managerial vacancy, so it’s possible that the former Mets skipper moves on.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Another Yankees coach is under managerial consideration. The Yankees have granted the Twins permission to interview their hitting coach, James Rowson. The 39-year-old, who coached the highest-scoring offense in baseball this season, was the Twins’ hitting coach for three years, a stretch that included a record-setting, 307-homer 2019. Minnesota, who showed Rocco Baldelli the door after a 70-92 campaign, are also considering former Pirates skipper Derek Shelton and current Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez to take over the helm.
Brendan Kuty | The Athletic: ($) A prediction on which of the Yankees’ many impending free agents will remain with the organization and which will find employment elsewhere. Kuty has Cody Bellinger, who impressed in his first season in pinstripes, to re-sign — with the caveat that a hard push for Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker could complicate matters. Same for Luke Weaver, who’s had a largely successful Yankees tenure despite an implosion this October, Paul Blackburn, who joined late in the season and could be a low-risk play, and Tim Hill, on whom the team holds a $3 million option.
The highest-profile names projected to walk out the door include Trent Grisham, who had a charmed, 34-homer season and should have a robust market, and Devin Williams, who packed a career’s worth of highs and mostly lows into one year in the Bronx. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt, swingman Ryan Yarbrough, reliever Jonathan Loáisiga, and utilitymen Amed Rosario and Austin Slater round out the list of those expected to find new homes for 2026.
NJ.com | Adam Zagoria: Other teams are targeting Ben Rice in preliminary trade talks with the Yankees, per Jon Heyman. He also reports that New York is “understandably extremely reluctant to deal him” given his breakout rookie year. The catcher and first baseman swatted 26 home runs while knocking in 65 and posting an .836 OPS in his age-26 season while grading out at an elite level in everything from xwOBA to hard-hit rate. Assuming he sticks around and Goldschmidt moves on as Anthony Rizzo did before him, Rice will likely enter 2026 as the Yankees’ primary first baseman.
Jim Callis | MLB.com: Yankees No. 5 prospect Bryce Cunningham is playing for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League this offseason as he looks to rebound from a promising but injury-marred debut professional season. The Vanderbilt product posted a 2.14 ERA through his first seven starts at High-A this year before landing on the shelf with right shoulder issues in mid-May. He pitched only intermittently the rest of the way, making the opportunity to build up stamina in the offseason an enticing one. Cunningham’s best pitch is considered his changeup, which he’s working to implement more frequently.
Associated Press: MLB has officially set the 2024-25 offseason qualifying offer at $22,025,000, which jibes with what Joel Sherman reported at the end of September. Bellinger is ineligible for the QO since he was offered it last offseason, but Grisham could be a Yankees candidate to receive it if the Yankees are comfortable with the possibility that he accepts it. If they do offer it and he declines it, then they will be eligible for draft-pick compensation in 2026.
