Fresh off executing the blockbuster acquisition of Juan Soto, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman addressed the superstar’s future on Thursday afternoon.
Soto, projected to make $33 million in his final year or arbitration, is a Scott Boras client and is expected to test free agency next winter. The 25-year-old rejected a 15-year, $440 million extension from the Nationals two seasons ago, which preceded his trade to San Diego.
Now the Yankees have traded for Soto with the understanding that he could bolt after 2024.
“I have not had any conversations regarding that,” Cashman said over Zoom when asked if Soto would be open to an extension before free agency. “So we understand that he’s a free agent at the end of this term. We understand that it’s a possible short-term situation.”
Prior to the trade, Boras said that he hasn’t discussed the possibility of an extension with Soto.
Of course, the Yankees will certainly try to make the most of the guaranteed year they have with the slugger. Cashman said he wants the Yankees to be the “Mecca of baseball” when it comes to attracting talent, and he touted the team’s incumbent personnel, intent to win, care for players’ families, a passionate fanbase, and life in the tri-state area.
“There’s a lot to offer,” Cashman said. “So I think that’s a recruiting beacon for anybody, even though the question is specifically about Juan Soto.
“If we take care of stuff like that, that recruiting effort becomes somewhat automatic. But hey, there’s 29 other teams with tremendous opportunities and cities out there and people in their own right and operations that they run. So that’s why it’s always a competition.”
It remains to be seen just how much time Soto will spend in pinstripes, as the Yankees will still have a few other long-term contracts already on their books next offseason. For now, Cashman is simply looking forward to Year 1 of Soto as the Yankees set their sights on more than just a return to the playoffs.
“Clearly, it’s always fluid,” Cashman said of Soto’s future. “You’re always taking everything under advisement, staying connected with ownership. But we’re just very proud of the fact that we can call him a Yankee at this time and with the full intentions of taking a shot at a title.”
HOW THE DEAL WENT DOWN
Cashman said that the Yankees explored deals for Soto and Alex Verdugo, another new addition, at this past summer’s trade deadline. Those conversations proved informative, as all the teams involved were able to gather information on players of interest.
“These efforts weren’t the first attempts to acquire these players,” Cashman said of the two completed trades.
As for Soto, Cashman said talks restarted in earnest at the GM Meetings in Scottsdale last month. There, Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller met with Cashman and Yankees advisor Omar Minaya, who used to work with Preller.
Cashman said negotiations were interrupted by the death of late Padres owner Peter Seidler and San Diego’s managerial search, but talks reignited a week before the Winter Meetings. The two sides finally reached an agreement on Wednesday night, with Soto and Trent Grisham going to New York for Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Kyle Higashioka.
“I think both teams, in the end, got exactly what they would be looking for,” Cashman said. “It hurt a lot on our end to give up some real pieces, but you have to give to get, as you all know, and so we certainly imported one of the best hitters the game has today.”
On Wednesday, numerous reports said that the Soto deal was close to being finalized early in the day. Yet hours went by without any concrete report of a done deal or an official announcement. Some wondered if the Padres took any issue with the medicals involved. Others speculated that Preller might be trying to squeeze another player into San Diego’s return.
However, Cashman said that he didn’t have any issues with his counterpart or the process. He said that the Padres had to be thorough reviewing the medicals of five players, and he also noted that Preller had to present a scouting award at the Winter Meetings, which delayed things.
“Everything was all good,” Cashman said.
Cashman also said that Preller asked about Anthony Volpe and Jasson Domínguez at one point, but the Yankees were intent on keeping them.
MUM ON PAYROLL
Cashman continued the Yankees’ tight-lipped approach to their 2024 payroll expectations, but it’s certainly plausible that they exceed $300 million. Hal Steinbrenner has been reluctant to touch that figure in the past, but he also didn’t rule out the possibility earlier this offseason.
The Yankees are now focused on securing the services of Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is bound to inspire a bidding war among suitors. The Mets are also expected to be serious players.
“I wouldn’t comment on payroll other than to restate that the Steinbrenner family is constantly committed and pouring back into this franchise with the intent and effort to have a world championship banner flying again here in the Bronx,” Cashman said. “That’s always there. Pitching is definitely an area of focus, without a doubt. It was before these deals.”
PITCHING PRAISE
The Yankees’ pitching, scouting and player development personnel deserve some credit. Those aspects of the organization had a huge impact on the Soto trade, and on the fact that the Yankees still have considerable pitching depth following the deal and a costly Rule 5 Draft.
“I think our pitching department, our player development department, they do a great job,” Cashman said. “We have really good people. We have scouting directors with their scouts on the amateur side and on the international and domestic [sides] who do an amazing job onboarding talent, and then the player development system that Kevin Reese runs with his various coaching staffs, I think they’re doing an exceptional job.”
Between the Soto and Verdugo trades and the Rule 5 draft, the Yankees lost nine pitchers who either have MLB experience or were reasonably close to debuting. However, the team still has some starting depth at the upper levels, including Will Warren, Chase Hampton and Clayton Beeter, among others.
