The New York Yankees’ offseason momentum has come to a standstill in January. After a burst of activity following the Juan Soto trade, including signings and deals, the team has entered a quiet stretch. With February just days away and Spring Training rapidly approaching, several key gaps remain on the roster if the Yankees aim to defend their American League title and keep up with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
What moves does Brian Cashman have up his sleeve before the season begins? What can fans realistically expect in the coming weeks? Let’s dive into the latest rumors and possibilities.
MLB Rumors: Yankees in ‘holding pattern’ until Marcus Stroman trade
If you’re searching for the reason behind the Yankees’ recent offseason standstill, look no further than right-hander Marcus Stroman. The team is hovering just below the final luxury tax threshold, a line that owner Hal Steinbrenner seems unwilling to cross. For the Yankees to spend further and add talent, they first need to trim some payroll.
Stroman is the most obvious candidate for a salary dump. The veteran is owed $18 million in 2025, but the Yankees have no plans to include him in their starting rotation. The challenge, however, lies in finding a trade partner willing to take on his contract. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the situation has created a “holding pattern,” as the Yankees look to clear as much of Stroman’s 2025 salary as possible to free up resources for other moves.
Unfortunately, this holding pattern could persist longer than fans would hope. The market is still saturated with veteran pitchers, from high-profile names like Max Scherzer to more affordable options like Jose Quintana, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn. These alternatives carry fewer concerns than Stroman and come at a much lower price point. The Yankees may have to wait for the market to thin out and for a team to grow desperate enough to take on Stroman’s contract. Whether their free-agent targets will still be available by then is an entirely different matter.
MLB Rumors: Yankees sign top international prospect Mani Cedeno
The Yankees had initially hoped to use their international bonus pool this year to land Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki. However, after falling out of contention for his signature, they quickly shifted focus back to the traditional amateur market. That pivot appears to have paid off: over the weekend, the team reached an agreement with 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Mani Cedeno, ranked as the No. 11 prospect in this year’s international class by MLB Pipeline.
Cedeno reportedly signed for a $2.5 million bonus, underscoring the Yankees’ high expectations for his future. While projecting the careers of teenage prospects is inherently unpredictable, Cedeno’s skill set has scouts excited. He’s viewed as a strong candidate to remain at shortstop and boasts a projectable frame with significant offensive upside.
In recent years, the Yankees have ramped up their investment in Latin America, particularly in the Dominican Republic, building a robust pipeline of international talent. Cedeno could emerge as the latest success story from this increasingly fruitful system, though he’ll need several years of development before potentially making an impact in the Bronx.
MLB Rumors: Spencer Jones makes Aaron Judge-like tweak ahead of crucial season
When it comes to prospects, no one in the Yankees’ system may face a more crucial 2025 season than Spencer Jones, the power-hitting outfielder who had fans dreaming of a new Aaron Judge when New York selected him in the first round out of Vanderbilt in 2022. While Jones has certainly displayed immense power since turning pro, he’s also struggled with high strikeout rates as he’s moved up through the Minor Leagues.
At nearly 24 years old, Jones is coming off a mixed first season at Double-A in 2024, and 2025 could be a make-or-break year for his future. This will be the season when he either solidifies his status as a top prospect or raises significant concerns about his ability to make it at the big-league level. The encouraging news, however, is that Jones has been working hard this winter to refine his swing. Early reports suggest that his adjustments have led to a new, more polished approach, and when you flip him to the right side, his mechanics bear a striking resemblance to Aaron Judge’s swing.
That resemblance is certainly striking, but, of course, it’s all theoretical until Jones can translate it into game action. Aaron Judge is a once-in-a-generation player, particularly when it comes to his rare mix of power and strike-zone discipline. But Jones is still relatively young and a bit of a late bloomer, which adds some intrigue. He doesn’t have the kind of extensive high-level experience that most players his age would typically have, so there’s still room for growth. This makes 2025 a pivotal year for him—if he’s able to tap into his remaining potential, this could be the season where he takes a big step forward and starts living up to the hype.
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