Yankees Receive Unfortunate News on Saturday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Jan 24, 2026 6:04 PM ET

The New York Yankees are heading into the 2026 MLB season with one of the strongest offensive lineups in baseball, headlined by superstar Aaron Judge.

While the offseason has been relatively quiet, the front office did secure a major piece by re-signing outfielder Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million contract. With Judge, Bellinger and the rest of the core returning, the expectation is that the offense can once again carry significant weight.

Even with that firepower, the lineup still has a clear weakness at shortstop. Anthony Volpe is projected to hold the position for a fourth straight season, but his offensive production has yet to match the organization’s hopes.

The 24-year-old has shown occasional flashes at the plate, though the overall results have been inconsistent. In 2025, he posted a .212 batting average, .272 on-base percentage, .663 OPS, 19 home runs and 72 RBIs across 153 games. His situation became more complicated this offseason when he underwent left shoulder surgery, ruling him out for Opening Day.

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

With Volpe’s long-term outlook uncertain, the Yankees have turned aggressively to the international free agent market in search of potential future solutions.

That pursuit, however, has hit multiple setbacks. In December, Dominican shortstop Wandy Asigen, one of the top talents in the 2026 international class, flipped his commitment from the Yankees to the Mets. Asigen had been ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in the class, making the loss a significant blow.

A similar issue surfaced again on Saturday. Mairon De La Rosa, the top international prospect for the 2027 class, has also parted ways with the Yankees, dissolving a previously agreed upon $4.3 million deal, according to MLB reporter Hector Gomez.

Gomez reported that the fallout stemmed from internal issues involving New York’s personnel in the Dominican Republic. “They have faced problems with their staff at the academy in DR,” he wrote on X.

These developments leave the Yankees searching for answers at a position that remains one of the few unresolved areas on an otherwise formidable roster.

For New York, losing two elite shortstop prospects in back-to-back cycles is a significant setback, especially at a position where the organization has been searching for long-term stability.

These misses create real frustration internally and among fans, as the club expected both players to be foundational pieces. Instead, the search for future shortstop help remains unresolved.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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