It’s that time of year when the Yankees look to fill the roles that free agents have left vacant, and this year, the Yankees had a number of players that opted free agency.
This article will be continuously updated as player signings are announced.
Catchers
Payton Henry (Phillies AAA)
When researching Henry, the first two videos I found were a grand slam against a potential battery mate, Cam Schlittler (an ironic sight given Henry may be a taxi squad catcher), and a blooper against Scranton’s AAA affiliate that Jahmai Jones misplayed, allowing Henry an RBI double. Notably, Henry’s pop time is weaker than average, even slower than Ben Rice’s, according to Baseball Savant. Given that the first four videos on his profile are against the Yankees’ AAA affiliate, it’s highly likely internal pro scouts have been tracking Henry, especially following the loss of Jesús Rodríguez to San Francisco in the Doval trade.
Henry, a right-handed hitter with a small leg kick, was a 6th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2016 MLB Draft out of Pleasant Grove HS in Utah. His career totals include a .253/.332/.405/.737 slash line with 63 home runs and 306 RBIs. The 6-1, 229 lb stocky catcher showed increased power last season with AAA Lehigh Valley, hitting .249 with 11 HR and 47 RBI, a higher home run total but fewer RBIs than both Rodríguez and Escarra. However, due to his slower pop time, base runners steal off him with ease, an area the Yankees’ defensive coaches will likely focus on improving.
Miguel Palma (Astros AAA)
Palma, a 23-year-old Venezuelan signed by the Astros in 2018, experienced a challenging, injury-plagued 2025 season. His performance was significantly below expectations, with him hitting well under the Mendoza line. His season didn’t truly begin until mid-July, and his poor play led to his demotion from AAA Sugar Land to AA Corpus Christi in early August.
Across both levels, Palma struggled at the plate, batting .173 in 15 games with Sugar Land and a meager .138 in 18 games with Corpus Christi. Despite these low averages, the 5-foot-9 player still managed to drive in 8 RBI on 17 hits, with his power showing in 8 doubles and 1 home run. This difficult year followed a more respectable 2024 season where he posted a .232 batting average.
Ali Sánchez (Mets AAA)
Infielders
Ernesto Martinez Jr. (1B/OF, Brewers)
Martinez Jr. stands out among the newly signed batters, offering a potentially significant power boost for the Yankees, particularly given the short porch in both Tampa and the Bronx. His 6’6″ frame, open left-handed stance reminiscent of Elly De La Cruz, and substantial raw power make him an intriguing prospect. While he may need time to find his rhythm, as noted by Francys Romero, Martinez Jr. possesses decent speed—average from home to first (50 grade) but elite from first to second (80 grade). The double used to clock his speed had an exit velocity of 114 MPH, a figure usually only reached within the organization by Giancarlo Stanton or Aaron Judge. In fact, Martinez Jr. is the same height as Stanton but is more muscular, suggesting considerable untapped power potential that the Yankees’ hitting coaches will aim to unlock.
Zach Short (SS/3B/2B/LF, Astros)
Acquired by the Yankees in the recent rush of signings, Short stands out among the minor leaguers with the most Major League playing time (as of December 19, 2025). He was notably part of a 2020 one-for-one trade with the Tigers, which sent former Yankee and YES Network personality Cameron Maybin to the Cubs.
Short is intended to provide utility depth, and his 2025 season with AAA Sugar Land (Astros) showcased a mix of struggles and power. In 112 games, his slash line was .200/.341/.364/.705—right at the Mendoza line—but he also hit a personal high of 15 home runs.
However, Short’s primary value is his defense. His fielding is reliable across the infield, much like former Yankees prospect Oswaldo Cabrera. He recorded only 10 errors in 470 total chances, with a fielding percentage of .963 in 597 innings at shortstop (9 errors), which is comparable to Anthony Volpe. He is demonstrably better at third base, where he posted a .980 fielding percentage in 183.2 innings.
Pitchers
Drake Fellows (RHP, Pirates)
Fellows, a 6-foot-5 pitcher and Vanderbilt alumnus, fits the profile of players the Yankees have recently favored. The right-hander split time between starting and relieving in 2025, appearing in 33 games with 19 starts and one hold, finishing the season with a 4.41 ERA. His performance was marked by significant inconsistency throughout 2025. For example, he posted an elite 1.15 ERA over 15 and 2/3 innings in May, followed by a 6.91 ERA in 14.1 innings in June, before rebounding with a 2.88 ERA across 25 innings in July. Notably, Fellows showcased a dominant stretch between April 23 and June 4, where he allowed only 4 runs over 20 innings (1.80 ERA) in 9 appearances, striking out 26 batters (11.7 K/9) in that span.
Fellows boasts a five-pitch repertoire, including a two-seamer/sinker and a four-seamer, both clocking in the upper-80s. He also utilizes a curveball (upper-70s), a slider (low-80s), and a changeup (low/mid-80s). The significant vertical drop, over 40 inches, on both his slider and curveball is a key factor in his high strikeout rate.
Bradley Hanner (RHRP, Guardians)
Hanner struggled for much of the 2025 season, posting an ERA above 6.00 in three of the six months. However, he delivered a strong performance in July, not allowing an earned run across 7 and 2/3 innings. A key area for improvement, and likely a focus for Yankees pitching coaches, is his command, which appeared inconsistent in games reviewed for this article. Columbus’ commentator summed Hanner’s 2025 season like this: “There are times when he really has the sweeper working, and he can dazzle you. He’s also had games where he has been bitten by the home run ball.”
Hanner employs a diverse six-pitch arsenal: a low-90s four-seam fastball, an upper-70s sweeper, a mid/upper-80s slider, a mid-80s changeup, a low-90s two-seamer/sinker, and an upper-80s cutter. Similar to Fellows, Hanner’s primary “out pitch,” the sweeper, exhibits exceptional vertical drop, exceeding 40 inches.
Tijn Fredrikze (IFA)
Fredrikze is the international signing I anticipate following most closely in 2026, as he will likely start his career stateside in either the FCL or Low-A Tampa. Public information is scarce, which is common for IFA players, but he did pitch two seasons in the Dutch Major Leagues, compiling a 4.25 ERA across 78-1/3 innings. While his 11.3 K/9 rate is notable, his performance once he begins playing in the US remains to be seen.
Chase Chaney (RHP, Twins)
Chaney, who spent most of 2025 with the Twins’ High-A affiliate, Cedar Rapids, posted a 3.68 ERA over 107.2 innings pitched. While not known as a strikeout pitcher, he boasts elite control, evidenced by a career 2.89 BB/9 and an impressive 2.26 BB/9 in 2025. For the record, Chaney had a 6.86 K/9 in 2025.
In one notable performance in August against the Athletics’ High-A affiliate, Lansing, Chaney struck out eight batters in five innings—a season high. I reviewed the game shown below, where he displayed above-average command, sitting down the first eight consecutive batters in a perfect game bid (which might have continued had he not faced Emaarion Boyd’s speed). His arsenal included a low-90s fastball, a slider, and a changeup.
Travis MacGregor (RHP, Brewers)
MacGregor, a Tampa Bay-area native, represents a high-strikeout, high-walk reliever with potential. While his command is middling, leading to a 4.94 ERA and a high 4.94 BB/9 primarily as a closer, he compensates with swing-and-miss stuff, posting a 9.71 K/9 in 2025, slightly above his 9.13 career average.
His three-pitch mix (reviewed in this game) features a low-to-mid-90s two-seamer with arm-side run and a conventional four-seamer, but the most exciting pitch is his sweeper-slider. This pitch generates significant horizontal movement and a high whiff rate, though it often finishes outside the strike zone. If the Yankees/Patriots coaching staff can help MacGregor refine the command of his sweeper-slider, he has the potential to be one of the most impactful bullpen signings of the offseason.
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