Infielder Kevin Smith has a deal in place with the Yankees. The player posted on X a picture of a kid, presumably Smith himself, in Yankee gear. The picture came with the caption “Headed Home for 2024.” The client of The Bledsoe Agency was born and played high school ball in East Greenbush, New York. Jon Heyman of The New York Post confirms that the two sides agreed to a deal, which Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reports to be a minor league contract. Hat tip to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News for passing along the post from Smith.
Smith, 27, spent the past two years with the Athletics after coming over from the Blue Jays in the Matt Chapman trade. Between those two clubs, he’s received 333 plate appearances at the big league level over the past three years but has hit just .173/.215/.301 in that time. He exhausted his final option year in 2023. The A’s non-tendered him at season’s end even though he was still two years away from qualifying for arbitration.
He has hit much better in the minor leagues and that continued in 2023. In 183 Triple-A plate appearances, he put up a huge batting line of .324/.372/.653. That came in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League but it still amounted to a wRC+ of 137. He also stole nine bases in that time and lined up defensively at second base, third base and shortstop for the Aviators.
In the big leagues, his glovework at shortstop hasn’t received amazing grades but he has been given strong marks at third. He’s also seen some very limited time at left field and first base.
The Yankees project to have Anthony Volpe at shortstop and DJ LeMahieu at third base. There have been some rumors of Gleyber Torres trades, which would free up second for LeMahieu, but Torres is still on the roster. The club also has Oswald Peraza, Oswaldo Cabrera and Jeter Downs on the roster as utility/depth options. If Smith is able to crack the roster at any point, he has just one year and 63 days of service time, meaning the Yankees could keep him around beyond 2024 if they would like.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
Clerks across America!! Rejoice!!!!
acoss13
Silent Bob is a Yankee!
Roidville Slugger
Definitely had to read that twice…haha. I completely missed it at first.
Boxscore
In other news Craig Breslow is still in a coma…
stymeedone
Yes, season is over for the Sox, now that the Yanks signed Smith. He would have moved Devers to the bench!
Boxscore
I should have posted instead after NYY traded for Juan Soto then?
99CaptainJudge99
It definitely looks like the Yankees are working on some move, or they could be just trying to add more depth. It might be Dylan Cease, Jesus Lazardo, Shane Bieber or someone else on their way. We’ll see.
Yankee Clipper
99CJ: From your mouth to the Lord’s ears. We sure need it to make the Soto acquisition a worthwhile trade.
stymeedone
Just adding depth.
28rings
Bunch of savages in this town
HatlessPete
Snoochy Boochies!!!
unpaidobserver
I’m not even supposed to be here today…
PinstripedPride
Wonder if this means Oswald Peraza is more available in a trade now
Paleobros
Perazably?
Dreg
Snoogans
10centBeerNight
More decent depth from Cashman here
Cknyc
cashman at the thrift shop as usual
derail76
Quick Stop, not the thrift shop.
TrumboRedux
“Quick” stop just sounds cheap and wrong. And a little dirty..
derail76
I’m sure Kevin Smith would argue with you about that, if he spoke.
BleedGreen
Kevin Smith shows up in Scranton and says to anyone who will listen “I’m supposed to be here today”. As a bat boy chuckles to himself.
Yankee Clipper
Yes, Way to go Cashman! To all the Yankee-hating naysayers, we just landed Yamam…no, Blake Sn…no, Dylan Ce… uhhh, hold on a second…Kevin Smith? Snooze button activated.
TrumboRedux
Congrats again Clip!!!
Yankee Clipper
Hey, I don’t mean to brag Trumbo, but looks like we are running the table on FAs this offseason. Guess the Dodgers are going to have to wait
TrumboRedux
Put in those pizza rolls baby!!!! Daddy is having a party!!!!!!! WoooOoOOOoooooo!!!!
Yankee Clipper
Haha! Oh man, You did it with my own words too!
TrumboRedux
Lol Snooze Button= ACTIVATED!
YankeesBleacherCreature
Only fitting that they signed Silent Bob since they already have Jay in CF.
DR2020
You laugh Clipper, but Cashman has prescience, genius and knowledge we could not possibly grasp, he already knows that this player is going to be the next Jeter. and who needs pitching anyway?
Yankee Clipper
Haha, true story, Doc. We sure are lucky to be graced with Cashman’s presence in Yankee Land – just ask Cashman!
TrumboRedux
I actually had to look up “prescience.” Glad if I am learning a new word that it’s from an MD!
Yankee Clipper
Trumbo, I’m glad you looked it up, but to be honest, I’m still struggling with whether the effort to look it up and not look ignorant is enough to overcome my deeply ingrained laziness.
Whoops, gotta go. Pizza rolls dinged!
TrumboRedux
I regret looking it up because I know I will probably never hear it be used again. And I certainly wont’t use it unless I am arguing with a Doctor or Lawyer. Which is entirely possible actually hah Anyways, keep the pizza rolls warm because Snell is coming off the board tonight. I say that every night but today is the day!
Yankee Clipper
Well, you’re right. It’s always today, so good call. And, if not for doctors and lawyers we would have no such thing as arguments! Well, save for politicians, but they’re all lawyers anyway.
Doc (above) is a good egg though. He peruses the boards and keeps it Yankees-centric. Been conversing with him a while about our frustrations with our beloved Yankees. It’s not his fault I’m stupid…haha.
TrumboRedux
Lol I was looking at your profile pic and it reminded me of one of my favorite Boone comments. “I’ve got a whole damn stable of guys who throw 98 mph!”
TrumboRedux
I knew Doc was a good egg as soon as he used the word “prescience.”
Yankee Clipper
Oh my, that spat with the Rays was something. Yeah, I lost all respect for Boone for singing “Under My Umbrella,” trying to be cool (relevant? Funny? Relatable? I don’t know). But from the manager of the NYYs… ugh, I was embarrassed. As you can tell, Trumbo, I’m not easily embarrassed by stupid things. That? Yeah, I vowed to keep him as my profile pic until he’s fired. That way all baseball fans are punished with seeing him, not just us – lolol.
TrumboRedux
Your pic is the cat’s pajamas Clip. I remember your vow…I do not though remember him singing….Do I need to youtube this?
DR2020
Haha. Your right Clip, he’s the only one who would agree I don’t even think his mother supports him any longer
DR2020
Cool Trumbo!
Yankee Clipper
No need, I did the work for you, friend…. Here’s one of them:
tiktok.com/@foulterritory/video/721168399860143236…
TrumboRedux
Thanks for the clip, Clip! Haha I have never seen that before….It is definitely cringe inducing, although I do give him credit for guts for even doing it. I feel like Boone is going to take the Yanks all the way. I don’t know when exactly, but I think he pulls it off. I would imagine his leash is short at this point, so he will have to make a serious mark this year to get another (final) crack at it next year.
Yankee Clipper
Oh man, I hope you’re right. If he does, he proves me wrong and I’m happy for it.
DR2020
lol. that was actually the Tampa rays managers quote, cash when he was with them in response to whatever bonehead said or done.
DR2020
Clip, you actually had respect for him at one time?
TrumboRedux
Thanks Doc, I must have mixed it up with Boone’s “savages” tirade haha
DR2020
As long as it’s to the Yankees!( Which I doubt unfortunately).
DR2020
Trumbo, who can keep straight all these various comments anyway. But I remember it was a quite threatening and rude comment to make at the time by cash. as he was threatening to unleash his gaggle of 98 mile an hour hurlers on the Yankee hitters.
99CaptainJudge99
Yes indeed Clip, being a Yankee’s fan is like always walking around in a land of confusion, we really never know what to expect from our chief of command. You want Dylan Cease? Well here’s Shane Bieber instead. You want Jordan Montgomery? Well here’s Edward Cabrera instead, yeah Cashman is definitely full of surprises, but he has something up his sleeve.
DR2020
Capt, i’ll take anyone at this point, we need bodies.
eddiemurraysafro
Rick Derris still gets all the ladies!
bluejays92
He seems like the type of player that wouldn’t be surprising to see signing in Japan or South Korea next year and then coming back stateside as an “intriguing” pick up after a couple of seasons there.
TrumboRedux
Jays92, I’ll set a reminder on my calendar for 2029 and make sure to keep an eye out for him.
RichP
Cashman of late only signs FA’s who hit under .200. It looks like it might be another long season…
Yankee Clipper
Not true. He will sign a player that hits over .200, as long as that player is injured more often than he plays.
DR2020
Clip, we are told batting average doesn’t matter, only launch angle,and exit velo!
Yankee Clipper
Lol, you’re right Doc. And, my response to them is…. It’s hard to have a launch angle or exit velo when you don’t hit the baseball!
GhostofRandySavage
Now now, Willie Calhoun hit at least .230 last year!
judgementday99
Now he’s scraping the bottom of the barrel from the bottom of the barrel (A’s).
DR2020
That’s his forte, Mr Judge. That’s why he gets the big bucks!
UncommonSense
I bet the Dodgers will sign Francis Ford Coppola to a deferred contract in response to this
Motor City Beach Bum
To film their last place finish for posterity?
TrumboRedux
That was cold blooded, MotorCity!!
Motor City Beach Bum
Too many years of my Tigers playing golf come playoff time has made me crusty 😉
scarfish
Bravo
UncommonSense
Leave the NLDS. Take the cannoli.
Red Sox Restoration Project
Yankees might have struck a gold mine here
Mercenary.Freddie.Freeman
Yankees would probably be just as well off signing Kevin Smith the actor.
178iq
Hahahahahahah
HatlessPete
Nah he’s a hockey guy.
Old York
Noice! Guy’s gonna rake. Future Hall of Famer. Book it!
178iq
It’s a minor league deal but still- is cashman a crack smoker? Maybe the Yankees need Kim Ng back!!!
178iq
And the Yankees sign a .173 hitter hahahahahaha the Yankees are just embarrassing.
Old York
@178iq
but… but… batting average doesn’t matter, the nerds all said. His BABIP is 0.230. Plus, he had his best season last year with Joakland, offensively. OPS+ of 54? He’s more than half the value of a replacement player! That’s worth something…
TrumboRedux
You can tell some people that a guy has a .000 BA and they will dismiss you and say that his advanced hitting metrics are stunning.
Ducey
Not sure you can conclude he has signed with the Yankees from the picture.
Maybe he grew up in a pumpkin patch?
Old York
Article also states:
Jon Heyman of The New York Post confirms that the two sides agreed to a deal, which Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reports to be a minor league contract.
Ducey
Thanks
I really thought the pumpkin patch theory was valid.
Good thing you could clear it up
28rings
wonder if he’s gonna wear number “thirty seven???!!!”
99CaptainJudge99
Hey no worries he’ll be playing a lot more then Wander Franco in 2024.
Rsox
They’d be better off wuth Jason Mewes
TrumboRedux
Or Mew the Pokemon for that matter.
Matthew De Lorge
The Yankees just won the offseason!
mlbnyyfan
I guess signing Chapman is not happening
jakethesnizake
This dude is a bum…not sure why this is even newsworthy on any reputable news source.
mostlytoasty
Lots of jokes and hating on this… but Smith was once a top ten org prospect for Toronto and rebounded in the minors after some struggles.
He can’t seem to figure out MLB pitching, but he sure as heck has hit very well at AAA. The last month of 2022, he put up quite literally the best slash line of any pro ball player (A-MLB), so I was hopeful he could break out finally in 2023. The A’s were the best chance to try and carve out an MLB role and he clearly didn’t rise to the challenge, so he seems destined to be a AAAA slugger.
Hope he figures it out though, but as far as depth infielders go, he’s a decent flier.
Dogleg62
Exactly…he also grew up in upstate NY as a Yankee fan (obviously) so it’s simply a minor league deal for a “local” kid who always wanted to wear the pinstripes. Sheesh!
YanksPhan42
Looks like he hits as well as Silent Bob too. Good lawd, I didn’t think we could find a shttier Tyler Wade!
Yanks2
Who?
Niekro floater
They’ll turn em into light hitting out of position CF now. Luv the backtrack on stroman, 4moment actually thought yanks had sum balls w/whole “nah” 2acquiring em. Pandering like a bad dog.
oneiblnd
Trade one of the Oswaldo’s and go get Bieber.
Probably "Rick hahn"
Smootchie Bootchies!
brucenewton
They were short an infielder at AAA. Some people read too much into a simple minor league depth signing.
Blue Baron
East Greenbush, NY
5 miles from Albany, NY
32 miles from Pittsfield, MA
157 miles from NYC
162 miles from Boston, MA
First mention ever on MLBTR?
Dogleg62
Possibly, for East Greenbush, but the Braves’ Ian Anderson also grew up in the Capital District region of Albany, NY too. Although he was in Clifton Park which is about 20 miles north of it.
ShieldF123
I live about 10 minutes from Clifton park. And about 15-20 from East Greenbush. Nice to see a local kid get a shot with the Yankees, kids living his childhood dream
Salzilla
You know, I had all the View Askewniverse jokes ready earlier, but couldn’t jump on. Now though, I’m more reverting to, come on already, Cash, let’s shore up that staff one way or another. You’ve got the money, ergo, you find yourself in a very actionable position.
Kevin Illyanovich Rasputin Kubusheskie
Tell Em SteveDave!
baseballguru
Cole and Soto leave NY Overhypers in 2025…drought continues to 16th year…prediction