Touching a teammate’s glove is in the unwritten rule book of baseball, rumored to be a cause of “bad mojo.” Touching, taking, and selling your teammate’s glove is taking it to a whole other level.
Jake Sanford was a 2019 third-round pick and most recently played for the New York Yankees’ High-A ballclub, Hudson Valley Renegades. After a weeks-long investigation by the Yankees, Sanford was informed he was being released on Thursday, May 19.
According to reports from NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty and Sports Illustrated, Sanford took teammates equipment to sell online from their lockers. Fans also aired grievances claiming the prospect would not deliver on items that had been purchased.
That’s a double steal.
In the minors, players are given player comparisons. Top Yankee prospect Anthony Volpe has been drawing comparisons to hall of fame shortstop Derek Jeter. In a less noble comparison, Sanford is now being compared to former Yankee Rubén Rivera. Ironically, Rivera was released after stealing and selling Jeter’s glove and bat in 2002.
In his short 161-game career with the Yankees, Sanford hit .267, 23 home runs, and 88 RBI. He stole seven bases, was caught five times, and was also caught once off the field.
In more promising Yankee prospect news, farmhand Jasson Dominguez has been on a tear after a slow start that left fans starting to wonder if he’s going to be the real deal.
Since his slow start, the top prospect is 27-for-86 (.314) with seven doubles, a triple, five home runs, nine walks, and a .920 OPS. Dominguez is 19 and is in Low-A Tampa Bay, where he played all of last year, a possible promotion could be on the horizon if he continues to produce like he is supposed to.
The Yankees currently have five top 100 MLB prospects according to MLB Pipeline. Star shortstop Anthony Volpe currently resides in AA Somerset and sits at fifth in the top 100.
Volpe had an impressive 2021 season for the Low-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley teams, forcing the Yankees to promote him again this season. Volpe hit .294 with 35 doubles, 27 home runs, and 86 RBI in 109 games between the two levels.
At spots 55 and 56, the Yankees have another shortstop, Oswald Peraza and the previously mentioned Jasson Dominguez. Peraza is the AAA shortstop in Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Fans have wondered how the Yankees would fit both Volpe and Peraza into the major league picture, but with Peraza hitting just .194 this year, it seems Volpe may be the favorite to take the spot in the Bronx.
Rounding out the list at 89 and 91 is catcher Austin Wells and pitcher Ken Waldichuk. Wells was a first-round pick in 2020 for the Yanks and has really picked up the hitting this year, the exact reason the Yankees were drawn to him. In 28 games, he has six home runs, 16 RBI, and is hitting .323 in High-A. Catcher may not end up being his position, but if he continues to swing a good bat, the Yankees will make room for his power bat.
Waldichuk is a left-handed pitcher who was promoted to AAA and made his first start Sunday. He went 5.1 innings, gave up one run, three hits and struck out nine. Opponents are hitting .158 against the 24-year-old this season.
The future looks bright in the Bronx. So long as the only thing being stolen is bases.
