The New York Yankees have signed veteran utility man Pablo Reyes to a minor league contract, the New York Daily News’ Gary Phillips reported Monday.
Reyes last played for the New York Mets, appearing in one game as a pinch-runner on Sept. 1. Earlier in 2024, the 31-year-old infielder saw action in 22 games with the Boston Red Sox.
In 22 MLB games this season, Reyes hit .183 with zero home runs, five RBI, one stolen base, a .451 OPS and a -0.7 WAR. In 68 Triple-A games, he hit .300 with 12 home runs, 42 RBI, 15 stolen bases, an .889 OPS.
Phillips added that the Yankees had also signed right-handed pitcher Cristian Hernandez on Monday. The 24-year-old righty made it to Double-A in the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization before electing free agency earlier in November.
Reyes, given his age and big league experience, is far more likely to contribute for the Yankees in 2025. His deal also presumably includes an invitation to New York’s major league Spring Training camp in February.
Since making his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018, Reyes has hit .248 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 72 runs, 13 stolen bases, a .658 OPS in 233 games.
The Pirates ultimately cut Reyes loose in 2020, and he was suspended 80 games for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy shortly after. He appeared in 58 games with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021 and 2022, failed to latch on with the Oakland Athletics in 2023, then got traded to the Red Sox.
Reyes actually did a bit of damage in Boston in 2023, batting .287 with two home runs with 20 RBI, seven stolen bases, a .716 OPS and a 0.4 WAR in 64 games.
The Yankees are hoping they can get that kind of production out of Reyes in 2024, if they do wind up bringing him onto the big league roster. He has experience at all four infield positions, and he logged time
First baseman Anthony Rizzo and second baseman Gleyber Torres entered free agency after the World Series. Veteran DJ LeMahieu and trade deadline acquisition Jazz Chisholm Jr. are both under contract for two more years, but it remains to be seen where manager Aaron Boone wants to put them in 2025.
Jon Berti, Oswaldo Cabrera and prospect Caleb Durbin could figure into the mix in the infield as well.
