By: James Vlietstra
Published: January 24th, 2024
Fans of Major League Baseball teams support their favorite teams. They see the 26 active players and occasionally hear about a 40 man roster. But does the typical fan realize exactly how many moving parts are part of fielding the team and its affiliates?
Because of various reasons, including injuries and trades, most teams use close to 50 players in any given year. In 2023, the Yankees fielded 55 players.
Some information on minor league players is difficult to obtain, especially on injured players. But, as best as I can figure, overall, the Yankees employed 412 different players during the calendar year. Some may not have even played a single game for the organization. Many may not ever make it to full season affiliated ball.
Please look through the spreadsheet and become familiar with some of the names.
I have gone through and tallied some information together for you. You can find the full data set here and in full at the bottom of this article.
How Were They Acquired?
International Free Agent: 178
Drafted: 96
Free Agent: 54
Trade: 40
Undrafted Free Agents: 30
Rule 5: 5
Claimed: 5
Bought: 2
What Positions Do They Play?
Right Handed Pitchers: 191
Outfielder: 64
Left Handed Pitcher: 41
Shortstop: 40
Catchers: 32
First Baseman: 14
Third Baseman: 13
Second Baseman: 10
What Year Were they Born?
2000: 53
2001: 43
1998: 37
1997: 35
2004: 32
2002: 31
2003: 27
1996: 23
2005: 22
1997: 18
1994: 16
1995: 15
2006: 9
1993: 9
1992: 8
1991: 5
1989: 5
1990: 4
1988: 2
1987: 2
1985: 1
There’s 128 of these players that are no longer on the team. Here’s how they left:
Released: 71
Free Agent: 32
Traded: 16
Rule 5: 7
Retired: 1
Restricted: 1
The way I have made myself very knowledgable about each of the Yankees minor league affiliates and the players on each of the teams was to simply "like" the Facebook pages of each of the teams (Tampa, Hudson Valley, Somerset, & Scranton-Wilkes Barre). Since I can't get to any of their games (I live in Los Angeles, transplanted from New York City 20 years ago), I follow all of the affiliates and their players closely that way, through their Facebook pages. In the old days (before Facebook and before the internet existed), I subscribed to Yankees Magazine, which does a whole page feature article on each of the minor league affiliates, and through that, I watched minor league players li…
JAMES - THIS IS AMAZING!
Thank you!!!
Actually it's a lot more complicated than the writer made it out to be, but he did a great job. I realized all about the minors when I was 14. Never really liked all the veteran signings. Yes, some are necessary but too many times they stunt a lower level prospect. And as an adult, I hate hiw Cashman signs these guys. Actually, I really hate the whole development plan that they have now. Too many times it costs money too. Like can anyone tell me why Jake Lamb got AAA ABs while Ben Rice mashed at AA? That's just last years example.
I never understood that deal either. Its not like they are loaded with 3d prospects ready to play at MLB level.
Good job. But Chapparo signed immediately with Arizona after the Yankees released him. He is a hardhitting 3b, who hit 25 hrs last year. Do not know why the Yankees dropped him. He is only 25 years old and while his defense is good but not stellar, he makes hard contact. Last year his strikeout rate increased (probably unfamiliarity with his first year in triple a ball). Good pick up by Arizona.