Another day passed on Monday, and it was one more day that free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger and his former team, the New York Yankees, failed to come to a contract agreement. Despite reportedly making a Bellinger reunion their top priority this offseason, general partner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman have shown no signs of improving on their reported offer of five years and $160 million.
One reported indication that the Yankees were willing to be at least slightly flexible emerged on Sunday when, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, it became likely âthat the Yankees would be willing to include opt-outs after year two and year three of the five-year deal,â he added.
But if that report is true, it has made no difference. Bellinger, acting with the advice of agent Scott Boras, has not signed a deal with the Yankees â or anyone else, despite strong interest from the New York Mets. But the Mets, according to another Athletic correspondent, Will Sammon, on Sunday, would prefer to land Bellinger on a short-term, high-salary contract, at fewer than the five years the Yankees are said to have offered.
Even as the stalemate continues, and the Yankees remain in need of another productive bat in the middle of their order, they have remained active in other areas. The Yankees made 14 signings on the opening day of the 2026 international free agent signing period last Thursday.
Teen Catcher Leads 2026 International Class
While Bellinger would help to solve one of the Yankeesâ most pressing problems, they addressed what could be developing into a serious problem for their future â the catching position.
With last yearâs regular first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, a former National League MVP, departing in free agency, the Bronx Bombers will be able to move last yearâs 26-home run-hitting rookie Ben Rice out of the catcherâs spot to first.
Unfortunately, that leaves only 2020 first-round draft pick Austin Wells, who managed just a .712 OPS last year, to handle the bulk of catching duties.
But catching could be a serious problem for the Yankees well into the future. Of New Yorkâs top 30 prospects as rated by MLB Pipeline, not a single one is a catcher.
That likely is why the Yankees added to their catching pipeline with four signings of teenage backstops in their 2026 international class â a group headed by 16-year-old right-handed-hitting catcher Kenneth Melendez, out of Venezuela.
Venezuelan Catcher Gets Biggest Yankee Bonus
Operating with a pool of $5.44 million â after losing $1 million from their bonus pool because last offseason they signed free agent starter Max Fried, who had declined a qualifying offer from the Atlanta Braves â the Yankees awarded Melendez their largest signing bonus of the year, $250,000, according to journalist Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.
According to a scouting report by Empire Sports Media, the 16-year-old displays âreal offensive promise.â
âEvaluators believe he has a chance to be the best player in the Yankeesâ international class this year,â wrote ESM correspondent Andres Chavez. âThere is real offensive promise in his bat, including the ability to handle more than just fastballs, and that matters at a position where offense is often a bonus rather than an expectation.â
On the other side of the ball, Melendez âalready shows soft hands and fluid movement behind the plate. Those are skills that cannot be taught easily, and they give him a projection edge as he grows into his frame,â according to Chavez.
The Yankees focused mainly on defense up the middle, signing only two international outfielders as they continue to deal with Bellingerâs current contract demands.
In addition to Melendez, the Yankees also signed, according to Romero, catchers Cesar Lopez for a $150,000 bonus, Abraham Pichardo for $100,000, Poly Ojeda for $30,000 and John Rosillo for a modest $10,000 signing bonus. All four catchers were signed by the Yankees out of Venezuela.
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