Yankees Minor League Transactions Winter 2025-2026

Matthew Nethercott
Nov 28, 2025
3 min read

NEW YORK -- Every winter, MLB teams bring in talent for minor league depth for spring training. These talents sometimes make impacts on the big league roster, but often times are just for looks. Below is the Yankees list of minor transactions for this winter.

OF Yostin Pena

Yostin Peña is one of the more intriguing young outfielders rising through the Yankees’ international pipeline, known for his advanced offensive feel and rapidly improving physical tools. Signed out of the Dominican Republic, Peña has begun to separate himself with a smooth, leveraged right-handed swing that generates consistent line-drive contact and emerging game power as he continues to add strength. His approach is mature for his age—showing strike-zone awareness, the ability to use the whole field, and a growing knack for driving pitches in hitter’s counts. Defensively, Peña projects as a corner outfielder with solid instincts, an accurate throwing arm, and improving reads off the bat. While still developing, his blend of bat-to-ball skills, projection, and rapidly trending power gives him the profile of a breakout candidate in the lower minors and a name to monitor closely in the Yankees’ system.

RHP Michael Arias

Arias is a hard-throwing right-hander known for his electric fastball/slider combo and impressive strikeout ability in the upper minors. In 2025, he posted a 3.41 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 71.1 innings, showcasing the swing-and-miss stuff. While command can still waver at times, Arias’ raw stuff and improving consistency have positioned him as a rising arm to watch.

RHP Yerry Rodríguez

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Yerry Rodriguez (57) delivers against the Los Angeles Angels in the 12th inning of a baseball game.

Rodríguez is a 6′2″, right-handed relief pitcher. He made his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers on October 5, 2022. Over parts of 2022–2024, he posted 8.17 ERA, 36.1 innings pitched. He also racked up 33 strikeouts in 30 major-league appearances. In the minors he showed more promise — over 402.1 innings he struck out 475 batters with a 3.56 ERA — but consistency at the MLB level has eluded him so far.

SS Jonathan Ornelas

Jonathan Ornelas is a versatile, contact-oriented shortstop who spent 2025 showcasing his athleticism, defensive reliability, and improving offensive profile. He posted a .262/.318/.389 line with 9 home runs, 22 doubles, and 17 steals, while logging innings all around the infield. Known for his high baseball IQ and smooth infield actions, Ornelas could be an every day option for a contender.

C Antonio Gomez

The Yankees have excelled at teaching pitching in recent seasons. They hope to do the same with former catcher Antonio Gomez.

Antonio Gómez is a defense-first catching prospect known for his elite arm strength and advanced receiving skills, consistently posting pop times in the 1.85–1.90 range. Offensively, he’s shown modest progress, hitting .226 with 11 HR and a .671 OPS in 2025 across two minors levels, though his value remains anchored in his game-calling and leadership behind the plate. Gómez projects as a potential MLB-ready backup who can control the running game and handle a pitching staff at a high level.

RHP Yovanny Cruz

Yovanny Cruz is a hard-throwing right-hander known for his live fastball and developing power arsenal. After battling injuries early in his career, he regained momentum in 2025, posting a 3.48 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 51.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Cruz pairs his mid-90s heater with a sharp slider that misses bats, giving him late-inning or swingman upside as he continues to refine his command.