After a few months of uncertainty, the New York Yankees have finally named a new Director of International Scouting: Mario Garza. Meanwhile, Aaron Judge is the cover athlete of MLB The Show 26 and the organization claimed Don Hamel via waivers.
Yankees hire Mario Garza as new Director of International Scouting
The Yankees have finally put an end to a prolonged and damaging search for a Director of International Scouting by hiring Garza, a familiar face with deep organizational roots.
Garza spent 16 years with the franchise in various roles, including Director of Baseball Development, and brings experience as a former player, minor league manager, and coach. His hiring comes after weeks of uncertainty following the firing of Danny Rowland, a period that saw the Yankees lose key international free agent commitments and face conflicting reports about how those situations unraveled.
The regime change was driven largely by the organization’s struggles to convert major international signings into legitimate prospects, with Roderick Arias becoming a prime example of a once-hyped investment that fizzled out. The Yankees are now hoping Garza can stabilize a scouting pipeline that has dried up in recent years, even if the short-term damage to upcoming international classes can’t be undone. The bet is that long-term structure and experience will outweigh recent missteps.
Yankees’ Aaron Judge named cover athlete for MLB the Show 26
Judge is once again the face of MLB The Show, as the Yankees’ superstar has been named the cover athlete for MLB The Show 26. After some initial confusion sparked by the game’s announcement that there wouldn’t be a “new” cover athlete, it was revealed that Judge would repeat the honor he last held in MLB The Show 18. Nearly a decade later, Judge returns to the cover having firmly established himself as one of the greatest hitters of his generation.
Since his first appearance, Judge has added three MVP awards and is preparing for his debut in the World Baseball Classic, where he’ll serve as Team USA’s captain. His return to the cover also highlights how rarely Yankees players have been featured by the franchise, with Judge accounting for the team’s only two appearances in the last 20 years. MLB The Show 26 is scheduled to be released on March 17, 2026 across all major gaming platforms.
Yankees claim Dom Hamel and DFA two depth players from 40-man roster
Roster math forced the Yankees into action, as the club trimmed its 40-man roster by designating Jayvien Sandridge and Marco Luciano for assignment while adding right-hander Dom Hamel off waivers. Sandridge struggled in limited big-league action, while Luciano was cut just days after being claimed, making both expendable once Cody Bellinger’s contract became official.
Hamel, a former Mets third-round pick, once looked like a fast-rising pitching prospect after dominating Double-A, but his momentum stalled badly at the Triple-A level. Despite a deep pitch mix, declining strikeout rates and poor run prevention have followed him in recent seasons. The Yankees are taking a low-risk flyer, though Hamel’s roster spot is far from secure if additional moves are made in the near future.