Yankees news: Mani Cedeno signs, Danny Coulombe could be a target

Spring Training is just around the corner and the New York Yankees' front office has been busy this week. Brian Cashman and his staff have done a bit of long range planning with the signing of a high-level prospect but most fans are more interested in what they're doing to fortify the 2025 roster.

One of the team's biggest holes to fill before Opening Day is to sign a left-hander capable of handling high-leverage situations. The Yankees have been prominently linked to both Tim Hill and Andrew Chafin in free agency. This week's news cycle has the Bronx Bombers looking to an AL East rival to reinforce manager Aaron Boone's bullpen.

Yankees news No. 1; Andrew Coulombe could of interest to the front office

Credit Empire Sports Media for the idea that Andrew Coulombe could be the answer to the Yankees' bullpen conundrum. The 34-year-old reliever made 33 appearances for the Orioles last year and pitched to an impressive ERA of just 2.12.

His experience in the division should appeal to the decision makers in the Bronx. That isn't the only reason why he's being linked to the Yankees though. His pitch mix also fits into what the coaching staff likes to see out of the bullpen.

Coulombe relies heavily on his cutter and sweeper to get hitters out. Those are two pitches that Yankee pitching coach Matt Blake likes to help veterans add once he gets his hands on them.

One advantage Coulombe can give the team over Hill is that he's got more swing-and-miss stuff. He struck out over one batter per inning last year for Baltimore. Hill is more of a ground ball specialist than a strikeout guy. If the Yankees want to land a bargain lefty who can get key strikeouts down the stretch they could do a lot worse than Coulombe.

Yankees news No. 2: Cashman lands Mani Cedeno

Signing high-ceiling international prospects is nothing new for the Yankees. Jasson Dominguez is the latest bonus baby slated to make his breakthrough in the Bronx. Sixteen-year-old shortstop Mani Cedeno is the latest young international to join the team's youth pipeline.

Per MLB.com, the Yankees landed Cedeno by offering him $2.5 million in bonus money. That still leaves New York with more than $4 million to spend on additional international prospects in their 2025 class. That's a different strategy than Cashman employed with Dominguez who got almost all of the team's international allocation.

Cedeno's age means he won't be expected to make an impact in the majors for quite some time. Team scouts are excited about the youngster's instincts and feet on defense at short. He also possesses a nice combination of bat speed and foot speed that could help him become a high-quality offensive player in time.

As it stands, Cedeno will join a quality group of shortstops in the team's pipeline. Roderick Arias and George Lombard are two of the team's top prospects who also play the position. It's clear the Yankees are correctly prioritizing acquiring talented prospects at premium positions regardless of who else might block them in the pipeline.

Cedeno is a name for Yankees fans to file away even if he won't even come to the United States for another year or two. He's a long-term play for the franchise that could pay off big if things break right.

Yankees news No. 3: The battle to win the backup catcher job will stretch into Spring Training

The Yankees do not project to have a ton of roster battles in Spring Training but the backup catcher spot is something fans should keep an eye on. Several players have a chance to win the right to backup Austin Wells if they can impress the coaching staff before Opening Day.

Alex Jackson is likely the best defensive option available to Boone and his coaching staff. He's not a good hitter but he threw out almost 30 percent of runners who tried to steal on him last year for the Rays. That's a valuable skill for a team that struggled to contain opposing run games in 2024.

If the Yankees want to deploy a stronger bat at the backup catcher spot then Ben Rice or J.C. Escarra might get the nod. Rice showed some promise at the plate for New York but almost exclusively played first base at the major league level despite coming up as a catcher. Escarra showed some pop at the plate in the minors last year but he's a non-prospect at the age of 30.

Rafael Flores is a prospect who might find his way to the majors later in the year if he continues to develop in New York's minor league system. He showed real pop last season but hasn't played above AA. The team will likely give him an extended run in the minors before rushing him to the cauldron that is the Bronx.

Wells is going to get a lot of playing time as long as he stays healthy but the Yankees need to find a solid backup who they can trust. Fans should expect to see a lot of different catchers in Spring Training in an effort to see who Boone likes the most.