2 Yankees players fans wish were on the non-tender chopping block, 2 that actually are

The non-tender deadline is just a couple of weeks away. On November 20, every MLB club will have to make decisions on whether it wants to tender a contract for 2027 to each of its players under team control. Undoubtedly, many players throughout the league will shake free as a result, and it will be no different for the New York Yankees.

The biggest consideration here for the Yankees is whether or not a player has a clear role. Those who do will stick around. Those who don't will get their walking papers. The financials aren't as much of a concern for the Yankees as they are for other teams, but roster spots are valuable commodities in New York.

With that in mind, we're going to be frustrated by some of the decisions. There are going to be players we're tired of seeing who will stick around, and there will be others who will be let go, even though we might not want to see them leave.

These two Yankees players won't get non-tendered, even if fans are sick of them

Anthony Volpe

George Lombard Jr.'s call-up in August seemed to shut the door on the Anthony Volpe experience in the Bronx, but it's not that easy to get rid of the Golden Boy. Volpe took his last demotion of 2026 and decided to channel his inner Barry Bonds down in Scranton. From August 7 through September 7, Volpe hit .284/.381/.642. However, when he resurfaced in the majors on September 10, he hit a predictable .265/.308/.388 the rest of the way.

After so many years, it's pretty safe to say that this is who Volpe is. The song has been the same season after season, and now it's known that the 25-year-old has been resistant to infusing analytics into his approach. However, unless something happens, Volpe has an inside track to the starting second base job. Even if the Yankees bring in a higher-end option, Volpe still has team control through 2029 and has a pair of minor league options remaining. They're not cutting bait on a player like that.

Jasson Dominguez

When we talk about having a role on the roster, there's no player who is more in limbo than Jasson Dominguez. The Martian can't play center field, couldn't adapt to left, and struggled in right. Are we really going to have a 23-year-old DH? Even worse, he's a switch hitter who can't hit from the right side. The Yankees have an abundance of lefty bats, but Dominguez can't even be a solution as a right-handed caddie.

In this way, Dominguez is the exception that proves the rule. While he has no place on the big league roster, he's still a year away from hitting arbitration, has an option remaining, and again, is just 23 years old. Cutting him loose now would be admitting defeat. Instead, the Yankees probably look to see if he can rebuild some trade value in Scranton so that they can deal him for something more than just a spare part.

Barring a trade, these two Yankees are as good as gone by the non-tender deadline

Clarke Schmidt

In theory, Clarke Schmidt could be a useful piece. He had a 3.32 ERA over 14 starts when he went down with a torn UCL in 2025, and owns a career 3.81 ERA. Even if he's not in the starting rotation, he could play in the bullpen. The problem is he can't stay healthy.

Despite working primarily as a starter since 2023, Schmidt has exceeded 85 1/3 innings just once, and that came in 2023. Whether it's serious injuries like the UCL tear or more minor bumps and bruises, he's a consistent resident on the IL. The right biceps issue that ended his comeback attempt in September was just the final straw.

The real reason why Schmidt is as good as gone is the fact that he's entering his final year of team control and has no options left. The Yankees will likely lose him one way or another, so they might as well grab some savings.

Luis Gil

The injury concerns that ding Schmidt are also an issue for Luis Gil, who won the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year and then missed most of 2025 with a lat strain and a good chunk of 2026 with right shoulder inflammation. The difference between Schmidt and Gil is that Schmidt has been good, while Gil has struggled ever since taking home the rookie hardware.

Gil might be spared from the non-tender chopping block, but only if the Yankees can trade him. He's also out of options like Schmidt, but he might have a sliver of value on the trade block because he has three more years of team control. The league is always hungry for controllable arms, and one with a Rookie of the Year in his past could convince another team to give up a lottery ticket for him. However, the Yankees can't wait forever, and if he's not dealt before November 20, he'll be non-tendered.

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