3 Yankees who should probably be non-tendered before Friday's deadline

MLB's non-tender deadline is set for 6 p.m. ET on Nov. 17. Teams will either be cutting players loose by way of opting not to offer them a contract or trading them to another team willing to pay their projected salary for 2024. The New York Yankees don't have a ton of tough decisions to make, but they have a few money-saving opportunities (that aren't glitches in the system).

The one that's been widely talked about is trading Gleyber Torres. Almost every contender out there would be willing to take on his ~$15 million salary for 2024. The Yankees have no intention of extending him, if we're to read context clues. There's probably not much of a future for him in New York, anyway. Why force it for another year when this roster clearly isn't built to win?

Torres has dominated the conversation, though. What about the other smaller cost-cutting options seemingly right at the Yankees' fingertips? The conversation was already started when Domingo Germán, Billy McKinney, Jimmy Cordero, Matt Bowman, Ryan Weber and Franchy Cordero were outright released earlier this month.

But there are a few others who should probably be thanked for their service and afforded an opportunity elsewhere. The Yankees need to improve, not tread water and rely on things they can't control.

3 Yankees who should probably non-tendered before Friday's deadline

Kyle Higashioka

The Yankees, after adding Agustin Ramírez ahead of the Rule 5 protection deadline on Tuesday, now have SIX catchers on the 40-man roster. That feels like malpractice even before further roster cleanout commences. On what planet do you have more healthy catchers than playable outfielders?

They also added Carlos Narvaez the week prior, and he only has experience at High-A Hudson Valley. As for the guys who will actually play, it's looking like Austin Wells will be the starter and Jose Trevino will be the backup. Ramirez and Narvaez will either be traded or stashed so they can't be swiped, and Ben Rortvedt will be held onto because he has options. Once he becomes expendable, he's gone.

That leaves Kyle Higashioka, who's projected to earn $2.3 million in 2024. That's a cost the Yankees do not need to carry. On top of Higgy's defense slowly regressing, his pop has also faded. He's been given more than enough runway to prove himself. Whether he caught Yankees disease or something else halted his progression, we don't know, but his time here should come to an end. We salute.