Details emerge about Yankees' reported Brian Cashman succession plan

Brian Cashman's recent conversations with SNY's Andy Martino have led the veteran scribe to believe that, though he's being coy, there's at least a passable chance that his storied Yankees career will expire when his contract does after the 2026 season.

Cashman, whenever the possibility's been broached, has continued to deflect, hinting that he might get dismissed even sooner than that (Eds. Note: All Yankee fans know, by now, that this will never happen). If anything, that wry Cashman smile indicates he might finally be ready to move on from the rigors of the job three seasons from now, passing the torch to one of his denizens in the organization.

Continuity is important; after all, this organization has hardly been a disaster under Cashman, but even the head honcho's most ardent supporters have to admit he's lost a bit of steam since 2017. His trade foibles aren't the sole reason for the team's inability to get over the hump, but they've certainly contributed. His budget has also been, as Hal Steinbrenner repeatedly reminds us, more than high enough to win a championship. That's true. He's just cooked the wrong meal with the proper ingredients for several seasons now.

While some Yankee fans might scratch their heads at the team's current rumored list of internal candidates, odds are there's a Cashman lieutenant in there somewhere who has a fresher perspective on the Yankees' current (overall successful) guiding ethos. According to Martino, ex-player and current Player Development head Kevin Reese is the "hot candidate." Perhaps, in his new role, he can finally solve the mystery of what happens to Yankees top prospects between Triple-A and the bigs.

Yankees eyeing Kevin Reese to replace Brian Cashman after 2026

While Cashman has called fellow candidate Tim Naehring "my Gene Michael," the Yankees reportedly view Reese as a Michael/Naehring blend, able to balance the old-school scouting that made the franchise revered with a new-school eye.

Unfortunately, fans might want to avert their eyes from the rest of the list, which includes former pitcher/pro scouting director Matt Daley (intriguing), Naehring, and analytics guru Michael Fishman, the candidate who launched 1,000 WFAN calls.

Fishman, the Yankees' VP/assistant GM who's pioneered their analytics department, may have the bonafides, but has been lacking in the communication department when he's been presented to the general public over the years. Gut reaction is he's more of a Dillon Lawson: blessed with knowledge, unable to share it, and not someone you'd want to see holding the button in a moment of crisis.

Regardless of the candidate they land on, the main takeaway here should be that the Yankees are finally eyeing Cashman's tenure with a time limit, and are well aware they could risk losing their "helium alert" internal candidates unless they act fast (or make ironclad promises).