Yankees' minor-league free agent losses include Aaron Judge's best friend, first-rounder

Soon enough, we'll have reached the time on the offseason calendar when the Yankees' days are filled up with minor-league additions, meant to provide additional Triple-A depth throughout the year. As any fan knows by now, while they're not typically part of the plan, those players receive MLB reps more often than not (Willie Calhoun, meet Billy McKinney).

Sadly, in order to make minor-league signings, you first have to thin out the ranks, and the Yankees lost a number of 2024 contributors and familiar faces to minor-league free agency this week.

The list features a few names you thought had left years ago (Matt Sauer? Didn't we lose him in the Rule 5 Draft?), a couple you lament (Oscar Gonzalez wasn't good enough, really?), a handful of fan favorites who represent better days (Greg Allen, we knew ye so much, actually), and some real slices of bygone history. Remember when Anthony Seigler was a first-round pick? Remember when he was a pitcher?

The most noteworthy mover, though, is Jahmai Jones, who was a dugout vibes curator for basically the 2024 season's entire first half, even though he nearly never played. It was a wonder he survived on the active roster for as long as he did, and his impact was clearly felt long after he left. The custom celebration that he and Aaron Judge had created persisted all the way through the postseason. It actually begged the question ... if DJ LeMahieu can sit in the dugout throughout the World Series despite being inactive, why couldn't Jones tag along? It would've made more sense than Judge bumping chests with air.

Full List of Yankees Minor-League Free Agents highlighted by Jahmai Jones

Of all the names above, it seems likeliest that Jones will return to Triple-A/spring training next year, considering how much influence Judge wields over this organization.

But -- wait, did we almost get to the end of this and forget to mention former Rays outfielder/converted pitcher Brett Phillips leaving the organization?! The Yankees brought Phillips in around the trade deadline, then sent him to Tampa to work on his heater and command, straight from the independent leagues. Let's check in on how he did:

One game. Two hits. Five runs. Two walks. One hit batter. Zero outs recorded.

Ok, you know what, scrap that, actually? I prefer to remember him a different way.