Yankees sign backup outfield option as Cody Bellinger stalemate continues

If the New York Yankees' "best and final" offer for Cody Bellinger doesn't get accepted, they won't have any fantastic pivot options ahead of them. Bo Bichette's off the market. Kyle Tucker took a Mt. Kilimanjaro offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers. If Bellinger and Scott Boras decide that five years, up to $160 million, and opt-outs after years two and three (have you heard?!) isn't good enough, the Yankees' next series of moves will involve the Austin Hays tier and below.

Perhaps that "below" tier includes their latest minor-league addition of Seth Brown, which was first reported on Monday afternoon.

Brown, now 33 years old, is a lefty swinger who could play at both left field and first base - though, even at his best, he's quite redundant to Ben Rice. He's coming off the least effective season of his career, with 23 Ks in 65 at-bats with the Sacramento edition of the A's.

Still, this feels like the culmination of a five-year conquest. Back in 2021 and 2022, Brown was an oft-rumored Yankees trade target, as he posted OPS+ marks of 107 and 117 during those seasons (mashing 20 and 25 homers, respectively). He's one of those "destined to be a Yankee" guys, and he's finally come home to roost. Most minor-league signees feel like guys you'll likely never see in reality. This one? We're not so sure.

Yankees sign former Athletics outfielder Seth Brown three years after his last effective season

Of course, the Yankees seemed like a logical landing spot back in the day when they had a dearth of lefty bats. Now, they have an overload of them.

At the very least, Brown will be solid Triple-A insurance, and will probably be able to feast on the International League and post the kind of power numbers that'll tempt box score watchers into begging for his promotion.

Hopefully, if the Yankees do miss out on Bellinger, they'll shoot a little higher for their outfield depth rather than settle for Brown. Of course, even as some fans grouse about the Yankees' as-yet-unaccepted offer for Bellinger being an overpay as it is, the ideal outcome is that he eventually returns. The Yankees haven't been excessively rational about Bellinger's free agency, despite drawing a line in the sand, and they're a better team with him than without him (and it might only be a two-year engagement anyhow, based on opt-out inclusion).

The Yankees are better off if Brown takes a backseat to Bellinger. Quickly.