TAMPA, FLORIDA – MARCH 06: A detailed view of the Yankees logo at Yankees Player Development Complex on March 06, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Yankees release prospect who allegedly stole and sold teammates’ equipment.
The New York Yankees have released outfield prospect, Jake Sanford, after news broke of him stealing and selling teammates’ equipment.
The 24-year-old outfielder has been released from the Yankees after it was reported that he was stealing his teammates’ equipment from their lockers and selling them on the internet, according to NJ.com.
Multiple fans have come forward to confirm that Sanford attempted to sell the belongings online and after they sent him payment he never fulfilled the order on his end. The young outfielder is said to have stolen gloves and bats from teammates, as well as accepting money for autographed equipment that he also never gave to them.
As soon as these claims started to see the light of day and Major League Baseball’s investigation began, Sanford deactivated his Twitter account
Sanford, a prospect the Yankees “considered to be a legitimate hitting prospect” has his professional career in the Yanks’ organization cut short after just one season.
A third-round draft pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, Sanford appeared in 101 games for the Yankees A-ball Tampa Tarpons and High-A Hudson Valley Renegades last season and seemed to be off to a very promising start in his young career; hitting 16 home runs, driving in 61 runs and posting a slash line of .285/.356/.467. Primarily a right fielder, Sanford made appearances in left field last season and has time at first base and center field under his belt as well during his collegiate days.
The left-handed swinging outfielder entered the open market after just a single season in the Yankees organization but shockingly has already latched on with a team in the Frontier League, the Ottawa Titans. His signing with Ottawa became official yesterday per the Frontier League’s transactions page, but one can assume that Sanford’s tenure with the club with be even shorter than his Yankees career ended up being.