Yankees Add to Outfield Depth, Sign Former Prospect to Minor League Deal

New York signed outfielder Billy McKinney to a minor league deal on Saturday.

The Yankees added to their outfield depth on Saturday, bringing a familiar face back to the organization.

New York signed outfielder Billy McKinney to a minor league deal, assigning him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, according to the MiLB transactions page.

McKinney, 28, is entering his sixth MLB season in 2023, coming off the worst year of his career. The lefty hit .096 (5-for-52) over 23 games with the Athletics in 2022, spending much of the year with Triple-A Las Vegas. 

The outfielder was originally acquired by the Yankees back in 2016, sent from the Cubs to New York (along with Gleyber Torres) in the Aroldis Chapman trade. McKinney went on to play in just four games with the Yankees at the big-league level. He was included in the J.A. Happ trade and shipped to Toronto in 2018, where McKinney found some success. The former first-rounder had a .730 OPS and 18 home runs over 122 games with the Blue Jays in parts of three seasons. 

All told, McKinney hasn't been the biggest threat on offense in his MLB career. He's slashed .206/.277/.387 over 263 big-league games, wearing six different MLB uniforms along the way.

The #Yankees have signed OF Billy McKinney to a minor league contract, per the MiLB transaction page.

McKinney was acquired by the Yankees (along with Gleyber Torres) in the Aroldis Chapman trade back in 2016. He was then traded to Toronto in the J.A. Happ deal two years later.

— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) December 31, 2022

While the Yankees are still searching for a left fielder, don't expect McKinney to be jogging to the outfield on Opening Day this spring. This is a depth signing for New York, a player they are familiar with and one that can hold it down in Triple-A to begin the year. 

McKinney's presence within the organization may give a slight peak into what New York has planned for this season as well. After missing out on so many free agents—like Andrew Benintendi, Brandon Nimmo, Masataka Yoshida and Michael Conforto—the Yankees are poised to roll with in-house options like Oswaldo Cabrera, Aaron Hicks and Estevan Florial this year. That is, unless the Yankees swing a trade, targeting outfielders like Bryan Reynolds, Max Kepler and more.

New York added another southpaw swinger to that group of internal assets, handing former Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun an invitation to major league spring training. Calhoun was once a top prospect with Texas, a 28-year-old looking to revitalize his career as a non-roster invitee.

Bottom line, the Yankees are looking for some sort of spark, ensuring they have depth if they promote from within. As much as the additions of Calhoun and McKinney aren't particularly enticing, you can't rule out a renaissance in pinstripes. Just look at what slugger Matt Carpenter accomplished with New York after it looked like he was destined for retirement. The same can be said for reliever Lucas Luetge, who was traded to the Braves earlier in the week after two surprisingly effective years in New York's bullpen.

MORE:

• Yankees Invite Ex-Rangers Left Fielder to Spring Training
• Padres 'Open' to Trading Outfielder; Possible Left Field Option For Yankees?
• Will the Yankees Regret Trading Lucas Luetge?

Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.