The Yankees have recently let go of outfielder Luis González from his minor league contract, as announced by their Triple-A team. This puts González back into free agency, where he’ll likely seek another minor league opportunity elsewhere.
González joined New York in December but struggled during Spring Training, playing only 10 games. He began the season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, appearing in 22 games and accumulating 91 plate appearances. While his .282/.374/.397 slash line was decent, he didn’t hit any home runs. However, his .400 batting average on balls in play compensated for his high 26.4% strikeout rate.
Even if González had performed better in Triple-A, it’s unlikely he would have been called up to the major league team. The starting outfield spots are secured by Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Alex Verdugo, with Trent Grisham providing backup as a solid defensive center fielder. González, who has limited experience in center field, is better suited for a corner spot. Additionally, New York may soon welcome Jasson Domínguez back from injury, further limiting González’s chances.
González has played in parts of three MLB seasons, with stints on the White Sox and Giants between 2020 and 2021. He had a solid year with the Giants in 2022, batting .254/.323/.360 in 350 plate appearances. However, he hasn’t played in the majors since then, mainly due to a back injury that required surgery during Spring Training last year. This injury sidelined him for the first four months of the season, and San Francisco ultimately released him last September after he returned from the injury.
