Juan Soto pressed Yankees on interesting issue during free agent meeting

Feb 25, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Juan Soto (22) smiles in the dugout against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Juan Soto should know the New York Yankees fairly well after spending a full season with them in 2024. The star outfielder, however, had some key questions for the organization during their recent free agent meeting.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters that Soto had multiple questions about the organization’s player development program during their recent meeting. Steinbrenner downplayed the significance of the questions, suggesting that Soto likely asked the same of other teams and had not personally spent much time at the team’s player development complex.

Hal Steinbrenner said Soto had questions about the Yankees’ player development process during their meeting in California. Steinbrenner said: “I just think he didn’t really spend any time at our player development complex. He’s asking this about all the clubs, I’m sure. He just…

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Some people saw this as Soto having doubts about the Yankees’ ability to develop top prospects, though Steinbrenner obviously did not present it that way. Perhaps Soto took note of the unkind things Aaron Judge’s hitting coach had to say about the organization earlier in the season.

The reality is that Soto will be looking for a very lengthy contract that will quite possibly tie him to his next team for the remainder of his career. It is only logical that he would want to know if the organization can develop young players to maximize his chances of being on a consistent contender. Plus, reports suggest he has been asking blunt questions of other teams during his free agent meetings.

The Yankees can point to Judge’s success, and Anthony Volpe was an everyday starter on a World Series team as well. Outside of that, however, the Yankees have not been churning out homegrown stars. Soto would probably like to see that change if he commits to the organization.