Jake Sanford

2022 - 5 - 19

Post cover — Image courtesy of "New York Post"

Jake Sanford was a 'great story' for Yankees before scamming scandal (New York Post)

The Yankees took Jake Sanford in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft and the comparisons to Brett Gardner, a mainstay for 14 years in The Bronx, ...

He’s an athlete, he can run balls down – and he’s just getting started in baseball. Sanford, a Nova Scotia, Canada native, was a walk-on to the baseball team at McCook Community College in Nebraska, where he had two breakout seasons. “If this one can do what Gardy did, then we’ve had a hell of a Draft on its own,” Yankees director of scouting Damon Oppenheimer told MLB.com at the time. The combination of the power and the speed he has, being a guy who is kind of young and just starting at this thing, it made him real attractive to us.” Not only did Sanford possess a similar skillset to the speedy Gardner, but they were also both coached by John Pawlowski in college. It was first reported by NJ Advance Media.

Former Yankees third-round pick released amid allegations of ... (CBS sports.com)

Outfielder Jake Sanford was drafted by the Yankees in the third round in 2019 out of Western Kentucky. He had promising power, as he hit 22 homers in 56 ...

Sanford, 24, was released by the Yankees last week, reports nj.com. At least part of the reason was that he was stealing equipment from teammates and selling it, per multiple allegations. According to allegations on social media, Sanford victimized fans, too. Last year, between Class A and High-A, he hit .285/.356/.467 with 13 doubles, five triples and 16 home runs in 435 plate appearances.

Yankees Prospect Jake Sanford Cut for Allegedly Stealing From ... (Sports Illustrated)

Major league comps for minor league prospects often age poorly, but it's hard to ignore the striking similarities between Jake Sanford and Rubén Rivera's ...

Sanford’s career with the Yankees lasted a mere 161 games. The Yankees drafted Sanford, an outfielder, out of Western Kentucky in 2019. Rivera, of course, is famous for allegedly stealing Derek Jeter’s glove and bat and selling them to a memorabilia dealer in 2002.

Wild reason behind Yankees cutting former top pick Jake Sanford ... (Yanks Go Yard)

Former New York Yankees third-round pick Jake Sanford is gone after stealing memorabilia from his teammates and defrauding fans, which is normal.

It’s likely Sanford will never get a chance to experience the end portion of that cycle. And that was already after he’d established himself as a top prospect, then flamed out, then returned to the organization. When news of 2019 Yankees third-round pick Jake Sanford’s release hit the transaction wire earlier this week, it was tough to be stunned.

New York Yankees cut former prospect, Jake Sanford, for allegedly ... (Sportsnaut)

The New York Yankees reportedly cut prospect Jake Sanford following allegations of stealing from teammates and scamming fans.

Following his release, Sanford joined the Frontier League by agreeing to a contract with the Ottawa Titans. A source told the NY Post that the belief is the issue could be tied to gambling debts. He would then sell the equipment online. The 24-year-old’s baseball career got off to a promising start. After struggling in 2019 and then being sidelined for the 2020 season due to COVID-19 shutting down the minors, he showed improvement in 2021. Jake Sanford, one of the team’s prospects, was released after allegedly stealing from teammates and scamming fans.

Yankees minor leaguer cut for running alleged memorabilia scam (Deadspin)

Jake Sanford throws away future for a few thousands, sources say he had gambling debts.

The value of collectibles is unregulated and their sentimental value is greatest with the original seller. The scouting report on Sanford compared his skillset to Brett Gardner, but off the field, he is more akin to former Yankees center fielder Ruben Rivera. A little over 20 years ago, Rivera was playing on a one-year $1 million contract when he stole a glove from teammate Derek Jeter and sold it to a memorabilia dealer for $2,500. Who exactly was Sanford stealing from in the minors that has value on the market? Jeter probably didn’t miss the glove, but clubhouse theft is a big no-no and a breach of trust. You could understand if he was one of the many minor league prospects who are grossly underpaid, but that’s not the case here. As if selling stolen equipment wasn’t bad enough, Sanford then defrauded fans by selling them the stolen “memorabilia,” but never delivering.

Yankees minor leaguer released after allegedly stealing from ... (Yardbarker)

Things at the Major League level seem to be going great for the New York Yankees, but they're going through a bit of turmoil in their Minor League system.

Since Sanford was cut, he’s already signed with the Ottawa Titans in the Frontier League, an independent team. Sanford was considered a middling prospect, featuring a lefty bat and solid defensive attributes in centerfield. First reported by NJ Advanced Media, Sanford was a legit prospect they got roped into some bad habits.