Yankees Cut Prospect Jake Sanford for Allegedly Scamming Fans & Stealing from Teammates

Brett SmithMay 19, 2022

BALTIMORE — Following in the footsteps of the infamous Ruben Rivera, another Yankees prospect has been released for allegedly stealing from his teammates.

The Yankees cut 2019 third-round pick Jake Sanford last Thursday for allegedly stealing from his minor league teammates and scamming people for money online, The Post confirmed.

According to a source, the 24-year-old outfielder was released last week after a team investigation found Sanford had stolen from teammates, including equipment that he would then try to sell online, as first reported by NJ Advance Media.

Additionally, a source said Sanford, who played college baseball at Western Kentucky, also accepted money from prospective buyers for the equipment then failed to deliver the products.

Jake Sanford stole from his minor league teammates and scammed people for money online.

Hudson Valley Renegades

Jake Sanford accepted money from prospective buyers for the equipment then failed to deliver the products.

The issues, another source said, could be related to gambling debts.

The Yankees declined to comment on the situation.

Yankees prospect Jake Sanford was reportedly cut by the team for stealing from teammates.

Rivera, once a prized-prospect, was released by the Yankees during spring training in 2002 for stealing Derek Jeter’s glove and bat and reportedly selling them. Rivera, a cousin of Mariano Rivera, had just signed to return to the Yankees earlier that spring.

Sanford was drafted in 2019 and received a signing bonus of $597,500.

According to one AL scout, Sanford was not considered an elite prospect, which likely made it easier for the franchise to cut ties with him.

The outfielder split last season between Low-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley, and hit a combined 16 homers and finished an OPS of .823.

He made his professional debut in 2019 season before the 2020 minor league season was canceled due to COVID-19.

After he was released last week, Sanford deactivated his Twitter account.

The lefty-swinging Sanford has since signed with the Ottawa Titans in the Frontier League, an independent team.

Sanford was managed by John Pawlowski at Western Kentucky. Pawlowski also managed Brett Gardner at the College of Charleston. And Sanford’s skill-set was seen by some as similar to that of Gardner, who, like Sanford, was a third-round Yankees draft pick, in 2005.

Gardner spent 14 seasons in The Bronx and remains unsigned.