The New York Yankees, like 28 other MLB teams, have already entered the offseason.
With that said, it’s a good opportunity to revisit some notable Yankees transactions over the season, and players that could technically still be brought back to the organization via free agency.
One recent-ish player who spent a brief time in the Yankees organization is MLB veteran pitcher Rafael Montero.
Montero is still a free agent after the Yankees released him.
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Rafael Montero’s 2026 Campaign in Baseball
Rafael Montero spent the entire 2026 campaign within the New York Yankees organization.
However, he never actually pitched with the Yankees; instead, he stayed in the minors until August.
On August 10, 2026, the Yankees’ AAA team released Montero, making him a free agent, but he has yet to sign with any organization.
The 2026 season is wrapping up next week, and free agency will open up for players like Rafael Montero to potentially sign.
Perhaps a reunion deal with the Yankees is on the table.
Across 27.0 IP for AAA Scranton in 2026, Montero posted an ERA of 5.67 with 33 strikeouts.
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Rafael Montero’s MLB Career at a Glance
Montero has pitched in parts of 11 MLB seasons over his career.
The last team he pitched for was the Detroit Tigers, and he’s also logged innings for the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners.
He carries a lifetime ERA of 4.68 over 522.2 IP.
The 36-year-old right-handed pitcher has also logged 30 saves in his career.
Now that he’s a free agent, any MLB team is eligible to sign him, but due to mixed performance in recent seasons, Montero will likely have to begin his quest back to a big-league mound with a strong performance in the minors.
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Ex-New York Yankees Pitcher Still a Free Agent Following Release