New York Yankees cut prospect for allegedly stealing team equipment and scamming fans

The New York Yankees are known for being an organization that prides itself on integrity and respect. That is why it comes as little surprise when the team's third-round pick in the 2019 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, Jake Sanford, was cut from the team.

It happened after allegations of him scamming fans and selling stolen team equipment online surfaced in the media.

Brendan Kuty (reporter from NJ.com) tweeted:

"Sources: The Yankees cut third-round pick Jake Sanford after he allegedly stole bats and gloves from teammates and tried to sell them online. He also allegedly scammed fans, selling autographed equipment and never delivering."

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The New York Yankees cut Jake Sanford immediately after the report was issued

Sanford was taken in the third round and was heralded for his power out of Western Kentucky University. After crushing 46 extra base hits in 56 games in college, Sanford signed a bonus worth over $500,000 after being drafted by the New York Yankees.

He played a limited minor league season in 2019 and the 2020 Minor League Baseball season (the latter being cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic). Eventually, Sanford's first full season action came in 2021.

The young outfielder quickly earned a promotion from low-A ball to high-A ball. His numbers were overall solid, with a .285 batting average and a slugging percentage of .467 in his first full year as a professional ballplayer. With some hard work and luck he could be in line for a the salary of a Major League ballplayer.

However, Sanford apparently couldn't wait much longer. According to "The Daily Beast", he would pester his New York Yankees minor league teammates for game-used equipment that he could sell online, and in instances where they wouldn't relent, he opted to simply steal it. In addition to this, the former New York Yankees propsect would sell autographs online and simply never deliver.

The Daily Beast wrote in their tweet:

"Former third-round pick Jake Sanford was cut by the Yankees Wednesday after he “hounded” teammates for equipment to sell online, according to a report, and would sometimes even just take bats and gloves from their lockers."

The New York Yankees have had their fair share of scandals, however they usually involve substances. The 2014 scandal surrounding Alex Rodriguez's involvement with biogenysis and performance enhancing drugs resulted in the season-long suspension that led to A-Rod's retirement.

There was also the scandal involving Michael Pineda's use of pine tar to get a better grip on the baseball and Gerritt Cole's use of "spidertack" to improve his pitch quality. Most recently, it was revealed that the Yankees were using video technology to attempt to steal signs from opposing teams that prompted memos from commissioner Rob Manfred.