Insider Singles Out Replacement For Yankees GM Brian Cashman

Getty Yankees GM Brian Cashman addressing media on April 8.

Although New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman’s tenure with the team isn’t over, insiders within the organization are already discussing his future successor. 

SNY baseball insider Andy Martino wrote a May 3 article that listed one “hot name” to succeed Cashman as Yankees GM.

“There is a widespread belief throughout the organization that vice president of player development Kevin Reese is the current frontrunner to succeed Cashman,” Martino wrote. “I heard this from no fewer than five well-placed sources.

Martino continued, saying, “If a time comes when Cashman decides to retire or kick himself upstairs to an advisory role, he would be comfortable recommending Reese as a logical heir, say people who work closely with the GM.”

“He is the hot name,” one of the sources said, per Martino.

Cashman, who has been New York’s general manager since 1998, is the longest-tenured GM in Yankees franchise history.

And while he has never had a losing season, Martino says there’s speculation within the organization about whether Cashman will continue his current role, once his contract expires in 2026. 

Among other potential replacements Martino listed were VP and assistant general manager Michael Fishman and pro scouting director Matt Daley.

Yet, the sheer number of Yankees staffers who named Reese suggests that he’s clear favorite to assume Cashman’s coveted role when the time comes. 

Who is Kevin Reese?

Kevin Reese is an intriguing GM option for the Yankees; if only because, unlike Cashman, he understands a player’s point of view.

Reese is a former MLB outfielder who played 12 total games for the Yankees in 2005 and 2006. 

Reese accrued 13 plate appearances in those games. He hit .385, scored 2 runs, and added 1 RBI and 1 stolen base.

Reese, who was born and raised in San Diego, was selected in the 27th round of the 2000 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres.

He had a much longer career in Minor League Baseball than he did in the MLB. Over 3,269 MiLB plate appearances, Reese hit .292 with 67 home runs, 395 RBIs and 138 stolen bases. 

After his playing career ended in 2007, Reese accepted a job with the New York Yankees as a scout for the South Atlantic and the Carolina Leagues.

10 years later, Reese was named New York Yankees senior director of player development, per ESPN. He was promoted to vice president of player development on January 12, 2022.

Cashman Isn’t On The Hot Seat

Despite internal discussions about his potential replacement, Cashman isn’t expected to be fired before his contract expires. 

According to an August 2023 article from Bob Klapisch of NJ.com, a source close to Yankees owner Hal Steinbernner said,  “The idea (of firing Cashman) isn’t even on the table. It’s not up for discussion.”

Instead, recent betting odds suggest that Yankees manager Aaron Boone is the one sitting on New York’s hot seat. At the beginning of the season, Bet Online listed Boone’s odds to be the first MLB manager fired at +500.

The Yankees 20-13 start to the 2024 season has quelled any rumors about Boone’s firing.

But if the Yankees miss the playoffs again this season like they did last year, Boone will likely take the fall for it.