NY Yankees GM Brian Cashman explains why new hire fits the team

The New York Yankees are once again under pressure to deliver results, and this time the spotlight is on their international scouting department. After several high-profile misses in recent years, the organization made a leadership change last fall.

In October, the club dismissed international scouting director Danny Rowland. The move came amid growing criticism of the Yankees’ results in the international market, and it was followed by the departure of several young prospects, including Dominican infielder Wandy Asigen, who ultimately signed elsewhere.

In a recent interview with The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, general manager Brian Cashman publicly backed Rowland’s replacement, explaining why he believes newly promoted director Mario Garza is the right person to guide the department forward.

“He’s an amazing human being,” Cashman said. “Connect-ability is a really high character trait for him. So he’s a great baseball guy that has great personal skills. He is a great evaluator of talent.”

Brian Cashman General Manager of the Yankees, and Aaron Boone. Mark Blinch/Getty Images

Cashman also emphasized Garza’s familiarity with the organization’s infrastructure. “He already knows all the personnel that we want to have. You want evaluation. You want firehoses connecting to performance science and analytics. That will give him a head start as we try to relaunch that department and move forward,” Cashman added.

A chance to make an impact

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For Garza, the role represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The Yankees have not won a World Series during his 16 years with the organization, something he openly acknowledged.

“I’ve been here 16 years, and that hasn’t happened,” Garza said, referring to winning a championship. “I think I have an opportunity to impact the organization in this area, and I think my skills line up for it.”