He’s worked around ownership’s sub-luxury tax mandate and built a system that has produced core players like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Luis Severino. Cashman also deserves major props for bringing Didi Gregorius in to replace Derek Jeter, as the knight from Curacao has turned into a fan-favorite star in the Bronx.
Then there’s the magic trick that Cashman pulled off with Aroldis Chapman, getting the flamethrower for a song in 2015, flipping him for Gleyber Torres in 2016, and then re-signing him for the next year.