Around the Empire: Yankees news - 2/12/23

Sports Illustrated | Scott Neville: Is there a path that ends with shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa crossing enemy lines and toiling for the BoSox? Neville postulates that there is a natural fit in light of Boston’s need for middle infielders and that, despite the rarity of Yankee-Red Sox swaps, Brian Cashman and Chaim Bloom have facilitated one already. Would IKF fulfill the role of stopgap for both sides of The Rivalry in back-to-back years? There’s a non-zero chance, as unlikely as it may seem.

Afrotech | Ngozi Nwanji: Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Famer, former two-sport superstar, and current head coach of the University of Colorado football team (Go Buffs!), appeared on the Club Shay Shay podcast to chat with Shannon Sharpe. Coach Prime recalled signing a deal with the Yankees while at Florida State, comparing his situation then to the contemporary Name, Image, Likeness deals that student-athletes are signing.

CBSSports | Mike Axisa: With spring training approaching, a list of the most interesting non-roster invitees seems apropos. There is no shortage of Yankees who could theoretically represent New York on the list, but honestly, Anthony Volpe is probably the right answer, and that’s who winds up on this list. Though Axisa admits Volpe is likely to start the season at Triple-A, he points out that Volpe is one of the few NRIs who has a legitimate shot to crack his club’s roster.