The UFA signings are pouring in, and the New York Yankees’ latest prize is Indiana University outfielder Elijah Dunham.
A Hoosier may soon be shagging fly balls in the Bronx. Per Evansville Courier & Press reporter Chad Lindskog, the New York Yankees officially signed Indiana University outfielder Elijah Dunham on Wednesday.
Dunham tweeted that a desire for self-investment led him to skip his senior year at IU:
“After much consideration of what is best for my baseball career I have decided to sign a deal with the New York Yankees,” Dunham wrote. “It’s time for me to take my opportunity and bet on myself. I’m extremely confident in my abilities and know the Yankees can continue to develop them at the highest level.”
The Indiana native captioned the tweet “Let’s eat.”
https://twitter.com/elijah_dunham/status/1273380267592482817
Whether he was referencing his drive to make it in the big leagues or was merely hungry (he sent the tweet at 4:27 p.m.) is unclear. What is certain is the Yankees are getting a lefty swinger who handled himself admirably at the plate in college.
Dunham slashed .312/.496/.429 in 94 games with the Hoosiers from 2018 to 2020. He also displayed decent pop, blasting eight of his nine career homers in 155 at-bats in 2019.
He also legged out 25 doubles in his collegiate career.
According to Lindskog, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and skipper Aaron Boone recruited Dunham via a Zoom call. Apparently that personal touch from an iconic organization did the trick.
“I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity of being a Yankee,” Dunham told Lindskog.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB limited this year’s draft to just five rounds. However, teams can sign as many undrafted free agents as they want.
The league capped salaries for such signings at $20,000.
Dunham didn’t reveal whether he got the max contract, but he did tell Lindskog that the Bombers gave him a “pretty good deal.”
