Yankees Reportedly Fire International Scouting Director over Misses on Big Contracts

Amid some recent high-profile misses on the international free-agent market, the New York Yankees have reportedly fired their international scouting director.

The Athletic's Brendan Kuty confirmed that Donny Rowland has been fired by the Yankees.

MLB insider Francys Romero was the first to report the the Yankees weren't bringing back Rowland.

Kuty noted multiple sources with the Yankees cited their recent "poor track record of turning big-money signings into impact major leaguers as a likely major contributing factor" in Rowland losing his job.

Highlighting the list of misses, at least thus far, is Jasson Domínguez. The Yankees signed him a then-franchise record $5.1 million signing bonus as a 16-year-old in July 2019.

Domínguez's signing was widely praised at the time, with one general manager telling ESPN's Jeff Passan he was "like Mike Trout" except "Trout wasn't close to this good when he was 16."

Now, while still only 22 years old, Domínguez has hit .248/.327/.397 with 16 homers in 149 career MLB games. He was also one of the worst defensive outfielders in the league during the 2025 season.

Other recent international signings that have failed to pan out include Alexander Vargas ($2.5 million signing bonus in 2019; released in August); Brando Mayea ($4.35 million signing bonus in 2023; repeated rookie ball in 2025); Hans Montero ($1.7 million signing bonus in 2021; repeated A ball in 2025).

Going back even further, Kuty pointed out the Yankees' 2014 international signing class included seven players who received bonuses of at least $1 million and two of them reached the big leagues. Hoy Park had the longest MLB tenure from that group with 68 games from 2021 to '22 between the Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. Dérmis Garcia appeared in 39 games with the Athletics in 2022.

Rowland did have some notable hits during his tenure. Luis Severino got a $225,000 signing bonus in 2011 and made two All-Star teams in eight seasons with the Yankees.

But when the big-money investments don't pan out at the rate the Yankees have seen in recent years, it's hard not to wonder if there was something amiss with their international talent evaluation department.

Rowland originally joined the Yankees as a national scout in 1995 and was with the organization for five seasons before being hired by the Anaheim Angels as their scouting director.

The Yankees brought Rowland back as a national crosschecker in 2007. He was promoted to their director of international scouting in 2010.