Back to the Basics: Former Yankee Luis Sojo seeks to inject positivity into a dormant Yankees farm system

By Anthony Castellano


The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders are more significant to the New York Yankees' success than you might think. With an increasingly aging, injury-depleted roster, a heightened onus has been placed on the historic organization's lackluster farm system.

The Yankees are regularly placed within the bottom third of Major League Baseball's annual farm system rankings but with the likes of Dellin Betances making a huge impact at the big league level and Rob Refsnyder on the horizon, positive times potentially lie ahead. Luis Sojo, the 48-year-old RailRiders hitting coach, is a respected presence  amongst his players. Approaching 50 and still vibrantly hitting ground balls and throwing batting practice before Monday night's game against the Syracuse Chiefs at NBT Bank Stadium, he certainly understands the importance of player development.

"As a player you have to have your own winning attitude," Sojo said, "....especially when you play with this organization."

This shift in mindset is foreign to the New York Yankees whose motto has always been to win now and at all costs. Few know this fact better than Sojo, who was a Yankee stalwart during the successful, pressure packed Steinbrenner era. Casually surveying the aspiring big leaguers training around him a few steps in front of the dugout, Soho briefly hesitated as he pondered this dramatic change in mindset.

"As a player (for the Yankees), my focus was to win games but when you're coaching and trying to teach these guys how to play the game, it's pretty hard but we have a job to do and it's very important  for us to make these guys better players," Soho said.

As Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually on veteran players, Sojo must focus on the team's future outlook and have the young players ready to produce at the major league level. Yet Sojo, absorbing the aesthetics of this pleasant sunny evening, knows the challenge he faces when it comes to motivating his players.

"That's one of the hardest parts," Sojo said. "Me especially, I have a really good relationship with the guys and as long as you get to the big leagues, you got to stay positive when you come down here."

One of the stand-out prospects at the AAA level for the Yankees is rapidly rising second baseman Rob Refsnyder. With Robinson Cano's departure, second base has been a revolving door for the big league club this year, paving the way for a possible Refsnyder promotion. Sojo knows the mental and physical characteristics necessary for the former 5th round draft pick to make the ultimate leap.

"Some guys are strong mentally," Sojo said. Others are different but they have to keep focused. "When you get to the big leagues, you have to try as hard as you can."

Making it to the major leagues is one thing, but remaining there for a prolonged period of time is another entirely. Fringe big leaguers are considered players who continuously bounce up and down from Triple A to the majors. It is difficult to keep these players motivated amid their turbulent, unpredictable lifestyle but Sojo says confidence is essential.

"Sometimes when you get to the big leagues, you say 'Oh my God, I made it,'" Sojo said. "Now you have to stay strong mentally to survive because you're going to play against the best players in the world. If you're mentally strong, you're going to succeed. You have to show the organization that they didn't make a mistake."