Former Yankees Prospect Caught Selling 2-Kilo of Cocaine to Undercover Cop

Police officers called out an ex-Yankees prospect after he tried to sell two kilos of cocaine to an undercover cop, authorities said.

According to Daily News, Borinquen Mendez, the 23-year-old resident of New Jersey, who played five games for the now-defunct Staten Island Yankees, was arrested with drug possession charges late Friday in Manhattan Criminal Court.

Based on online court documents, Mendez is facing charges of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of narcotics.

Borinquen Mendez Encounters an Unexpected Buyer

Based on the police report, Borinquen Mendez, alongside three other men, brought the drugs to an undercover officer. They met on Quimby Avenue near Olmstead Avenue in Unionport, the Bronx, on Thursday night.

Officials said the prohibited drugs inside a white plastic shopping bag were handed to the undercover cop. The four suspects had offered to sell them to the officer for a price of $31,000 per kilo.

Less than two hours after the agreement, Borinquen Mendez and the three other men were arrested during a meet-up at a fast-food restaurant on Bruckner Blvd.

On Friday, a judge at the Manhattan Criminal Court ordered the former Yankees prospect to be held on $75,000 bail. Borinquen Mendez also had a $100,000 bond, plus he needed to surrender his passport as a requirement.

Based on Baseball-Reference, the Dominican Republic-born second baseman and shortstop was picked up by the Yankees in 2016 and bounced around a few of the organization's Gulf Coast League teams before he landed with the Staten Island Yankees.

Around six months before the announcement of Staten Island that it was ceasing operations, Mendez was released from the Staten Island team in June 2020.

Alleged Yankees Connection

Usually, 20 to 25 players were released at the end of minor league spring training each year, with another 10 to 20 players around the time of the MLB Draft in June. However, Mendez was part of the 45 players released by the Yankees in total across the organization.

A spokesman of the Yankees told Daily News that the organization had not contacted Mendez since his dismissal last June. However, the lawyer of the baseball player claimed in court that Borinquen Mendez is still part of the Yankees organization. Attorney Gary Lesser said late Friday that:

"He was a player in single-A ball, but it got shut down by COVID... He's a new member of the New York Yankees team."

It was not clear whether the other three men arrested were just friends of Mendez or they were also involved with Major League Baseball.

Yankees have yet to comment on the possible connection of Mendez to the organization. Mendez is scheduled to make a court appearance on August 18.

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Written by: Jess Smith

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