Drafting Yankees Players With Iconic Beards

The Yankees are one of the most solid franchises in baseball. The road to becoming a legendary team has been paved by a sense of discipline deeply rooted in traditional values, leading them to become the team with the most MLB championships. This vision has characterized them for years, making them instill measurements such as minimal changes done to their now-iconic pinstripe uniform and a strict hair policy that didn’t allow players to sport any facial hair or keep a hair length below the collarbones, arguing that “a neater appearance would promote professionalism and discipline among the players.”

While this clean grooming approach has worked for years, it has also caused discontent among some players. One of the most famous cases was in 1991 when then-star player Dan Mattingly refused to cut his hair or shave his mustache. He was taken off the lineup and fined until he eventually folded and got a trim. It has even been mentioned that other stellar players sometimes feel reluctant about possibly joining the team due to this policy.

Dan Mattingly in an iconic Yankees jersey with his mustache (Getty Images)

This past Friday, it was announced that the policy has now been removed: players are now allowed to sport “well-groomed beards.” In the announcement, Hal Steinbrenner, the team’s managing general partner, mentioned:

“After great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward.”

It’s a huge step forward in the Yankees' evolution but a well-overdue change that will allow players to have a more personalized look while still identifying themselves as Yankees by sporting the team’s jersey.

Now that (almost) anything will be fair regarding personal style for these players, we’ve compiled a list of baseballers with spectacular facial hair that the Yankees should’ve recruited based solely on their grooming choices.

José Abreu

The Cuban star has excelled in the MLB, joining the rosters of the White Sox and the Astros, but he’s also known for his unique ponytail beard, rocking a one-of-a-kind tiny bun at the end of his chin. While he’s currently playing in Puerto Rico, it would be the best time to make him a Yankee and inaugurate the lifted policy.

Brian Wilson

The pitcher might’ve helped lead the San Francisco Giants to a World Series title in 2010, but his jet-black beard was the real MVP. He also played for the LA Dodgers, making it a bit ironic that he sported his longest beard while playing for one of the Yankees' biggest rivals.

Scott Alexander

Great pitching isn’t the only thing Scott has mastered on the field. He also knows a thing or two about rocking the perfect facial hair. He’s gone through different looks, from a 3-day beard to a full one, but he’s striking out the rest with his perfectly groomed mustache, making him a dream addition to the Yankees roster.

Jayson Werth

He’s a third-generation baseball pro, coming from a long line of players who have played in the MLB and won World Series titles, just like him. While he found success in teams like the Phillies and the Nationals, Werth is also reminisced about because of his perfectly-groomed beard and matching luscious locks, a look that would’ve been incredible to accompany a pinstripe uniform.

Cam Booser

The White Sox–former Red Sox–player has been sporting a handlebar mustache for a while now, but we can’t help but wonder if the verticality of his facial hair would be the perfect match to the pinstripes in a Yankees jersey.