This all was set in motion in 2008 when the Yankees picked Cole in the first round of the draft and his personality impressed Waldman during a media conference call. Cole ended up not signing with the Yanks to attend college, then joined the Pirates organization after being picked first overall as a UCLA junior in 2011.
The next spring, Cole was a non-roster invitee to Pirates spring training in Bradenton, Fla., and it was there that he was approached by Waldman prior to a Yankees-Bucs Grapefruit League game.
“You’re going to make a great Yankee when you get to be a free agent,” Waldman told Cole.
A Yankees fan as a kid even though he grew up in Southern California, Cole knew that Waldman had performed on Broadway, so he responded, “If I do, you have to sing the national anthem on Opening Day.”
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