The injury bug never relented after it began biting Yankees starters during spring training last year. As a result, the team had to deploy a few pitchers who weren’t projected to impact the rotation.
Two of them, Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez, had not debuted prior to 2023. While the young duo did a commendable job considering they were relative unknowns, injuries expedited their big league arrivals.
“It’s probably not ideal to have Brito and Vásquez both here trying to take the turn every time,” pitching coach Matt Blake admitted last August, “but that’s where we’re at.”
Brito and Vásquez are now in San Diego, traded to the Padres in the Juan Soto deal. Left behind is a new crop of young pitchers — some with higher expectations and more recognizable names — vying to be the next men up.
Near the top of the list — if not first on it — is Will Warren, the Yankees’ eighth-best prospect and second-best pitching prospect, according to MLB.com.
The right-hander, 24, is coming off a strong campaign in which he recorded a 3.35 ERA and 149 strikeouts over 27 games (25 starts) and 129 innings between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Warren spent most of his season at Triple-A, tallying a 3.61 ERA over 21 games (19 starts) and 99.2 innings despite throwing in the offensively-charged International League.
Now he’s poised for some serious attention in camp.
“I know he had a good year last year to finish the second half in Triple-A,” Blake recently told the Daily News. “I know he’s been in Tampa working. He looks good. So he’ll definitely be in the conversation. I imagine we’d see him quite a bit in spring training. Then, where he falls as far as getting put on the 40-man and getting added to the roster and making a debut, I’m not totally sure. But I do know that everybody’s excited about the work he’s done to put himself in the conversation.”
As the #Yankees look for pivots on the pitching market, they have an excellent option internally in Will Warren that could boost their pitching staff. Posted an ERA+ above 130 at Triple-A this past season and has NASTY stuff 👀 pic.twitter.com/XgQ1IUabMd
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) December 22, 2023
While Warren is not on the 40-man roster, the Yankees could easily make space for him if he proves worthy of a big league job this spring. Or if injuries pile up again.
Two-thirds of the Yankees’ projected rotation — Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes and new arrival Marcus Stroman — spent significant time on the injured list last year.
“I would think he’s definitely in the mix at some point this year,” Blake said of Warren. “Obviously, if health stays perfect for us, he may be the odd man out, but just with the way 162 games shake out, I’m sure his name will be called at some point.”
Already making noise, Warren will look to impress with a nasty sweeper and a mid-90s sinker, among other offerings. He has mostly been a starter since the Yankees used an eighth-round pick on him in 2021, but Warren came out of the bullpen twice last year.
His time at Southeastern Louisiana University provided him with more relief reps.
While some may consider turning a promising starter into a reliever short-sighted, Blake is not opposed to prospects like Warren finding their major league footing that way.
“I do like the idea of some of these guys coming up and helping us in the bullpen,” the coach said. “It’s worked for us in the past. Clarke [Schmidt] started in the bullpen with us. Michael King had his turn in the rotation and went to the bullpen, and that ultimately helped him build back to be a starter.
“So I do think there’s value in the way that guys can learn about the major leagues in the bullpen before they go to the rotation. Now, depending on how it shakes out, it may not be that way [with Warren]. I just wouldn’t rule it out.”
Warren won’t be the Yankees’ only pitching prospect looking to turn heads this spring.
Clayton Beeter, the organization’s 14th-best prospect, is also nearing the majors and figures to get lots of play. He’s already on the 40-man roster.
Acquired in the 2022 trade that sent Joey Gallo to the Dodgers, Beeter split his 2023 between Somerset and Scranton more evenly than Warren did. The 25-year-old struggled more in the International League, registering a 4.94 ERA, but Beeter finished his season with a 3.62 mark over 27 games (26 starts) and 131.2 innings.
The 2020 second-round pick had a 2.08 ERA at Double-A.
Blake mentioned Beeter when listing the Yankees’ starting depth, though the righty has also pitched in relief. Beeter has posted high strikeout and walk rates throughout his career; his future may be in the pen, even if he starts some MLB games this year.
While experience suggests that Warren and Beeter are closer to the majors than any of the Yankees’ other top pitching prospects, Chase Hampton is their highest-rated arm.
Ranked fourth overall in the system, the right-hander has yet to pitch above Double-A. A Texas Tech product like Beeter, Hampton spent part of his first pro season there last year after the Yankees drafted him in the sixth round in 2022.
Hampton had a 4.98 ERA over 11 starts for Somerset and a 2.68 ERA over nine starts at High-A Hudson Valley. He totaled a 3.63 ERA and 145 strikeouts over 20 starts and 106.2 innings.
Only 22, Hampton still needs some seasoning. However, his debut performance earned him a mention from Blake, as his name also came up when discussing rotation depth.
“I don’t know if it will be this year,” Blake said, “but he’s obviously on the radar.”
