The Yankees seem to have a project on their hands, and they’re treating it like a science experiment with high upside. Will Warren, a promising young arm, is following a blueprint eerily similar to that of Michael King—an unheralded pitcher with dominant stuff who, after some refining, could be molded into a reliable weapon.
King took time to develop into a big-league starter, and the Yankees hope Warren can take the same leap, especially after a rough debut in 2024.
The Rough Start and Early Adjustments
Warren got his first taste of major league action last season, and it didn’t go as planned. He posted a brutal 10.32 ERA across 22.2 innings, often struggling with command and giving up hard contact. His strikeout numbers were impressive—11.51 per nine innings—but he also allowed 1.99 home runs per nine, a sign that when he missed, he missed badly.
His 36.2% ground ball rate was well below his minor league numbers, which meant he wasn’t keeping the ball down enough to induce weak contact. For a pitcher with good movement on his pitches, that’s a big issue. The Yankees recognized it and made some tweaks, leading to a strong performance this spring.
A Dominant Spring Performance
On Wednesday, Warren gave a glimpse of what he’s capable of in a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He tossed three perfect innings, striking out four batters, including Mason Wynn and Nolan Arenado. He looked sharp, commanding his fastball and showcasing a refined breaking ball mix.
One of the most exciting developments is the return of his curveball, a pitch he scrapped for two years. He’s still getting comfortable with it, but early results are promising. His sweeping slider has always been his bread and butter, and on Wednesday, one of his sliders registered 3,291 RPMs with 20 inches of horizontal break at 84 mph. That kind of movement makes it nearly impossible for hitters to square up.
If he can consistently locate his fastball—hitting 94-95 mph—and use his breaking pitches to create deception, Warren has the tools to be a legitimate MLB starter.
What’s Next for Warren?
The Yankees have made it clear they’re keeping their options open, especially with Marcus Stroman still on the trade block and Clarke Schmidt already dealing with a back injury. Warren is positioning himself as the next man up, ready to step into a rotation that always seems to need reinforcements.
Manager Aaron Boone believes Warren has the arsenal, but the next step is refining his approach and learning how to pace himself.
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“Hopefully, he’s just a little more advanced, a little more polished,” Boone said. “As a starting pitcher, I think it’s important that he harnesses some of that intensity. It’s hard to roll out there as a starter for 80, 90, 100 pitches with your hair on fire.”
For Warren, the challenge now is consistency. If he can take the lessons learned from last season’s struggles and carry over his spring success into meaningful innings, the Yankees might have found their next rotation staple.