The Yankees have spent the past few years developing Clayton Beeter as a starting pitcher, but after seeing how his fastball-slider combination dominated in shorter outings, they’re making the move to turn him into a full-time reliever.
At 26 years old, Beeter is finally over the injury hurdles that slowed his development, and he could end up being a real weapon out of the bullpen this season.
Transitioning to a Reliever Role
Beeter had a strong 2023 season as a starter, logging 131.2 innings with a 3.62 ERA and 11.28 strikeouts per nine innings. His performance suggested he had a legitimate future in the rotation, but the Yankees saw something more valuable in his stuff—specifically, how effective his fastball-slider mix could be in relief.
This past season, he took a step further in that direction, posting a dominant 2.08 ERA over 39 innings in the minors. At the Triple-A level, he was nearly untouchable, striking out 12.75 batters per nine while keeping his ERA at 2.25 across 36 innings. The biggest area for improvement is his walk rate, as he allowed 5.25 per nine innings in Triple-A. If he can tighten up his command, his transition to the bullpen could be seamless.
A Potential High-Leverage Weapon
Beeter only got a brief taste of big-league action last season, throwing 3.2 innings and giving up two earned runs for a 4.91 ERA. While it wasn’t an eye-popping debut, his underlying stuff is what makes him such an intriguing option.
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake told The New York Post’s Joel Sherman that the team saw something special in Beeter’s ability to generate swings and misses.
“As we got through last year, [Beeter’s] fastball-slider mix is super powerful and is best suited for relief,” Blake said. “We decided to lean into the swing-and-miss of the fastball at the top of the zone and the slider at the bottom. We thought it might even play up in short bursts.”
Beeter’s slider is already near an elite-grade pitch, and while his fastball isn’t overpowering, it’s deceptive enough to make hitters uncomfortable. The Yankees see an opportunity to unleash him in a role where he can attack hitters for one or two innings at a time, maximizing his ability to miss bats without worrying about pacing himself as a starter.
The Path Forward
The Yankees have no shortage of bullpen depth, but there’s always room for a young arm with high upside to carve out a role. Beeter’s strikeout potential alone makes him an exciting addition to the mix, and if he can refine his control, he could quickly become a key piece in the later innings.
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The former second-round pick by the Dodgers in 2020 has taken a bit of a winding path to get here, dealing with injuries and role changes, but his talent has never been in question. Now fully healthy and focused on a bullpen role, Beeter has a chance to be an impact arm for the Yankees in 2025.