After an inconsistent year with the starting rotation, the New York Yankees are looking to bolster the unit this off-season via free agency or trade. They still have quality arms to utilize during the 2021–22 season, including Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery, Jameson Taillon, and the return of Luis Severino. I’d be remiss not to mention Domingo German signing a short-term extension to stick with the team, but the Yankees desperately need more support, and they’re going to have to spend to get it.
General manager Brian Cashman had $25 million on the table for Justin Verlander over one season, but he elected to stick with a Houston Astros on a two-year, $50 million deal with a player option for the second year.
However, the Yankees aren’t only focused on adding players, they also elevated a fantastic young coach to the Major League roster after spending time in the minor-league system.
Desi Druschel is being elevated from the team’s minor-league manager of pitch development to an assistant pitching coach under Aaron Boone’s revised staff.
Druschel will join Matt Blake and Mike Harkey as the team’s primary pitching coaches, and given his work ethic and knowledge, it is entirely possible he becomes a secret ingredient for their success moving forward.
Brendan Kuty of NJ.com spoke to Rick Heller, the University of Iowa head baseball coach, regarding the elevation of Desi Druschel to a top pitching role within the Yankees’ organization:
“His work ethic is off the charts,†Heller said. “An elite level. He’s brilliant. He’s got savvy. He’s going to constantly keep pushing the envelop to learn more and be on the cutting edge that’s out there with his job.
“He’s constantly searching for something that is going to help his team and help the players get better, the best way possible. He’s never going to sit back and just think he knows it all. That’s the beauty of what Desi does. He’s constantly trying to learn and get better.â€
Heller’s comments describe a forward-thinking coach that is on the cutting edge of technology and modern knowledge of pitching. Whether it be velocity or spin rate, Desi is clearly ready to take the leap to the Major League system or he can make a significant impact on a group of players with immense potential.
However, Cashman is still likely to bring in another quality arm to bolster the rotation, giving the trio of coaches even more talent to work with.