The Yankees pulled rookie right-hander Will Warren aside on Sunday morning and gave him the news every young pitcher dreams of—he made the team.
Warren, 25, began spring training as a long shot for the rotation. Now, he’s locked in as the Yankees’ No. 4 starter to open the 2025 season.
Injuries Open the Door
This wasn’t the original plan, but plans change fast when elbows and lats start barking.
With Gerrit Cole undergoing Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil expected to miss four months due to a high-grade lat strain, the Yankees have been scrambling to piece together a serviceable rotation. Clarke Schmidt was also placed on the injured list this weekend to buy him more time to ramp up, which effectively sealed the deal.
That meant Carlos Carrasco couldn’t be cut, and Warren—despite some late spring struggles—was too valuable to send back to Triple-A.
Spring Performance: A Tale of Two Halves
Warren came out of the gates firing this spring, showcasing the kind of poise and movement that made him one of the Yankees’ most intriguing pitching prospects. Over 19.1 innings, he put together a 4.19 ERA, striking out 8.84 batters per nine and generating a strong 51.9% ground ball rate.
His left-on-base rate of 66.5% suggests there’s room for improvement in high-pressure situations, and he got a bit roughed up in his final spring outing—allowing seven hits and four earned runs.
But the Yankees aren’t worried.
They see a pitcher with real tools—an improving changeup, a sweeper that’s already MLB-ready, and fastball command that’s taken a step forward. He just needs more innings at the top level to put it all together.
Earning His Stripes
With Carrasco, 38, set to follow him in the rotation, Warren becomes one of the most important young arms on the roster. His development could be the difference between staying afloat in a tough division and falling behind early.
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Manager Aaron Boone and the front office believe the best way for Warren to grow is by facing the league head-on. There’s no substitute for major league reps, especially for a pitcher already showing flashes of high-end potential.
And with the Yankees’ rotation hanging on by threads, his opportunity is now.
Let the real work begin.