The 2026 New York Yankees enter spring training with a roster built around veteran star power, a few new acquisitions, and a large cluster of pitchers and role players competing for limited spots.
Unlike past seasons, the battles are less about stars and more about marginal gains such as the final outfielder, the last rotation spot, and the final two bullpen arms. These decisions will likely be driven by underlying metrics rather than traditional statistics.
This 4-part series breaks down each competition using FanGraphs and Baseball Savant data.
Unlike the outfield and bench battles, this one is purely about performance indicators. The Yankees already have a strong late-inning core. What they need now are strike-throwers, swing-and-miss arms, optionable depth pieces.
The candidates
- Osvaldo Bido
- Jake Bird
- Kervin Castro
- Angel Chivilli
- Yerry De los Santos
- Brent Headrick
- Cade Winquest
- Rafael Montero
The underlying traits that matter
The Yankees’ recent bullpen construction has prioritized high velocity, above-average strikeout rates, strong expected metrics (xERA, xFIP, whiff rate). That’s the lens through which this competition should be viewed.
Quick scouting snapshots
Angel Chivilli – Upper-90s velocity, strong strikeout profile, and the kind of raw stuff the Yankees have targeted in recent years. He fits the “power arm with upside” mold.
Cade Winquest – One of the more intriguing internal arms. He offers swing-and-miss potential and has shown improving command. If he throws strikes, the stuff plays in leverage.
Rafael Montero – The veteran option. He doesn’t bring the upside of the younger arms, but he offers experience in high-leverage situations, a track record of strikeouts, and some stability if the younger arms falter
Jake Bird – Durable, multi-inning capable arm with solid ground-ball traits. Not overpowering, but useful in middle relief.
Yerry De los Santos – Power sinker/slider mix with strong ground-ball tendencies. Command consistency will determine his fate.
Brent Headrick – Left-handed depth option. If the Yankees want a third lefty beyond Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough, he enters the conversation.
Osvaldo Bido / Kervin Castro – Depth arms with intriguing stuff but less defined roles. They likely open as Triple-A depth unless they dominate in camp.
The bullpen math
The Yankees don’t need stars here. They need:
- Two reliable middle-inning arms
- One optionable depth reliever
And they’ll likely choose based on:
- Strikeout minus walk rates
- Whiff percentage
- Command consistency
The verdict
Based on stuff, options, and organizational trends the most likely winners are Angel Chivilli and Cade Winquest.
Comments are closed