Yankees fans should consider themselves lucky that they didn’t lose pitchers Harrison Cohen, Henry Lalane, Allen Facundo and others. It’s actually surprising to see that they gained more players (three) than they lost (two), and it’s just as surprising to see them make a move in the MLB Phase of the Rule 5 Draft. The Yankees last did so in 2011, where they selected Brad Meyers. Meyers had a right shoulder injury during Spring Training and spent all of 2012 on the Yankees’ IL, pitching 1.2 IP with High-A Tampa (37.80 ERA), then was offered back to Washington that October. He never truly recovered from the injury, ending his career in 2014 after being released by AA Harrisburg.
Winquest was selected by the Yankees in the MLB portion of the Rule 5 Draft, meaning he must be kept on the Major League roster for the entire 2026 season, unless he has a legitimate injury (no phantom IL stints), and he cannot be sent down to the Minors. If the Yankees wish to release Winquest, they would have to place him on waivers. If no one picks him up, he can be sent back to the Cardinals, and they would recover $50,000 of the $100,000 draft fee.
Winquest last played with Double-A Springfield in 2025, throwing a 3.19 ERA in 42.1 IP as a starter. He had a good 8.93 K/9 and an excellent 2.55 BB/9, despite having an opposing batting average of .263. Winquest was drafted in the 8th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, and played with (now) fellow Yankees RHPs Chase Hampton and Sebastian Keane.
Stone was signed by the Yankees as an undrafted free agent out of Harvard in 2022. Stone missed part of 2023, making his pro debut in June, and all of 2024 & 2025, with difficulty recovering from a Tommy John surgery and right shoulder strain. The reliever had a 7.20 ERA in 2023, but has a four-seamer with movement that hits 97, along with a change-up and a slider.
Like Stone, Rincon didn’t pitch in 2024 or 2025, last playing with ACL Diamondbacks Red (32.2 IP, 3.58 ERA, 4.1 BB/9, 9.6 K/9) and Diamondbacks Black (1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0BB/9, 9 K/9) in 2023. Rincon will be 23 entering into the 2026 season, and will likely slot into Tampa’s roster as a reliever.
Hermann pitched the entire 2025 season out of the bullpen for Low-A Tampa after having previously been a starter while with the Yankees organization, recording a 3.17 ERA in 59.2 IP. He had some control issues, throwing a 4.98 BB/9 (highest of his career) and a 6.79 K/9 (lowest of his career). Hermann’s “out pitch” is his slider, which sits mid-80s. He also throws a low-90s two-seamer, a mid-80s changeup and a low-80s curveball.
Gutierrez knows the Yankees system well having played against them throughout his career. Tarpons fans may remember the walk-off walk thrown by Jack Neely in the 2021 FSL Playoffs where the Low-A Bradenton Marauders won Game 1. Gutierrez will likely be depth on Scranton’s roster as he was last in Triple-A, where he batted .250/.333/.295/.628 with 1 HR and 5 RBI as a right-handed batter.
The Yankees also “lost” LHP Matt Turner, a reliever just signed out of free agency five days ago, to the Mets. He last pitched for Colorado’s Triple-A affiliate, Albuquerque, where he threw a 6.45 ERA in 44.2 IP, despite a 9.48 K/9 and a 4.98 BB/9.
No responses yet