The New York Yankees' starting rotation getting banged up with injuries opens up a window of opportunity for the Yankees' top pitching prospect, Will Warren. According to MLB's Bryan Hoch, the 25-year-old has been working hard this offseason, and it was witnessed all throughout spring camp.
''It’s a challenge he has taken seriously. Having reincorporated a curveball that he’d shelved for years and tweaked the grip of his changeup, Warren has pitched to a 2.87 ERA across five Grapefruit League games (four starts), limiting opponents to six runs (five earned) and nine hits across 15 2/3 innings.''
Warren's impressive display this spring has shown his potential as a high-upside pitcher. While he has areas to work on, such as his command, he's working to improve his secondary offerings. This shows how he wants to grow and develop as a pitcher for the Yankees.
The Yankees have many promising young talents, such as Jasson Dominguez, Spencer Jones, and George Lombard Jr, but Warren could prove to be the best of the bunch.
What Will Warren brings to the Yankees' rotation
Warren already had a taste of the big league experience last season. He can use it as a learning experience to develop more confidence on the mound in 2025. His 0-3 record and 10.72 ERA were some early signs of struggle, but he has the tools to rebound from those numbers.
Will Warren, Wicked 84mph Sweeper. 🤢
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 26, 2025
3291 RPMs and 20 inches of horizontal break. pic.twitter.com/CzbGAqWkQK
Warren provides significant reinforcement to the rotation in a time of need when three of the Yankees' key starters — Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt and Gerrit Cole — are injured. His impressive spring, high strikeout rate, and effective fastball-sweeper combo have all earned him a spot as the team's number four starter. Warren has also sported a 2.10 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts across his last 10 starts in Triple-A.
His strengths as a pitcher come from his sweeping slider, a key weapon in his arsenal. The pitch generated a strong 38.9% whiff rate last year, by far the highest of any pitch Warren threw in his brief major league stint.
He also possesses good strike zone control. The variety of pitches he throws works all areas of the plate, and his ability to disguise pitches creates a lot more guessing for opposing hitters. To boot, he is also known for his ability to induce ground-balls, though he could stand to improve on the 37.7% ground-ball rate he generated in 2024.
Warren's pitching repertoire encompasses a mix of pitches that work the strike zone effectively. His sweeping slider is his best pitch, along with a four-seam fastball, a changeup, and a curveball. Warren does need to work on fine-tuning his command, but he does have a well-executed delivery.
The Yankees' top prospect will take the mound against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 1st. If he can put his work ethic together with his prodigious raw talent, a new ace in the Bronx could be born this season.