New York Yankees Roster Prediction Sees Top Prospect Join Rotation Over Veteran

The New York Yankees could wind up rolling the dice in their starting rotation.

Feb 26, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren (98) throws a pitch in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees have some work to do in the starting rotation after what has been a barage of devastating injuries through spring training.

Losing reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil for at least three months was a tough blow, but nothing a deep and talented Yankees staff was not going to be able to handle. Having star Cy Young quality ace Gerrit Cole undergo Tommy John surgery and set to miss the entire season however is not something you simply replace.

With Gil and Cole, New York's rotation at full strength made a strong case for the best in baseball. With both out for the foreseeable future, depth is going to be tested and the back end of the unit looks like a major question mark.

At this juncture, the only real locks are fellow left-handers Max Fried and Carlos Rodon along with former first round selection Clarke Schmidt. Given the money he's being paid and the team's inability to trade him earlier this offseason, Marcus Stroman figures to snag one of the spots as well.

This would leave just one spot open with really just two names vying to fill it.

Top pitching prospect Will Warren - who has had an excellent spring - and former Cleveland Guardians and New York Mets 37-year-old non-roster invitee Carlos Carrasco, who signed a minor league deal with the Yankees last month.

In his latest roster prediction, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com predicts Warren to get the nod but admits Carrasco's presence could complicate things.

Though nobody was ecstatic at the time of the Carrasco deal, he has actually come in and put together a nice spring so far.

In 7.2 innings over three appearances and two starts, the veteran has pitched to a 2.35 ERA with six strikeouts and a 1.174 WHIP. This was coming off a season with the Guardians in which he made 21 starts and posted a 5.64 ERA with a 3-10 record.

Warren on the other hand has tossed 11.2 innings over three starts and put up a blazing 1.54 ERA with 12 strikeouts and a 0.600 WHIP. This is coming off a season in which he made his MLB debut and struggled immensely with a 10.32 ERA over six appearances including five starts and 22.2 innings pitched.

He did however maintain impressive strikeout numbers with 29 batters fanned in those 22.2 innings.

Clearly not ready in 2024 but showing some promise beyond the dreadful surface level numbers, Warren has come in this spring and made a definitive statement that he has taken the next step.

While this likely would not have been enough to crack the Opening Day roster independent from the staff being ravaged by injuries, it might have been enough to convince New York he should be the next man up.

With Carrasco, you likely know what you're gonna get - middling production and some average at best innings in this stage of his career.

He's not a horrible solution for the back end of an injured staff, but Warren clearly has the much higher ceiling and has earned the opportunity to at least get that shot.

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