New York Yankees' Young Starting Pitcher Still Has Plenty to Prove

The New York Yankees are hoping this young pitcher solidifies himself in the rotation in the upcoming season.

Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) reacts after getting the last out against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the top of the first inning in game three of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees will be having pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training next week and the starting rotation is shaping up to be one of the best in baseball.

This offseason, the Yankees made it a priority to bolster their starting rotation. Despite a strange situation regarding his opt-out, Gerrit Cole remained in New York to start the winter. The former Cy Young is without a doubt the leader and the ace of the staff, but he is going to have a lot of help behind him in 2025.

After losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets, the Yankees quickly pivoted to signing starting pitcher Max Fried from the Atlanta Braves. Throughout his career, Fried has totaled a 3.07 ERA. The 31-year-old southpaw has been a good pitcher throughout his career and he and Cole will form one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball.

While New York has a lot of talent at the top of the rotation, there is also a lot of depth for the unit.

Brendan Kuty of The Athletic recently previewed what the pitching staff would look like for the Yankees in 2025. He spoke about the development of Clarke Schmidt in 2024 and what the talented right-hander has to prove in 2025.

“The 28-year-old righty was one of the better-starting pitchers in baseball when he was able to stay on the mound, posting a 2.85 ERA in 16 starts," he wrote. "His biggest goal has to be gaining the Yankees’ confidence that he can routinely go through a batting order three times.”

In his second full season as a starting pitcher, Schmidt had impressive moments for the Yankees. The 28-year-old totaled a 5-5 record and 2.85 ERA in 16 starts last year. Compared to his first year as a starter in 2023, it was a significant improvement in terms of his ERA.

Staying healthy will certainly be important for Schmidt entering his third year as a starter, but it will also present him the opportunity to prove what he can do. Showing a glimpse of elite potential in 2024 certainly makes New York excited about what type of player he can become.

Even though he pitched very well last year, he did only average just over five innings per start in 2024. Getting through the batting order a third time is usually what separates good starting pitchers from great ones and Schmidt will have to work on getting deeper into games in 2025 to help out the bullpen.

With Marcus Stroman being one of the most frequently mentioned names in trades for the Yankees, they are comfortable with Schmidt being their fifth starter heading into the campaign.

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