Who replaces Gerrit Cole? Ranking Yankees' in-house starting rotation candidates
TAMPA, Fla. – Everything changed at Yankees camp on Monday morning.
That’s when Gerrit Cole was sent for an MRI on his achy right elbow, and the Yankees were forced to consider other rotation options to replace their irreplaceable ace and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner.
“Gerrit’s as smart as they come and just trying to process all the information as it comes in, and having the necessary conversations with our trainers, our doctors, his people, his family,’’ manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday, as Cole flew to Los Angeles for further examination by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
Likewise, the Yankees are in the information process, too, when it comes to filling out a rotation that includes likely Opening Day starter Marcus Stroman, Clarke Schmidt and lefties Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes.
One major outside consideration was taken off the board Wednesday night, with reports of Dylan Cease being dealt by the Chicago White Sox to the San Diego Padres.
With two seasons of control remaining, Cease was of interest to the Yankees, who did not want to part with slugger Spencer Jones – the Yanks’ current top-rated prospect – in a trade package for the right-hander.
Speaking earlier Wednesday, Boone said: “I feel like there’s probably four or five candidates that are probably in that conversation,’’ as in-house choices to open in the Yankees’ rotation.
We are exactly two weeks away from Opening Day, March 28, at Houston, and “two weeks is a long time to make evaluations, have conversations with one another and try and make the best decision we can,’’ said Boone.
With that, here are the Yankees’ best organizational options to replace Cole, ranked in order.
Cody Poteet
Continuing to stretch out as a starter, Poteet was scheduled to pitch four simulated innings before Wednesday’s exhibition game at Steinbrenner Field.
“Definitely feel like he’s a guy who can help us,’’ Boone said of the right-hander, who made seven starts with the Miami Marlins in 2021 and two starts (12 MLB appearances) in 2022.
Poteet, 29, has made three scoreless appearances this spring, and he’s on the 40-man roster. He signed as a free agent this winter after rehabbing from Tommy John surgery for most of 2023.
Luke Weaver
Weaver, 30, is a former first-round draft pick (27th overall in 2014) by the St. Louis Cardinals, with 106 MLB starts for six clubs, including three late last year with the Yankees.
The right-hander posted a 3.38 ERA last September, which somehow earned him a $2 million contract with incentives based on innings.
He’s pitched just 5.1 innings (four runs) in three Grapefruit League appearances this spring.
Luis Gil
After rehabbing from Tommy John surgery most of last year, Gil has re-opened some eyes in camp.
“He gets some uncomfortable swings,’’ Boone said after Gil’s 3.2 scoreless innings Monday against a representative lineup of Philadelphia Phillies, with eight strikeouts.
The performance was so dominant that, “I kept turning, saying, ‘Anyone else seeing this?’ ’’ said Boone.
Gil made seven starts with the Yanks from 2021-22 before his elbow surgery, and the club seems to prefer starting him at Triple-A as a way to ease him back, though Cole’s situation could change that.
“He’s certainly part of that (rotation) depth,’’ Boone said recently of Gil, building confidence in his changeup and slider to complement a true fastball.
“You could very easily see him factoring in some way’’ into the 2024 rotation. “(His stuff) works.’’
Cody Morris
Morris, 27, is on the 40-man roster and has big-league experience, but he’s yet to really distinguish himself in camp.
Over three Grapefruit League appearances, Morris has yielded seven runs in 5.2 innings. He has 13 games of MLB experience (5 starts) with the Cleveland Guardians since 2022.
Clayton Beeter
Known as the pitcher the Yankees received from the Dodgers in the Joey Gallo trade, Beeter made a solid impression in his last Grapefruit League outing.
Starting against a regular lineup of Philadelphia Phillies (before Gil’s entrance), the former second-round draft pick pitched four shutout innings with four strikeouts and no walks.
Beeter, 25, reached Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (14 starts) last year, and his minor league strikeout totals have been impressive (372 Ks in 261 innings), but walks have been an issue.
Will Warren
During camp, Boone said he’s “excited about that next wave of arms’’ coming through the Yankees’ system.
“On what level is it ready to compete now? That’s what you have to find out,’’ said Boone.
That applies to Warren, rated by MLB Pipeline as the Yanks’ No. 8 prospect, who reached Triple-A for 19 starts last year, and has made an impression in camp.
Against the Baltimore Orioles in a Monday split squad game, Warren yielded one run on three hits over three innings.
He’s given up three runs over 7.2 innings in three exhibition games this spring, with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Chase Hampton
The top-rated pitcher currently in the Yankees’ system, Hampton is rated at No. 4 overall by MLB Pipeline, and the right-hander likely to open the year at Class AA Somerset.
Hampton made just 11 starts at that level last season, just his first year in pro baseball, having began the year at Class A Hudson Valley.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Hampton has a wide pitch mix, featuring a fastball, slider, cutter and curveball, and he – along with Warren – has been of major interest in trade discussions.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Who replaces Gerrit Cole?Ranking Yankees' in-house rotation candidates
