Pitching Help From Within

By Andrew Hefner

April 16, 2025

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Despite the 2025 season just starting, the Yankees have seemingly fallen into a pitfall regarding the pitching staff early on. Sporting a 4.67 team ERA, and lackluster bullpen performance (at least up to the series versus the Royals), changes need to be made. Many fans will suggest signings or trades, but instead, the Yankees need to look back within their relief pitching treasure trove and find the gems that have been hidden away. 

Scott Effross

In 2022, a season that the Yankees were, as always, pushing for a win, a flurry of summer moves was made by Brian Cashman that sent the Yankees Universe into a tailspin. One of which was the unexpected move of No. 7 overall prospect Hayden Wesneski, in exchange for up-and-coming reliever Scott Effross (Before getting into Effross it is important to note that Wesneski remained with Chicago for three seasons before being a piece of the Isaac Perades trade. He is now a starter for his hometown Astros and has started three games thus far). 

Before the trade, Effross had made 47 appearances for the Cubs, sporting an impressive 2.66 ERA out of the pen, and racked up 50 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched. Effross, already 28 by the time of his MLB debut, is a product of the Cubs system as he spent his entire career with them after he was drafted out of Indiana in 2015. 

Regardless of Effross’ Cubs' success, his talent has not exactly translated to the Yankees, as since the trade he has made just 16 MLB appearances with none in 2023. Like many other Yankees who have come before and after, injuries have plagued the reliever, and currently, Effross finds himself placed squarely on the injured list after suffering a hamstring strain from just one pitch thrown in spring training. Based on previous estimates, and that he was put on the 15-Day IL at the start of the season, he is likely to be back throwing in the next couple of weeks. 

I can not stress enough how high the plus side of Effross goes, and if the Yankees can figure out how to actually keep him healthy, he has the opportunity to be one of the best relievers in the organization. 

40 Man Roster: Yes

MLB Experience: Yes 

Injured: Yes

Yerry De Los Santos

Yerry De Los Santos is currently in the next-man-up position for the Yankees. Already on the 40-man roster, and with MLB experience, De Los Santos provides the Yankees with important minor league depth that has been lacking, especially in the pitching department, in previous years. 

In 2022 and 2023, De Los Santos spent time with the Pirates in the majors, an organization he had been with since 2014 when he was signed as an international free agent. In 2 stints in the majors, De Los Santos pitched 50 innings, giving up 23 earned runs and striking out 44. Despite his decent numbers, the Pirates let him walk after his contract was up, and he ended up signing a minor league deal with the Yankees through the 2030 season. 

After joining the Yankees, De Los Santos played all of the 2024 season with the AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders, playing in 51 games, earning 4 saves, and finishing with a 4.12 ERA. 

In 2025 spring training, he showed impressive numbers, playing in eight games, with 9 strikeouts in 9.1 innings. He held just a 1.93 ERA before being optioned back to the minor league camp late in the spring to make room on the Major League roster. Currently, he is again in AAA and has played in 5 games, has 7 strikeouts, and is yet to give up a run. 

40 Man Roster: Yes

MLB Experience: Yes 

Injured: No

Eric Reyzelman 

Eric Reyzelman, a 2023 Yankees Draft Pick and current AAA reliever is what I would describe as the “wild card” of the names I have mentioned. Quickly working his way through the Yankees farm system, Reyzelman is not yet on the 40-man roster but certainly possesses the opportunity to find himself in the big leagues at a moment's notice. 

The 23-year-old right-hander showed out last season, posting a 1.16 ERA across 38 innings pitched last season all at various stops along his minor league journey. Reyzelman spent much of his time with AA Somerset last year, but started in A+, before being swiftly moved up. A shaky spring training with nine earned runs over 5.2 innings, however, likely hurt his chances of gaining a call-up any time soon. 

Reyzelman has already rebounded from Florida, though, as he has already racked up nine strikeouts in 5.2 innings, and has already cemented himself as a key bullpen piece in Scranton. 

40 Man Roster: No

MLB Experience: No 

Injured: No