Yankees' Drake Fellows: Signs MiLB deal with Yankees
Rotowire
The Yankees signed Fellows to a minor-league contract Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Fellows split the 2025 season between the rotation and bullpen at Triple-A Indianapolis in the Pirates organization, posting a 3.86 ERA and 35:11 K:BB over 30.1 frames during his time as a reliever. The Yankees plan to utilize him in the bullpen role in 2026. Fellows has yet to reach the big leagues and will likely begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
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Yankees' Bradley Hanner: Nabs NRI deal with Yankees
Rotowire
The Yankees signed Hanner to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training Thursday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
Hanner spent the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Columbus in the Guardians organization, posting a 4.74 ERA and 62:25 K:BB over 49.1 innings. The reliever will turn 27 in February and has yet to reach the majors, but Hanner boasts a career strikeout rate of 26.3 percent in the minors.
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Yankees' Cade Winquest: Popped in Rule 5 Draft
Rotowire
The Yankees selected Winquest with the 11th pick of the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday.
The Yankees hadn't selected a player in the MLB phase of the Rule 5 Draft since 2011, so they must think highly of Winquest. A 25-year-old righty who has only worked as a starter in the minors since getting drafted out of college in the eighth round in 2022, Winquest will presumably work as a low-leverage reliever if he makes the Yankees' Opening Day roster. Last season, he notched a 3.19 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 42:12 K:BB in 42.1 innings across eight starts at Double-A. Winquest has never pitched above Double-A and turns 26 in April.
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Yankees' Ben Rice: Will play 'a lot' versus lefties
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he expects Rice to play "a lot" against left-handed pitchers in 2026, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
The left-handed-hitting Rice's playing time against southpaws in 2025 was limited, though that was due in large part to Paul Goldschmidt's effectiveness versus lefties. Rice hit only .208 over 119 regular-season plate appearances against left-handers this past season, but he slugged seven home runs while boasting a .481 slugging percentage in those matchups. Heading into his age-27 season, Rice will be the Yankees' primary first baseman in 2026, and he could get an opportunity to be an everyday player.
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Yankees' Anthony Volpe: Won't be ready in April
Rotowire
The Yankees do not expect Volpe (shoulder) to be ready for his season debut before the end of April, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Volpe underwent surgery in mid-October to repair a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder. He is expected to be cleared to hit by February but will not be allowed to dive on the shoulder until around April. It's possible Volpe will be ready to go by early May, but a clearer picture of his timetable should be available at a later date. Jose Caballero is in line to serve as the Yankees' primary shortstop until Volpe is ready.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Season debut in late May/early June
Rotowire
The Yankees expect Cole (elbow) to rejoin their rotation in late May or early June, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
The team has said previously only that they did not expect Cole to be ready for Opening Day, and now it appears he could be held out for as much as the first two months of the season. Cole -- who had had Tommy John surgery with internal bracing in March -- has been throwing on flat ground but has yet to progress to mound work.
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Yankees' Carlos Rodon: Projected for late April/early May
Rotowire
The Yankees expect Rodon (elbow) to be ready for his season debut in late April or early May, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Rodon underwent surgery in mid-October to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur in his left elbow. The left-hander is expected to be cleared to begin a throwing program later this month, but he will need time to get built up and will begin the 2026 campaign on the 15-day injured list.
Yankees' Michael Arias: Back with Yankees on MiLB deal
Rotowire
The Yankees re-signed Arias to a minor-league contract Wednesday.
Arias missed a chunk of the 2025 season due to injury, holding a 2.57 ERA and 29:15 K:BB over 21 frames during his time at Double-A Somerset. He had been non-tendered by the Yankees last week but will stick around in the organization on a new minor-league pact.
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