JT Brubaker knows what it takes to fight back. The 32-year-old right-hander has battled through Tommy John surgery, fractured ribs and multiple setbacks. He has pitched for the Pirates, Yankees and Giants. Now he enters 2026 with a one-year contract in San Francisco and another chance to prove himself.
The Giants signed Brubaker to a $1.82 million deal in November 2025 after he finished the previous season with their organization. For Yankees fans, his name might stir memories of unfulfilled potential. The Yankees acquired Brubaker from Pittsburgh in March 2024. He never threw a pitch for them that season due to injuries. When he finally made his Yankees debut in June 2025, hope flickered briefly before fading again.
An Ohio kid with a baseball bloodline
Jonathan Trey Brubaker was born Nov. 17, 1993, in Springfield, Ohio. Baseball runs in his family. His father, Frank Brubaker, pitched in the Yankees minor league system in 1989 and 1990. The younger Brubaker grew up around the game.
He attended Tecumseh High School in New Carlisle, Ohio. He earned three varsity letters in baseball and twice made the All-Central Buckeye Conference first team. Brubaker then enrolled at the University of Akron, where he pitched for the Zips. As a junior in 2015, he went 5-4 with a 3.63 ERA in 15 starts.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the sixth round of the 2015 MLB Draft with the 187th overall pick. He signed and began his professional journey. The Yankees would eventually come calling years later.
Rising through the Pirates system
Brubaker climbed steadily through Pittsburgh’s farm system. He reached Double-A Altoona in 2018 and earned a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis that May. He went 10-6 with a 2.81 ERA across 28 starts between both levels. The Pirates named him their minor league pitcher of the year.
Pittsburgh added him to the 40-man roster after that breakout campaign. A forearm strain limited him to just six games in 2019. But he made the Opening Day roster in 2020 and debuted on July 26 against the Cardinals. He pitched two scoreless innings in that first appearance.
From 2020 to 2022, Brubaker served as a workhorse for Pittsburgh. He made 61 starts over those three seasons. He went 9-28 with a 4.99 ERA while striking out 324 batters in 315.2 innings. His record suffered on a losing team, but his underlying numbers told a different story. His FIP of 4.43 and SIERA of 3.97 suggested better results than his ERA indicated.
The Pirates named him their Opening Day starter in 2022. He made 28 starts that season and struck out a career-high 147 batters. Then everything changed.
Tommy John surgery derails his career
Brubaker entered 2023 with a new contract worth $2.275 million. But forearm and elbow discomfort sidelined him before the season began. On April 12, 2023, he underwent Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament. The procedure ended his season before it started.
The typical recovery timeline for Tommy John surgery is 14 to 16 months. Brubaker faced a long road back. He would not pitch in the majors for nearly two full years. The Yankees saw an opportunity and made a move.
The Yankees take a chance
On March 29, 2024, the Pirates traded Brubaker and $550,000 in international bonus pool space to the Yankees for a player to be named later. That player turned out to be infielder Keiner Delgado. The Yankees hoped Brubaker would return around the All-Star break.
The Yankees were looking for rotation depth behind Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes. Brubaker fit the profile of a reclamation project. The organization had turned similar gambles into productive arms before. They believed their coaching staff could help him regain his form.
Brubaker began his rehab assignment in June 2024. He pitched at multiple levels in the Yankees system. But an oblique strain in July ended his comeback attempt. He never pitched for the major league club that season. The entire 2024 campaign slipped away without a single inning in pinstripes.
A brief Yankees debut in 2025
Spring training 2025 brought more misfortune. On Feb. 28, a comebacker struck Brubaker and fractured three ribs. Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed the injury would cost him significant time. Brubaker landed on the injured list before the season even started.
He rehabbed at multiple levels in the Yankees farm system. He pitched for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Somerset and Hudson Valley. The Yankees finally activated him on June 18. He made his long-awaited debut against the Orioles on June 21, nearly 15 months after the trade.
Brubaker pitched in 12 games for the Yankees out of the bullpen. He posted a 3.38 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 16 innings. Those were the best numbers of his major league career. But his walk rate remained high at 14.3 percent, and his strikeout rate dipped to 15.9 percent.
The Yankees made aggressive moves at the trade deadline. They acquired David Bednar, Jake Bird and Camilo Doval to bolster the bullpen. Brubaker became expendable. The Yankees designated him for assignment on Aug. 5 and released him two days later.
Finding a home in San Francisco
The Giants signed Brubaker to a minor league deal on Aug. 13, 2025. He reported to Triple-A Sacramento and impressed immediately. In three appearances, he went 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA and seven strikeouts over 11 innings.
San Francisco selected his contract on Sept. 1. He appeared in five games for the Giants down the stretch, including a spot start. He posted a 4.26 ERA with 12 strikeouts in his brief stint. Combined with his Yankees numbers, Brubaker finished 2025 with a 3.77 ERA across 28.2 innings.
The Giants saw enough to bring him back. They agreed to a one-year, $1.82 million contract in November 2025, avoiding arbitration. Brubaker will compete for a rotation spot in spring training. He could also work as a long reliever if needed.
What Yankees fans should remember
Brubaker represents a cautionary tale about injury risk. The Yankees acquired him hoping for rotation depth. Instead, they received 16 innings over 15 months. The gamble did not pay off.
Still, the cost was minimal. The Yankees gave up Keiner Delgado, a 20-year-old infielder with strong plate discipline but limited ceiling. They also received international bonus pool money in the deal. The risk was calculated.
Brubaker’s father pitched in the Yankees system decades ago. Now the son can say he wore pinstripes too, even if only briefly. His 12 appearances in the Bronx represent a small chapter in a career defined by perseverance.
At 32, Brubaker enters 2026 with something to prove. He has overcome Tommy John surgery, fractured ribs and multiple setbacks. The Yankees released him, but the Giants gave him another shot. For a pitcher who has fought through so much adversity, another chance is all he needs.
Yankees fans who followed his journey will watch with curiosity. They saw the potential during those 12 relief appearances. Now that potential belongs to San Francisco.
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