NEW YORK — The Yankees made headlines this offseason with splashy moves. Max Fried signed. The Cody Bellinger pursuit continues. But three names flying under the radar could determine whether this team reaches its championship ceiling.
Spring training opens next month with major questions still lingering for the Yankees. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon remain on the injured list. The left side of the Yankees infield needs production. And the rotation needs reliable arms to bridge the gap until reinforcements arrive.
That is where Ryan Weathers, Will Warren, and Ryan McMahon enter the picture. Each faces different challenges. Each brings unique skills. Together, they represent the internal growth the Yankees need to compete in a loaded AL East.
A trade acquisition with elite velocity
The Yankees acquired Ryan Weathers from the Miami Marlins on January 14 for four prospects. The 26-year-old left-hander carries a career 4.93 ERA that hardly screams upside. But the raw numbers hide a pitcher on the verge of breaking out.
Weathers averaged 96.9 mph on his four-seam fastball over eight starts in 2025. That ranked second among all left-handed starters behind only AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. The average lefty starter sits around 93 mph. Weathers throws four miles per hour harder.
His Statcast comparisons read like an All-Star ballot. Jesus Luzardo. Tarik Skubal. Garrett Crochet. All three struck out more than 200 batters last season. All three share similar pitch profiles with Weathers.
The secondary stuff backs up the fastball. His sweeper generated a 39% whiff rate in 2025. His changeup produced a 41% whiff rate and a 30% strikeout rate. Both pitches play off the elite velocity to keep hitters guessing.
Injuries limited Weathers to just 38 innings last year. A flexor strain in spring training and a lat strain in June kept him off the mound for extended stretches. But he enters 2026 following a fully healthy offseason. Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake and his staff will get a complete look at what he can become.
Yankees’ second-year starter ready to take control
Will Warren never expected to start 33 games as a Yankees rookie. Injuries forced him into the Yankees rotation on Opening Day 2025. He never left. The right-hander logged 162.1 innings and led all MLB rookies in strikeouts with 171.
His final Yankees numbers show a pitcher still finding his footing. Warren finished with a 4.44 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He dominated at home with a 3.50 ERA in 16 starts at Yankee Stadium. On the road, that number ballooned to 5.52 across 17 starts.
The foundation exists for a major Yankees leap. Warren used his four-seam fastball 41.6% of the time last season. Batters hit just .216 against it with a .384 slugging percentage. His low arm angle creates vertical ride that hitters struggle to square up.
Right-handed hitters felt the full weight of his arsenal. The Yankees pitcher posted a 29.2% strikeout rate against righties with a .398 slugging percentage allowed. His sinker, sweeper, and four-seamer worked in tandem to neutralize same-side matchups.
Left-handed batters exposed his weakness. Warren struggled with walks, contact quality, and missing bats against opposite-handed hitters. The fix may already exist in his arsenal. Lefties hit just .203 against his changeup with a 31.6% whiff rate. More usage of that pitch could transform his effectiveness.
The power bat banking on a Bronx bounce
Ryan McMahon arrived from Colorado with a slash line that raised eyebrows. He hit .214/.312/.381 in 2025. Those numbers suggest a hitter completely lost at the plate. The underlying data tells a different story.
McMahon ranked in the 95th percentile for average exit velocity at 93.3 mph last season. He placed in the 89th percentile for hard-hit rate at 50.5%. When he makes contact, the ball explodes off his bat. The problem is connecting.
His plate discipline issues are severe. McMahon ranked in the 2nd percentile for whiff rate at 35.2%. He also sat in the 2nd percentile for strikeout rate at 32.3%. The bat speed and power tools are elite. The contact skills need work.
The Yankees believe Yankee Stadium can unlock his potential. McMahon pulled the ball at a 42.1% clip last season. The short right-field porch in the Bronx rewards pull-heavy power hitters. Fly balls that die in Coors Field become home runs in New York.
His glove provides a safety net regardless of offensive production. McMahon ranked in the 92nd percentile for range with six Outs Above Average at third base. He placed in the 86th percentile for fielding run value. The defense alone makes him valuable.
Why internal growth matters now
The Yankees face significant uncertainty entering 2026. Cole will not return from Tommy John surgery until May or June. Rodon underwent bone spur removal and projects for an April or May comeback. Clarke Schmidt may miss the entire season following his own elbow procedure.
That leaves Max Fried as the clear rotation anchor. Cam Schlittler emerged as a force late in 2025. But after that, the Yankees need Weathers and Warren to carry heavy workloads for at least the first two months.
The infield situation mirrors the rotation concerns. Anthony Volpe has struggled offensively through three big league seasons. Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm Jr. provide firepower on the right side of the diamond. The left side depends almost entirely on McMahon finding his swing.
The pitching lab advantage
Matt Blake has transformed pitchers before. He helped Michael King evolve from a directionless rookie into the centerpiece of the Juan Soto trade. He taught Jameson Taillon to lead with his fastball. He turned Clay Holmes from an anonymous Pirates reliever into an All-Star closer.
The Yankees were at the forefront of the sweeper revolution. Both Weathers and Warren throw versions of the pitch that could benefit from organizational refinement. Warren’s sweeper was hit hard at times last season. The coaching staff may help him reshape it into the frisbee-like breaker that made King so effective.
Weathers already added over half a foot of downward movement to his changeup after moving from San Diego to Miami. That feel for pitch development suggests he can continue making adjustments under Blake’s guidance.
The bottom line for the Bronx
Championship teams rarely rely solely on expensive acquisitions. They develop internal options. They maximize undervalued talent. They find breakout performers who outpace expectations.
The Yankees have three candidates who fit that profile heading into 2026. Weathers brings elite velocity and swing-and-miss stuff. Warren offers durability and a fastball that already ranks among the most effective in the organization. McMahon provides premium defense and raw power waiting to be unleashed.
None of them will make the back pages of tabloids. None of them carry the star power of a Bellinger signing or a Cole return. But their growth could be the difference between a division title and a wild card berth in a brutal AL East.
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