New York – The New York Yankees’ dramatic trade 2025 deadline overhaul brought three new relievers to the Bronx, but none carried more intrigue than Camilo Doval. The 28-year-old Dominican right-hander arrived from San Francisco with the tools to transform a struggling Yankees bullpen – and a compelling backstory that makes him the perfect fit for baseball’s biggest stage.
The Yankees acquired Doval in exchange for four prospects: right-hander Trystan Vrieling (Yankees’ No. 19 prospect), catcher/third baseman Jesus Rodriguez (No. 25 prospect), third baseman Parks Harber and left-hander Carlos De La Rosa.
From a Dominican farm to a $100,000 gamble
Doval, nicknamed “Tranquilo Camilo,” was born on July 4, 1997, in Yamasa, a small farming community in the Dominican Republic. His mother Rosa is an elementary school teacher. His father Sergio is a farmer. The family grew yucca and plantains, and Doval’s childhood chores included caring for horses and milking cows. He is the third of his mother’s four children and has 23 siblings and half-siblings combined.
The Giants signed Doval as an international free agent in October 2015 for a $100,000 bonus. He was 18 years old. He spent five years climbing through the minor leagues, averaging 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings across four levels. In July 2021, pitching for Triple-A Sacramento, Doval threw a pitch clocked at 104.5 mph.
From rookie sensation to All-Star closer
The Giants added him to their 40-man roster after the 2020 season, following a lost 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancellation of Minor League Baseball.
He debuted with the Giants on April 18, 2021 at age 23, pitching a scoreless inning of relief with 2 strikeouts against the Miami Marlins. By September, he had become the closer on a 107-win team. He did not allow a run in his final 16 appearances that season, covering 14.1 innings with 20 strikeouts. He earned NL Reliever of the Month honors and became the youngest Giants pitcher to record a save since Rod Beck in 1992.
His rookie season showcased the electric potential that would define his career. In September 2021 he became the second Giants pitcher since Statcast started tracking in 2008 to throw a pitch faster than 102 mph, joining Brian Wilson. That same month, he became the youngest Giants pitcher, at 24 years and three months old, to record a save since Rod Beck in 1992.
Doval was named the National League Reliever of the Month for September/October after throwing 14.1 scoreless innings. He struck out 20 and walked only three batters in those appearances, and by the end was serving as the team’s closer. In the 2021 regular season with the Giants, Doval was 5-1 with three saves and a 3.00 ERA. His average fastball velocity of 98.6 mph was in the fastest 1% in MLB.
The 2022 season marked Doval’s first full campaign as the Giants’ closer. He was 6-6 with 27 saves (6th in the NL) in 30 save opportunities, a 2.53 ERA in 68 relief appearances and 51 games finished. His average fastball velocity of 99 mph was in the fastest 1% in MLB. He was named the NL Reliever of the Month for September.
His breakout 2023 All-Star season established him as one of baseball’s premier closers. Doval was named NL Reliever of the Month for May 2023, his third such career award. In 14 May appearances, he converted all 11 of his save opportunities over 13.2 innings while posting a 1.32 ERA and striking out 23. His 39 saves tied for the most in the National League with Pittsburgh’s David Bednar.
The 2024 campaign brought sobering challenges. In 2024, Doval played 62 games for San Francisco, posted a 4.88 ERA with 78 strikeouts and 23 saves across 59 innings pitched. He walked a career-high 39 batters over 59.0 IP. His 5.95 BB/9.0 ranked as the highest figure in the NL. Posted an 8.59 ERA over an eight-game span before he was optioned to Sacramento on Aug. 9. It marked his first stint in Triple-A since 2021.
He answered those questions in early 2025. Doval posted a 3.09 ERA with 15 saves and 50 strikeouts in 46.2 innings across 47 appearances for the Giants before the Yankees acquired him at the deadline. He cut his home run rate in half from the prior year. In his final appearance in orange and black, he struck out Andrew McCutchen, Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz in order.
Electric stuff that demands respect
What sets Doval apart isn’t just his backstory – it’s the otherworldly arsenal he brings to the mound. His fastball has reached 104.5 miles per hour (168.2 km/h). He threw 104 mph cutter on Sept. 23, the fastest pitch thrown by any Giants player in the Statcast era.
His four-seam fastball reaches 104 mph, and he also throws a high-80s hard slider and an occasional change-up. In the middle of the 2022 season, Doval added a sinker averaging in the high-90s to his pitch repertoire. He throws from a very low, nearly sidearm arm slot.
In 2025 first-half, he has relied primarily on his Slider (89) and Fourseamer (98), also mixing in a Sinker (96). The combination is devastating. He relied primarily on his 88 mph slider (against which batters hit .154), 99 mph cutter, and 98 mph sinker.
How the Yankees got him and what happened next
The Yankees acquired Doval on July 31 for four prospects: catcher/third baseman Jesus Rodriguez, right-hander Trystan Vrieling, third baseman Parks Harber and left-hander Carlos De La Rosa. Doval gave the Yankees two years of control through 2027, making him more than a rental.
The transition to the Bronx was brutal. In his Yankees debut at Miami, Doval entered the ninth with a two-run lead and allowed three baserunners before the Marlins walked it off. Over his first 13 appearances in pinstripes, he posted a 6.59 ERA. He was moved out of high-leverage situations while Bednar took control of the ninth inning.
Doval later indicated that adjusting to his new Yankees role was difficult. After spending three and a half years working almost exclusively in the ninth inning with the Giants, the unpredictability of the Yankees’ setup role threw him off. Balks, pitch clock violations and walks piled up during the rough stretch.
But Doval found his footing late in his first Yankees season. Over his final six regular season appearances, he threw five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out eight. He made three appearances in the ALDS against the Blue Jays, including two perfect innings in Game 2 at Toronto.
The 2026 role alongside Bednar
The Yankees enter 2026 with their late-inning duo firmly in place. Bednar closes. Doval sets up. It is the first time in years the Yankees have had two acquired, proven high-leverage arms returning to the bullpen together.
Doval’s arsenal gives the Yankees something most teams cannot match. His four-seam cutter sits in the upper 90s and has touched 104 mph, placing him among the hardest throwers in baseball. He pairs it with a high-80s slider and an occasional changeup. When the Yankees’ fireballer has his command locked in, hitters have virtually no chance against the velocity and movement combination.
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