NEW YORK — In 2024, Will Warren was a pitching prospect trying to shake off a brutal 10.32 ERA from his first taste of big league action. Today, he stands as a critical piece of the New York Yankees rotation heading into the 2026 season.
The transformation has been remarkable. Warren went from a fill-in option nobody expected much from to a qualified starting pitcher who led all MLB rookies in strikeouts during the 2025 campaign.
His journey proves that talent, opportunity and persistence can collide at just the right moment.
From Mississippi roots to Yankees stardom
Warren grew up in Brandon, Mississippi. He attended Jackson Preparatory School before heading to Southeastern Louisiana University. There, he spent four college seasons refining his craft.
The Yankees selected him in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB Draft with the 243rd overall pick. He signed for $150,000 and began his professional career with the Yankees organization.
“Nothing has ever come easy for Warren,” one report noted about his path to the majors.
His rise through the minor league system was swift. Warren earned the Kevin Lawn Award as the Yankees organization’s best minor league pitcher in 2022. By 2023, he had reached Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
A rough MLB debut in 2024
Warren’s first exposure to major league hitters in 2024 did not go smoothly. In six appearances across five starts for the Yankees, he allowed 33 hits and 26 earned runs in just 22.2 innings.
“I just wasn’t comfortable and was trying to do too much, be too perfect at first,” Warren admitted about that difficult stretch.
Opponents batted .340 against him. He walked 10 and surrendered five home runs. It was a forgettable introduction to baseball’s highest level.
But the Yankees saw something worth developing in their young arm.
Injuries open the door for Yankees rotation in 2025
When spring training arrived in 2025, the Yankees faced a pitching crisis. Gerrit Cole was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Luis Gil battled a lat injury. Clarke Schmidt landed on the shelf.
Warren seized his chance with a strong spring. Yankees manager Aaron Boone had no choice but to slot him into the opening day rotation alongside Carlos Carrasco and Marcus Stroman.
“Not bad for a pitcher who was not pegged to make the team out of spring training,” observers noted.
He stayed in that rotation the entire season for the Yankees.
First career victory sparks Warren turnaround
On April 12, Warren earned his first major league win against the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium. He limited San Francisco to two runs on two hits while striking out six across five innings.
“Big accomplishment. Waiting a while to get that one off the table,” Warren said after the Yankees 8-4 victory. “So fun. I’m just glad the team won.”
That performance set the tone for his breakout campaign.
Career-high 11 strikeouts showcases potential
Warren’s finest moment came on June 17 against the Los Angeles Angels. He fanned a career-high 11 batters over six innings while walking none.
He became only the third Yankees rookie to record 11 strikeouts without issuing a walk. Stan Bahnsen achieved the feat in 1968 for the Yankees. Chad Green did it in 2016.
“I thought it was the best he’s commanded his fastball,” catcher Austin Wells said. “He was really painting the four-seam up and sinker back-door. Eleven strikeouts, that’s a big deal.”
Boone praised Warren’s execution and growing confidence.
“You just see his fastball playing at another level right now,” the manager said. “Four-seam pitches that batters have a hard time picking up, that plays so well.”
Full season numbers tell the story
Warren finished 2025 with a 9-8 record and 4.44 ERA across 33 starts. He logged 162.1 innings while compiling a 171-to-65 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
No other rookie matched his strikeout total. No other rookie made more starts or pitched more innings.
His 3.50 ERA at Yankee Stadium demonstrated comfort in the Bronx. On the road, he struggled more with a 5.52 ERA in 17 starts away from Yankee Stadium.
Warren earned AL Rookie of the Year votes, finishing eighth in the final balloting. Nick Kurtz of the Athletics won the award unanimously.
A mixed bag with room to grow
The numbers paint a picture of inconsistency alongside promise. Warren posted a 3.87 ERA against sub-.500 teams but a 5.03 mark versus playoff contenders.
His sweeper, which looked unhittable at times, also got crushed. Opponents batted .336 against that pitch with a .569 slugging percentage.
“He was the definition of a mixed bag,” one season analysis concluded. “He’d string together multiple starts in a row that gave the team a real chance to win, but would have a catastrophic blowup once every few weeks.”
Still, the Yankees valued his durability and potential.
Key role awaits in Yankees rotation for 2026
With Cole and Carlos Rodon both recovering from elbow procedures, Warren enters the 2026 season as a Yankees rotation cornerstone.
The Yankees recently acquired Ryan Weathers from Miami. Their projected opening day rotation now includes Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Warren, Weathers and Gil.
“The rotation will feature three pitchers coming off career-high workloads: Max Fried, Cam Schlittler and Will Warren,” recent reports noted.
Warren figures to start somewhere in that top five throughout the year. His role in the Yankees rotation could expand or contract depending on the health of Cole and Rodon as they work back into form.
What makes the Yankees prospect effective
The 26-year-old right-hander stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 200 pounds. He throws from a three-quarter arm slot that creates natural deception.
His arsenal includes four-seam and two-seam fastballs averaging around 94 mph. He complements those with a sweeper, cutter, changeup and curveball.
“Warren works with a varied arsenal,” scouting reports indicate. “Both fastballs are thrown around 94 mph and occasionally bump a tick higher.”
The key to his growth involves gaining effectiveness with secondary pitches and lowering his walk rate.
Yankees believe in homegrown talent
Warren represents the Yankees commitment to developing pitching from within their farm system. He went from an eighth-round pick to a qualified major league starter in four professional seasons.
Multiple teams tried to trade for Warren during the 2025 offseason, according to reports. The Yankees declined those offers.
That confidence paid off with 33 starts and 171 strikeouts.
“There’s a lot of guys in this clubhouse you lean on and learn from,” Warren has said about his development. “I don’t know how much better I’ve gotten. I think it’s the process of knowing what to do, when to do and executing it.”
The Yankees need him to keep executing as their rotation navigates injuries throughout 2026.
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