Yankees gamble on comeback pitcher Cody Poteet, bolstering rotation depth

The Yankees have secured a deal with right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet, agreeing to a contract that will compensate him with $750,000 if he makes it to the majors, according to sources from The NY Post. The agreement, expected to be finalized on Thursday, marks Poteet’s return to the professional baseball scene after a challenging period.

Yankees land poteet on comeback trail

Poteet faced setbacks in the previous year due to Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss a significant portion of the season. Despite the hurdle, he successfully passed his physical examination, solidifying the deal with the Yankees. The terms of the contract involve Poteet being placed on the 40-man roster, but with a split contract structure. While he would receive $750,000 in the majors, his compensation would be reduced to $200,000 if he plays in the minors.

Having previously pitched for the Miami Marlins in 2021-22, Poteet compiled a 4.45 ERA over 19 games, which included nine starts. His career took a turn when he underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2022. In the aftermath, he signed a two-year minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals, but his 2023 season was limited to just one appearance in a minor league game in late September.

The Royals had initially aimed to rehabilitate Poteet during 2023, envisioning him as a potential asset for their major league team in 2024. However, the circumstances changed, and Poteet had the option to opt out of the second year of his contract if he wasn’t selected in the December Rule 5 draft and subsequently left off the 40-man roster. The decision not to add Poteet to the roster was influenced by Kansas City’s earlier acquisition of Matt Sauer from the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft.

At 29 years old, Poteet is set to join the Yankees’ roster, becoming part of the team’s depth competition for both bullpen and rotation positions. The move comes as the Yankees sought to bolster their pitching staff depth, particularly after including key pitchers like Michael King, Jhony Brito, Drew Thorpe, and Randy Vasquez in a trade for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham. Additionally, the team faced losses with Mitch Spence moving to Oakland and Sauer being selected in the Rule 5 draft.

One notable aspect of Poteet’s acquisition is that he still holds all three of his options, providing the Yankees with flexibility to move him between the majors and minors throughout the upcoming season. As the Yankees aim to build a competitive and resilient pitching staff, the signing of Cody Poteet adds a promising element to their roster for the upcoming season.