Matt Blake spoke on YES Network’s Hot Stove today, and the well-regarded pitching coach spoke on new additions the Yankees made but was also asked about names who could take a huge leap in 2025. After mentioning that the team is still importing Non-Roster Invites, where the Yankees have been able to find valuable bullpen depth, he mentioned the name of a right-handed pitching prospect who made his MLB debut last season. Clayton Beeter, whom the Yankees acquired from the Dodgers in 2022, was Blake’s pick to take a significant step forward in 2025.
While the Yankees’ bullpen plans are not set in stone, Beeter’s transition to a reliever was quite impressive, and he could serve a significant role on the 2025 roster.
Clayton Beeter Could Have a Bigger Role on the 2025 Yankees
Last season wasn’t perfect for Clayton Beeter as a shoulder injury interrupted what was shaping up to be a breakout season at the Triple-A level, but when he came back his stuff took a serious step forward. The Yankees moved him into the bullpen upon activating him from the IL, and his fastball began sitting closer to 95-96 MPH with excellent vertical life, pairing it with a slider that has elite vertical drop and high swing-and-miss rates.
In Triple-A, Beeter had a 2.25 ERA and 34.7% strikeout rate across 36 innings, making seven starts and three appearances out of the bullpen. He made his MLB debut in the team’s first series of the season in Houston, and in 3.2 innings of work across three outings out of the bullpen, Beeter had a 4.91 ERA with five strikeouts and just one walk. His high stuff is electric and he can coax plenty of whiffs, which the Yankees are going to need in their bullpen.
The addition of Devin Williams helps their swing-and-miss issues, but they’ll need more than just him if they want to improve from a mediocre 23.9% strikeout rate as a bullpen last season.
The Yankees signed Jonathan Loaisiga who doesn’t have massive swing-and-miss stuff but has the kind of velocity and movement that can help him induce some more whiffs. While losing Clay Holmes removes a pitcher who the team relied heavily on in a set-up role during October, the addition of Williams makes the bullpen better off overall in the eighth and ninth innings as Luke Weaver will take the mantle of being the primary set-up man.
Where Brian Cashman could look to add to his bullpen would be on the left-handed side, as they lack a single left-handed reliever on the 40-man roster. A return for Tim Hill is still in the cards and the team does have a lot of righties with good changeups, which should allow them to get left-handed batters out without having to churn out multiple left-handed relievers.
Furthermore, Tommy Kahnle could come back to the team and the Yankees have always been able to find someone no one expected to take on a bigger role on the roster.
