Cardinals Reunite With 25-Year-Old Pitcher After Short Stint With Yankees

The Cardinals have reunited with a pitcher whom the Yankees selected in the Rule 5 Draft.

Feb 26, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Cade Winquest (80) throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Rule 5 Draft is one of the interesting aspects of Major League Baseball that differentiates it from all the other professional sports leagues. The Rule 5 Draft allows teams to select players from other teams, if they're eligible and not protected by their current team, in a draft-like setting. The reason that this event isn't bigger than it seems is that any player selected in the Rule 5 Draft must be kept on the 40-man roster for the entire season, or else he's returned to his original team.

The New York Yankees recently watched one of their Rule 5 selections return to the St. Louis Cardinals after a very short stint in the Bronx.

Cardinals return Cade Winquest from the Yankees

Feb 13, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Cade Winquest (80) works out during spring training practices at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

According to multiple reports, including a team announcement from the Yankees, the Yankees have returned pitcher Cade Winquest to the Cardinals on Monday.

Winquest's contract was originally purchased by the Yankees on December 10 during the Rule 5 Draft. This marked New York's first Rule 5 selection since 2011, and the idea made sense. New York had its eyes on Winquest during the 2022 MLB Draft, but he eventually landed with the Cardinals.

Winquest stayed with the Yankees through spring training, but never made a big league appearance for New York. He allowed 13 hits and eight earned runs in 10 spring training innings. He also allowed three home runs in 10 innings, which is shocking considering he's never been the kind of pitcher to be hit too hard. Walks, on the other hand, have been a problem.

But the Yankees opted to designate him for assignment earlier this month, and now, he returns to the Cardinals. Cardinals reporter Jeff Jones reported that he was assigned to the Triple-A level after being sent back to the Cardinals.

This might not seem like a huge move for the Cardinals, but it's an addition of depth back to the organization. It's not like they ever intended on losing the righty.

Winquest will have a chance to compete for a roster spot on the rebuilding Cardinals roster over the next year or two. He's going to need to make some adjustments, but there's a chance we see him in St. Louis before 2027.