New York Yankees Top Prospect Could Be Rotation Option in Wake of Injury Issues

The Yankees are already dealing with attrition at the major league-level, with Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil in troublesome injury spots. But could prospect Will Warren be ready to help keep New York afloat?

New York Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren (98) throws a pitch in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on Feb 26. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees are in tough spot at the major league level, with reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil sidelined for multiple months with injury and former AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole undergoing imaging for elbow issues.

Gil is definitely going to miss significant time, and assuming Cole is out, too (at least for a little while), the Yankees suddenly are looking for rotation answers.

Veteran Marcus Stroman appears to be one, as he has spent his entire career as a starter. As for the other spot? That could end up going to 25-year-old prospect Will Warren.

MiLB.com's Sam Dykstra just listed Warren as the Yankees' standout of spring training from a prospect prospective and identified him as a possible rotation fill-in. He is the No. 5 prospect in the organization, per MLB Pipeline.

Warren has touched 95.8 mph this spring but has generally been in the 93-94 range with his four-seamer and sinker, throwing both almost equally. His 82-85 mph sweeper continues to look like his nastiest offering, one that averages above 3,000 rpm and close to 20 inches of horizontal movement.

Here's @SamDykstraMiLB's report on @Yankees prospects at Spring Training: https://t.co/lezXsM3gM6

◾️ Lombard Jr. thriving
◾️ Something to prove: Jones
◾️ Camp standout: Warren pic.twitter.com/XoeIJrNyth

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 9, 2025

A 2020 eighth-round draft pick, Warren has allowed just one run in eight spring training innings while striking out 11. He made his major league debut a season ago, going 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA, but perhaps that exposure will help him make the necessary adjustments to succeed this time around.

He was 6-5 last season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a 5.91 ERA.

The Yankees open the regular season on March 27 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

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