The Yankees are reshaping Clayton Beeter’s future, moving the promising right-hander to the bullpen for 2025. It’s a shift that could unlock his potential, according to pitching coach Matt Blake.
“His fastball-slider mix is super powerful and is best suited for relief,” Blake told the New York Post. “We decided to lean into the swing-and-miss of the fastball at the top of the zone and the slider at the bottom. We thought it might even play up in short bursts.”
Beeter, 26, got his first taste of the majors last season, striking out five batters in 3.2 innings across three appearances. His 4.91 ERA doesn’t tell the whole story – he was dominant in Triple-A when healthy, posting a 2.25 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 36 innings.
What makes this interesting is the timing. Beeter entered 2024 as a starter, sitting behind Luis Gil and Will Warren on the depth chart. But a shoulder injury in May sidelined him until September, giving the Yankees time to rethink his role.
The way I see it, this move makes sense. Fangraphs ranks Beeter as the Yankees’ No. 13 overall prospect and No. 8 pitching prospect, and his two-pitch mix could be devastating in short stints. His Triple-A numbers – particularly that 1.08 WHIP – suggest he’s ready for a bigger challenge.
While Beeter’s probably headed back to the minors to start the season, he’s definitely one to watch this spring. The Yankees’ bullpen has a few openings, and if his stuff plays up like Blake expects, we might see him in the Bronx sooner rather than later.
