For the past few seasons, Yankees‘ Yoendrys Gómez has been stuck in the frustrating limbo of the minor leagues, getting brief tastes of the majors but never sticking around long enough to cement his place. That could finally change in 2025, as the 25-year-old right-hander is making a strong case to earn a bullpen role with the Yankees.
A Perfect Spring So Far
Gómez has been nothing short of stellar this spring, logging 6.2 innings without allowing a single earned run. His 0.00 ERA comes with an impressive 100% left-on-base rate and a solid 43.8% ground ball rate. He’s keeping hitters off balance, limiting walks, and avoiding hard contact—three critical factors that could give him the edge over other bullpen hopefuls.
His limited major league experience is promising, too. Over 13.1 innings in the big leagues, he posted a respectable 3.38 ERA, showing flashes of the dominance the Yankees have been waiting for.
Gómez’s Arsenal: A Unique Blend of Command and Deception
Gómez doesn’t have overpowering velocity, as his four-seam fastball averages just 92.4 mph. But what he lacks in raw speed, he makes up for with exceptional extension and command. His long reach makes the ball appear faster than it actually is, giving hitters less time to react.
“With his 6.8 feet of extension as well, the perceived velocity of the pitch is 95.2 MPH, a full MPH higher than the actual velocity of the pitch,” Ryan Garcia of Empire Sports Media noted.
But Gómez’s real weapon isn’t his fastball—it’s his devastating sweeper. The pitch generates plenty of movement, creating uncomfortable swings and misses that give him a true out-pitch against both righties and lefties.
Could Injuries Open the Door?
With the Yankees dealing with a growing list of injuries in both the rotation and bullpen, Gómez’s timing couldn’t be better. If Clarke Schmidt’s back issue lingers or the team needs to shuffle arms in and out of the bullpen, Gómez could sneak onto the roster rather than being optioned back to Triple-A yet again.
Last season, he posted a 3.67 ERA over 83.1 innings at Triple-A, showing steady improvement in his command. If he can continue limiting walks, he has a legitimate chance to carve out a role in the majors—something that’s been just out of reach for him until now.