A Decade of Relief Pitching Diamonds in the Rough (Pt.2)

by Ethan Levine

August 7, 2026

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NOTE - We welcome our newest writer, Ethan Levine!

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So now, for a nearly complete review of recent Yankees bullpen success stories to help lift my spirits this week…

5. Luke Weaver: A wise man once said, “I’m not as tough as I look.”  That man was Luke Weaver, although many Yankees fans would care to disagree.  While he was a former first-rounder who couldn’t seem to live up to expectations as a starting pitcher over nearly eight full seasons split between St. Louis, Arizona, Kansas City, Cincinnati and Seattle, the Yankees’ front office still saw untapped potential in his pitch mix.  After appearing in 3 games for the Bombers at the tail end of ‘23, he burst into stardom in ‘24 by unlocking a devastating fastball/changeup combo.  Opponents’ batting average against Weaver’s fastball plummeted from .307 in ‘23 to .177 in ‘24, as well as from .316 to .172 against his changeup across the same span.  After Clay Holmes surrendered a walkoff grand slam against Texas on September 3rd, 2024, Weaver was officially handed the key to the closer’s role and recorded his first career save on September 6th against the Cubs.  All he did as the team’s closer during the subsequent playoff pennant run was shove to a 1.76 ERA in 12 appearances while racking up four saves.  While his Bronx tenure ended with an atrocious final stat line during the 2025 playoffs, Weaver will best be remembered as a fan-favorite who blossomed out of nowhere to save the back end of a pennant-winning ‘pen.  There is an alternate universe in which the Stadium faithful regard “Dream Weaver” with nearly as much unbridled joy as “Enter Sandman.”   

   
   

6. Brent Headrick: We arrive at the present day.  Well, February 2025 to be exact.  The Yankees claim off of waivers a former 9th round pick from Minnesota who’s sporting a career ERA a tick under 6.00.  Cashman and co. saw a tall lefthander with a high spin rate fastball with minor league options, adding a cheap, controllable piece to their 40-man roster.  Headrick appeared in seventeen games in 2025 and was…perfectly fine.  A 3.13 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 23 innings is respectable, but not enough to make this list.  Ring ring!  Who’s that?  2026 is calling?  How about an ERA of 1.42 in 57 innings, as well as xSLG, xwOBA, K%, and xERA totals each within the top 10% of all of MLB pitchers (I’m sure those abbreviations were just what you were hoping for at this point in the article).  Sure, this season could be a flash in the pan, but even a modest future recession from the peak could still likely qualify Headrick for my consideration.         

Now, the question naturally becomes, “Who could be the next link in this chain?” 

I propose a couple, reserving the right to be tragically inaccurate in short order….

1. Angel Chivilli: Humor me for just one moment and try to set aside Chivilli’s performance this past Monday night when he took the loss by allowing six earned runs in just a sole inning of work.  Prior to that, he had only allowed one earned run in the other 15 ⅔ innings he had thrown this season.  That alone, combined with his high-velo arm, high whiff rate on his breaking and off-speed pitches, and the opportunity for a career reset away from the thin Rocky Mountain air, make me optimistic that there is more waiting to be unveiled than his 11.7 hits per nine innings allowed last season.

   
   

2. Bradley Hanner: He’s a 27-year-old, 2019 21st round draft pick of the Twins out of Patrick & Henry Community College in Martinsville, Virginia.  After splitting his early- and mid-twenties between Minnesota and Cleveland’s organizations, righty Bradley Hanner signed a minor league deal with the Yankees this past offseason, and to say he’s been dealing at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre would be an understatement.  Across 39 ⅓ innings spanning the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth innings this season, Hanner has a 1.60 ERA, and has only allowed one home run in 47 ⅔ total innings of work.  And while it would be encouraging to see his walk rate tick lower, his 10.76 K/9 ratio reveals tremendous upside.  The Yankees signed Hanner to his first major league contract on July 18th, 2026, and he sits on the precipice of his big league debut.