Yankees Pitcher Adds New Pitch To Repertoire; Vying For Final Rotation Spot

An intriguing development in the competition to win the New York Yankees' final rotation spot.

Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt reportedly developed a cutter this offseason, stating that he hopes it will help him be more effective against left-handed hitters this season.

More of Clarke Schmidt throwing. A pairing of former Tampa Yankees with Higashioka catching Schmidt.@PinstripedPros pic.twitter.com/fxoph2A77G

— John Brophy (@jbrophybaseball) February 19, 2023

Schmidt reportedly developed the new pitch under directive from the organization and was believed that the cutter would come fairly naturally to him given the natural cut and high spin rate on his four-seam fastball.

The new pitch has apparently looked good in bullpen sessions so far, with Schmidt saying he already feels comfortable utilizing it.

This new update could very well help his case as he competes with Domingo German for the final spot in the Yankees' rotation.

The twenty-seven-year-old compiled a 3.12 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, with 56 strikeouts across 57.2 innings of work last season. He made three starts, 26 relief appearances, converted two saves and held a 5-5 record.
Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports