Yankees sign former Royals, Astros 3.84 ERA reliever

Conor Liguori

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Yankees sign former Royals, Astros 3.84 ERA reliever image

The New York Yankees have made several minor league acquisitions this winter. 

None have been flashy moves, but for the most part, they've signed players with multiple years of Major League experience. Consider them reclamation projects, with the hope that at least one or two players turn heads during spring training. 

Add reliever Dylan Coleman to that list, as the Yankees signed the right-hander to a minor league deal on Tuesday, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. 

Coleman spent three seasons with the Kansas City Royals from 2021 23, and one season with the Houston Astros in 2024. The best year of his career came in 2022, when he posted a 2.78 ERA in 68 innings and averaged 97.6 mph on his fastball.

Last season, the 29-year-old agreed to a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles but threw just 14.2 combined innings between Double-A Chesapeake and Triple-A Norfolk before his release in May. 

Yankees have a knack for identifying overlooked arms 

In recent years, the Yankees have developed a tendency to give undervalued and overlooked pitchers a chance to prove themselves. 

It started with Luke Weaver, who bounced around MLB as a starter before landing with New York as a reliever. He ended up turning into one of the Yankees' best bullpen arms in 2024, earning himself a $22 million contract with the New York Mets this offseason. 

They accomplished a similar feat with lefty specialist Tim Hill, who was released from one of the worst teams in league history in 2024, the 41-121 Chicago White Sox. 

The outcome of Coleman's signing may not be anything of note, or it could be a move 29 other clubs regret not making. Given his recent track record, the former is more likely, but time will tell. 

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Editorial Team