TAMPA – When Clayton Beeter reported to spring training in 2024, he did so as a depth starter before cracking the Yankees’ Opening Day roster as a reliever.
This year he reported to camp focused solely on the bullpen, a plan that was communicated to him in the offseason. Beeter, 26, will no longer worry about starting after doing so throughout his minor league career.
“Whatever they need me to do,” Beeter said when asked if he’s okay with the switch. “I just want to help in the big leagues. So if that’s the way to do it, then it’s good with me.”
This isn’t exactly an unexpected move, as Beeter has been pegged as a pitcher who might be better off in the pen ever since the Yankees acquired him from the Dodgers for Joey Gallo in 2022. His power arsenal is limited to two pitches, a fastball and slider, and he’s also struggled with command and health over the years.
That latter woe included a case of shoulder inflammation last season and additional shoulder soreness over the offseason.
“The injury last year kind of derailed him,” pitching coach Matt Blake said. “We brought him back in the relief role to get him back last year and he kind of took to it, had some success. It felt like that was probably the right place to put him in and optimize around his health a little bit and simplify his pitch package.”
Beeter, expected to impact the Yanks’ big league bullpen this season, now says that his shoulder is in the clear. He’s a couple of weeks behind in his buildup and isn’t exactly sure if he’s on track for Opening Day yet, but Blake said the pitcher is “not too far away” from facing hitters after Beeter threw a bullpen on Feb. 18.
“I’m not really worried about the shoulder anymore,” Beeter said. “I’m feeling really good now. So I just gotta listen to the trainers on when I can progress and throw lives and games and all that stuff.”
Beeter only pitched in three games for the Yankees last season, making one appearance on March 29 before adding two games in September. He allowed two earned runs over 3.2 innings, struck out five and walked one.
He spent the majority of his season in the minors, totaling 12 outings, seven starts, a 2.08 ERA, 21 walks and 56 strikeouts over 39 innings. He shifted to the bullpen following his shoulder injury, which Yankees GM Brian Cashman initially feared was season-ending.
Beeter’s relief potential quickly became apparent, as he threw seven scoreless innings while walking none and striking out a dozen batters over seven innings before returning to the majors.
SCHMIDT FEELING FINE
A day after Blake and Aaron Boone hardly seemed concerned about Clarke Schmidt’s “barking” back, the pitcher himself said that he’s feeling good and is scheduled for a bullpen on Friday. Like Boone, Schmidt isn’t worried about his standing for Opening Day following some “general soreness.”
“It’s early,” Schmidt said, “so we don’t want to push through anything crazy and make an issue.”
Schmidt, who turned 29 on Thursday, added that he faced live hitters at the Yankees’ player development complex before his back started bugging him. He has not faced live hitters in front of reporters yet, hence the initial questions about his health.
AN NRI TO WATCH
Now in his second big league camp with the Yankees, non-roster invitee Yerry De Los Santos recently earned a shoutout from Boone when the manager was asked to identify any standout, under the radar players in camp.
Blake has also been impressed with the righty, who is pairing an improving splitter with a sinker and slider.
“I feel like he took a step forward last year after he developed a little bit better identity with the splitter and just got his feet underneath him after a tough spring last year,” Blake said.
The Yankees signed De Los Santos to a minor league deal two offseasons ago. As Blake mentioned, he had a tough spring in 2024, and his minor league numbers weren’t all that impressive. The 27-year-old posted a 4.12 ERA over 59 innings.
However, De Los Santos ended his season on a strong note as his splitter took off, recording a 2.05 ERA over his last 26.1 innings.
“”He made some real improvements in the last couple of months at Triple-A,” Boone said. “It’s good to see him looking like he did when he finished the season in Scranton last year.”
De Los Santos has big league experience, as he logged a 4.14 ERA over 48 games with Pirates from 2022-2023.