The Yankees are in agreement on a minor league deal with reliever Jimmy Cordero, reports Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (Twitter link). The 30-year-old is eligible to sign a minors pact by virtue of the fact that he was outrighted off the White Sox’s 40-man roster at the end of the season.
Cordero has appeared in parts of three big league seasons. He broke in with the Nationals in 2018 and also appeared with the Blue Jays and White Sox over the next couple years. Cordero pitched to a 2.75 ERA across 36 innings with Chicago in 2019, but he struggled in each of the two surrounding seasons. The right-hander missed the entire 2021 campaign recovering from a March Tommy John surgery. Given that TJS typically requires around 14 months of recovery time, it seems likely Cordero will be ready to return to game action at some point within the first couple months of next season.
Over his big league career, the native of the Dominican Republic owns a 4.55 ERA over 83 frames of relief. Cordero has only punched out 17.9% of batters faced, but the sinkerballer has induced grounders on a lofty 54.7% of balls in play against him. That’s on the strength of a fastball that has averaged north of 97 MPH in the past and checked in at 96.6 MPH during his most recent action in 2020.
The Yankees have seemingly placed a priority on adding grounder specialists in constructing their bullpen of late — Darren O’Day, Joely Rodríguez, Clay Holmes and Wandy Peralta all fit that bill — and Cordero comes with a similar skillset. Whenever he’s healthy, he’ll try to pitch his way into the middle innings mix in the Bronx.
Low risk signing
Interesting that we have a Jimmy Cordero article right after a Chad Cordero article.
All we need is some Franchy Cordero news to complete the trifecta.
Yeah I know, we won’t be getting a Wil Cordero article any time soon.
I guess Cashman needed to replace O’Day since he signed a minors deal with the Braves.
Not sure there’s any room in the pen, but the Yankees seem to pick up one or two arms a year that end up contributing.
Someone spike the eggnog? Cash is going crazy! It’s like Black Friday for the Yankees. Stocking up depth arms to compete for a slot on the team, Lucas Luetge style.
Maybe Matt Blake can work some of his magic. So far, hiring Blake is one of the smartest things Cashman has ever done.
Cash gets ahold of something & just goes bonkers with it sometimes. All those RH TTO guys, the high spin rate guys, now he’s infatuated with *low* spin rates.
But this particular fancy does make one wonder whom – exactly – is going to be – ya know – fielding all these ground balls. Perhaps some cart before the horse stuff.
Man.
It’s really going to end up being Andrelton Simmons, ain’t it?
Black Friday at the dollar store, maybe!
Smart deal. Low risk high reward
Great 2019 with the Sox!
He’s pretty interesting to check out over at Savant.
I figured he’d be a typical sinker/slider guy. & his repertoire definitely favors those 2 pitches. But he also mixes pretty heavy doses of a change & a 4-seamer in to his mix. Looks like he’s dabbled with a curve & a cutter too at different times. Elite velo. Super low spin rate. Good extension: his FB should play up, if anything.
Certainly seems to have the necessary stuff to be a good reliever. Yanks bullpen pretty crowded. But I could see this actually turning into something.
This is not low risk, high reward. This is no risk, medium reward.
I hope they pay him a lot and don’t allow him to play in the Dominican Winter League. He can pitch batting practice overseas.
Jimmy won’t be game ready until April/May.
Had TJ last spring.
Matt Blake has been above and beyond what he was hired for. Too bad the hitting coaches couldn’t replicate his success.
Nice pickup for the Yankees.
This evening at MLBTR, it’s all about the Corderos! Chad, then Jimmy. Is Wil next?
Wow Cashman the “ Genius” making this team a contender by signing all these bullpen guys when he needs starters. 13 years and counting.
The Yankees wouldn’t have to sign starting pitchers if they knew how to draft and develop their own starting pitchers
Can I get a Clint Frazier story? – asking for c c cabathia.
Solid pickup considering whats been going on.
Full up on pitchers now. Need a half dozen better bats still.
Great guy to give a chance on a minor league deal.
Jimmy holds grudges, Kramer !
Moving to Manhattan set Jimmy back a bit.
Jimmy Cordero once threw 100 mph on a fairly consistent basis. I’m not sure if he could hit the broad side of a barn, but he did it with some velocity.
Definitely high upside. Potentially a great pick up if Blake can get him back to a version of himself with a sub-3 ERA and he becomes a dependable single inning reliever.