{"id":44047,"date":"2025-03-25T13:17:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T13:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=44047"},"modified":"2025-03-25T13:17:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T13:17:00","slug":"new-york-yankees-2025-season-preview-roster-breakdown-projections-and-bold-prediction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=44047","title":{"rendered":"New York Yankees 2025 season preview: Roster breakdown, projections, and bold prediction"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"New<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

The New York Yankees\u2019 chances of making it back to the World Series took a hit during spring training due to the season-long loss of their ace, Gerrit Cole, to Tommy John surgery, the uncertain status of slugger Giancarlo Stanton, and the absence of reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil for at least three months.<\/p>\n

New addition Max Fried must immediately replace Cole as the de facto ace, while pressure rises on Carlos Rod\u00f3n and Marcus Stroman to provide stability in their rotation. Young players like Austin Wells, Jasson Dom\u00ednguez, Anthony Volpe and Ben Rice must produce.<\/p>\n

The American League East division will be a gauntlet with the Boston Red Sox improved, the young Baltimore Orioles looking to take their next step, the Tampa Bay Rays playing in a more hitter-friendly park in Steinbrenner Field and immense pressure on the Toronto Blue Jays to break through.<\/p>\n

\n

Austin Mock’s projections<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n
TEAM<\/th>\nPOST<\/th>\nDIV.<\/th>\nWS<\/th>\nW-L<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
\n
\n

Yankees<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

70.4%<\/td>\n39.8%<\/td>\n7.1%<\/span><\/td>\n88-74 (1st)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Bold prediction<\/h2>\n

With added muscle over the offseason, Ben Rice, the projected fill-in at designated hitter in place of Giancarlo Stanton, will hit at least 30 home runs and be in contention for making the American League All-Star Game.<\/p>\n

\n

Projected starting lineup<\/h2>\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Pos<\/th>\nPlayer<\/th>\nBats<\/th>\n2025 projection<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
C<\/td>\n\n
\n

Austin Wells<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

L<\/td>\n.231, 17 HR, 58 RBI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This is Wells\u2019 first time entering a season as the Yankees\u2019 starting catcher. If he does lead off for the Yankees, he\u2019ll become the first catcher in franchise history to do so.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Pos<\/th>\nPlayer<\/th>\nBats<\/th>\n2025 projection<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
RF<\/td>\n\n
\n

Aaron Judge<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

R<\/td>\n.282, 49 HR, 116 RBI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Judge is coming off of the greatest season by a right-handed hitter in MLB history. With the number of injuries the Yankees already have, they cannot afford any absence by the reigning AL MVP.<\/p>\n

Bellinger\u2019s left-handed swing was tailor-made to play half of his games at Yankee Stadium. He\u2019s the son of former Yankees infielder, Clay Bellinger, who won two titles with the franchise in 1999 and 2000.<\/p>\n

The Yankees signed the veteran to a one-year, $12.5 million contract over the offseason. They hope the 37-year-old can bounce back after posting the worst season of his career. There\u2019s optimism after he posted a .799 OPS in the second half.<\/p>\n

Chisholm moves back to second base, his natural position. At his best, Chisholm has 30-30 potential, but last season was the first year in his four full seasons that he\u2019s been able to play at least 125 games.<\/p>\n

Dom\u00ednguez will be a popular pick to win the AL Rookie of the Year award. He\u2019ll be given ample time to establish himself in left field, as he\u2019s replacing Alex Verdugo. Dom\u00ednguez has had immense expectations on him since he signed for $5.1 million as a 16-year-old teenager in the Dominican Republic.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Pos<\/th>\nPlayer<\/th>\nBats<\/th>\n2025 projection<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
DH<\/td>\n\n
\n

Ben Rice<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

L<\/td>\n.225, 8 HR, 24 RBI<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rice made his MLB debut last season after Anthony Rizzo injured his wrist. He had a three-homer game against the Boston Red Sox. He\u2019s established new career highs in exit velocity this spring and should get the majority of DH at-bats versus right-handed pitching.<\/p>\n

Volpe won the Gold Glove at shortstop in his rookie season and was a finalist last year. He has yet to finish with an OPS over .700 in his two seasons. He\u2019ll need to hit more than he has for the Yankees.<\/p>\n

Cabrera has played every position on the field except catcher in his three big-league seasons. He enters the year as the Yankees\u2019 projected starting third baseman after DJ LeMahieu hurt his calf early in spring training.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

\n

Projected rotation<\/h2>\n

Rod\u00f3n has not lived up to the six-year, $162 million contract he signed. He was better in 2024 but nowhere near the ace the Yankees thought they were getting. With Cole out, Rod\u00f3n will have to become a workhorse.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
PLAYER<\/th>\nTHROWS<\/th>\n2025 PROJECTION<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
\n
\n

Max Fried<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

LHP<\/td>\n172 IP, 3.35 ERA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Since 2020, no pitcher with at least 500 innings has a better ERA than Fried\u2019s 2.81. Fried signed the highest contract for a left-handed starter in MLB history when he agreed to $218 million over eight years this past offseason.<\/p>\n

The Yankees tried trading the veteran this offseason to create more financial flexibility. He has a vesting option for 2026 if he pitches 140 innings this season. The Yankees likely will try to limit his innings in 2025, but their depth has taken a hit.<\/p>\n

Carrasco, 37, was seen as a depth option at the start of spring training but now projects to make the Yankees\u2019 rotation after the injuries to Cole and Gil. He has finished three of his past four seasons with an ERA of at least 5.50.<\/p>\n

Schmidt will begin the season on the injured list as he continues to properly build up his arm strength after dealing with minor back and shoulder soreness. Schmidt missed three months last season with a lat strain. Will Warren is expected to temporarily take Schmidt\u2019s spot in the rotation.<\/p>\n

\n

Projected top relievers<\/h2>\n

Williams has already established himself as one of the most important pitchers in Yankees history, as he was the catalyst for the franchise changing their longstanding facial hair policy. Williams replaces Clay Holmes, who led MLB last season with the most blown saves, as the Yankees\u2019 closer.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
PLAYER<\/th>\nTHROWS<\/th>\nROLE<\/th>\n2025 PROJECTION<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
\n
\n

Luke Weaver<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

RHP<\/td>\nSetup<\/td>\n68 IP, 3.67 ERA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Weaver was a revelation last season after moving to the bullpen. He was one of MLB\u2019s best set-up men. Together with Williams, the Yankees could have one of the best one-two punches at the back end of their bullpen.<\/p>\n

\n

How the Yankees stack up<\/h2>\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
TEAM<\/th>\nHOPE<\/th>\nFARM<\/th>\nBATS<\/th>\nARMS<\/th>\nPWR<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
\n
\n

Yankees<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

17 (of 30)<\/td>\n21<\/td>\n11<\/span><\/td>\n17<\/span><\/td>\n7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cHope\u201d is from Stephen J. Nesbitt\u2019s annual Hope-O-Meter fan optimism survey. \u201cFarm\u201d is from Keith Law\u2019s farm system rankings. \u201cBats\u201d and \u201carms\u201d are from Jim Bowden\u2019s ranking of Opening Day lineups and rotations. \u201cPWR\u201d is from The Athletic\u2019s<\/em> preseason power rankings. Team projections come from Austin Mock, while Jake Ciely provided player projections.<\/p>\n

(Top photo of Aaron Judge: Elsa \/ Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Chris Kirschner<\/strong> is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the New York Yankees. He previously covered the Atlanta Hawks from 2018-2022 for The Athletic. Chris was named Georgia’s Sportswriter of the Year in 2021 for his work covering the Hawks. Chris is a native of Bronx, NY. Follow Chris on Twitter @chriskirschner<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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