The New York Yankees employ a list of arms that are expected to see the big league stage at some point this season. With a decent spring training combined with a phenomenal split-season in 2023, right-hander Will Warren is on the list for promotion. Warren, 24, was selected in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He spent four seasons at Southeastern Louisiana University where he put up cumulative numbers that attracted the eyes of scouts and cross-checkers across the region. The right-hander went from a late draft pick to one of the best pitching prospects in the organization.
Will Warren is Ready to Prove Himself
Warren chucked 205 1/3 total innings at the NCAA level, where he posted a 3.90 ERA. He solidified himself as a strikeout arm with 193 and walked 71 batters over four college seasons. He reached Double-A two months into his 2022 pro debut. Warren posted a 3.91 ERA over 129 innings with 125 strikeouts and 42 walks. With such a successful season, 2023 saw him push for consistency and authenticity.
Last season, Warren continued his promise at the highest level of the minors. In 19 starts at Triple-A, he had a 3.61 ERA, striking out 9.9 batters per nine innings while walking 4.2. He shined in his final ten outings with a 2.10 ERA and a .194 batting average against. Warren’s statistical output emphasized the pitcher the Yankees hoped for. Needless to say, the numbers voice the fact that Warren can control his game. He can eat up quality innings as he’s comfortable working counts and diversifying his sequence. Doing so gives the bullpen a strong chance to finish the job.
The Scouting Synopsis
Warren has an athletic build from top to bottom and shows good use of his entire physical ability. His wind-up, load, and delivery are very consistent and repetitive. The wind is led by a high vertical leg kick that leads his front side down the slope of the mound and finishes with a naturally long stride; his hips are fully engaged and turns the arm over to a 3/4 arm-slot release.
Composure and cadence are two huge traits that complement the profile of Warren. Each pitch comes with a delivery after a timely thought and a breath, creating a good tempo in his sequence. No matter the situation, Warren maintains a composure that ultimately helps him get the job done.
Repertoire, Pitch Selection, and Usage
Warren now has another option for his tool belt with five pitch options, all reliable and effectively used. His fastball switches between a four-seam and two-seam comes with a strong command and a great demand, using the entirety of the outer zone. Rarely is Warren living in the wheelhouse of hitters. Besides, even his mistakes aren’t entirely capitalized on all the time, due to drastic movement on his fastball. His heater is consistent between 94-97 mph, touching up to 98 mph. His change-up is mediocre with a decent deficit in velocity, but it has the potential to locate the zone if the fastball struggles.
The change-up can be a destructive pitch for Warren depending on where it misses, and it does have the potential to land in the mouth of the gator once in a while.
The sinker is an upper 80s, and early 90s pitch that forces hitters to roll over and force groundouts; this pitch is a highly effective option for contact-outs. As a matter of fact, Warren’s confirmed out-pitch is a mix between the slider and the sweeper. As of this season, he uses more of the sweeper.
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