TAMPA — Arguably the greatest strength of the Yankees this decade is their bullpen, which is consistently excellent in part because of the organization’s talent in identifying and maximizing talented arms who had failed elsewhere. They found Clay Holmes and Lucas Luetge in 2021, Ian Hamilton and Luke Weaver in ’23 and Tim Hill and Jake Cousins in ’24.
The discoveries largely halted last season, which helps explain why their bullpen was the 21st most valuable, according to FanGraphs, and not good enough in the postseason.
For the Yankees’ relief corps to bounce back this year, they would love to stumble across a difference-maker.
Perhaps that will be Dylan Coleman.
Coleman is a 29-year-old in camp as a non-roster invitee who has a big arm that can touch 100 mph and has been a quality major league reliever: In his first two seasons, 2021-22, the 6-foot-5 righty pitched to a 2.66 ERA in 74 ¹/₃ innings with the Royals.
But he had a poor 2023 campaign then was traded to the Astros for the 2024 season, struggled at Triple-A and was released in August.
He popped up with the Orioles last season, was ineffective in 11 minor league games and was cut in May.
The turning point, Coleman believes, occurred next.
He stepped away from organized baseball and spent a few weeks with Mason Feole, who runs a pitching instruction company in Rhode Island.
In his last outing in the Baltimore organization, Coleman said he was throwing 93-94 mph and touching 95 mph.
“Went up there [to Rhode Island] after I got released,” Coleman said. “Five days later, I was like 99, 100 or so.”
The couple of weeks were encouraging enough for Coleman to then spend a couple of months training with Feole over the offseason, making small tweaks to feel and look like the pitcher he wanted to be.
They worked on small mechanical things that added up to big things: getting Coleman’s arm and body in sync, releasing the ball with ideal timing, and cleaning up the direction of his delivery—ensuring he moves straight to the plate rather than falling toward the left, a habit he had to kick.
“When my direction is good,” Coleman said, “the throw takes care of itself.”
He also added a sinker that he hopes can record quick outs to a repertoire that already included a hard four-seamer plus a sweeper and cutter.
The Yankees found him and took a flier on an impressive arm with a respectable résumé and one who can be optioned to the minor leagues.
In a pair of Grapefruit League games, Coleman has pitched two scoreless innings while allowing three hits and a walk and striking out two.
More importantly, Coleman is happy with how he feels, believes his mechanics are sound and is seeing the velocity begin to tick up.
“I’m in a way better spot than I’ve been in a while,” Coleman said after throwing a live batting practice at Steinbrenner Field on Sunday.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
