“Yankees Secure Right-Handed Pitcher Cody Poteet in Major League Deal to Boost Pitching Staff Depth”

The New York Yankees have reached an agreement with right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet on a contract, set to pay him $750,000 if he secures a spot in the majors. Poteet, who underwent Tommy John surgery and missed a significant part of the previous season, successfully passed his physical, and the deal is expected to be finalized on Thursday.

While Poteet is placed on the 40-man roster due to this major league deal, it comes with a split contract, entailing a $200,000 salary if he plays in the minors. Having previously pitched for the Miami Marlins in 2021-22, Poteet posted a 4.45 ERA in 19 games, including nine starts.

Following his Tommy John surgery in August 2022, Poteet signed a two-year minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. However, he only participated in one minor league game in late September 2023. The Royals signed the two-year deal with the intention of rehabilitating Poteet in 2023, hoping to have him as a viable option for their major league team in 2024.

However, the Royals’ full 40-man roster and the acquisition of Matt Sauer from the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft led to Poteet not being included. As per their understanding, Poteet had the option to opt out of the second year if he wasn’t selected in the December Rule 5 draft or added to the 40-man roster.

At 29 years old, Poteet will now join the Yankees, providing depth competition for both the bullpen and rotation. The Yankees sought to bolster their pitching staff depth, especially after trading Michael King, Jhony Brito, Drew Thorpe, and Randy Vasquez in a deal for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham. Additionally, they lost Mitch Spence to Oakland and Matt Sauer as the first two picks in the Rule 5 draft.

With the flexibility of having all three of his options, the Yankees can move Poteet between the majors and minors throughout the upcoming season.