The New York Yankees have designated right-hander Cade Winquest for assignment, a move that likely brings a swift and quiet end to his tenure in the Bronx before he ever threw a single pitch in a regular-season game.
The decision, announced Friday, was made to clear a necessary roster spot for Luis Gil. Gil has been recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is slated to take the mound for the series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.
For the Yankees, the move marks the conclusion of a calculated gamble that failed to pay off during the spring. By designating Cade Winquest, the organization is prioritizing immediate rotation stability over the long-term potential of a Rule 5 acquisition who struggled to find his footing during exhibition play.
A Rare Rule 5 Gamble
Winquest, 25, arrived in New York via the Rule 5 draft during the December winter meetings. The draft allows teams to select players from other organizations who are not on their 40-man roster, provided the selecting team keeps the player on their active major league roster for the entire following season.
The Yankees’ commitment to Winquest was an anomaly for the franchise. He became the first Rule 5 selection to make the New York opening day roster since infielder Josh Phelps in 2007, signaling a rare willingness by the front office to burn a roster spot on a developmental arm from another system.
Yet, the risk associated with such a move is high. As Rule 5 players cannot be optioned to the minors without first clearing waivers, they often occupy a “precarious” spot on the 26-man roster. When a more pressing need arises—such as the return of a high-ceiling arm like Luis Gil—these players are often the first to be sacrificed.
Spring Struggles and the Numbers
The decision to move on from Winquest follows a hard spring training campaign. The right-hander struggled with consistency and efficiency across nine outings, posting a 0-1 record and a 7.20 ERA. Those numbers made it difficult for the coaching staff to envision a reliable role for him in a high-pressure New York bullpen.
Winquest’s path to the majors has been a steady climb. An eighth-round selection by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2022 amateur draft out of the University of Texas at Arlington, he spent the 2023 through 2025 seasons grinding through the Cardinals’ farm system. While he showed flashes of the potential that attracted the Yankees’ interest in December, he was unable to translate that success to the major league spring environment.
The Waiver Process: What Happens Next
Because of the specific regulations governing Rule 5 picks, Winquest cannot simply be sent down to Triple-A. He must navigate a strict procedural sequence before he can return to the minor leagues.
| Stage | Action | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Waivers | Placed on MLB waiver wire | Any team can claim his contract |
| Return Offer | Offered back to St. Louis | Cardinals pay $50,000 to reclaim him |
| Outright | Clears all waivers/offers | Yankees assign him to the minors |
If no other MLB club claims him during the waiver period, the Yankees are required to offer Winquest back to the St. Louis Cardinals for a fee of $50,000. If the Cardinals decline to reclaim him, only then can the Yankees assign him outright to their own minor league system.
Impact on the Yankees’ Rotation
The immediate beneficiary of this move is Luis Gil, whose return provides the Yankees with a potent arm for the upcoming series in Tampa. The move shifts the team’s focus away from the “lottery ticket” nature of a Rule 5 pick and toward proven internal talent.
For the Yankees, the loss of Winquest is a minor setback in a broader strategy of roster optimization. For Winquest, it is a sobering reminder of the volatility of the Rule 5 process, where the distance between an Opening Day roster and a designated-for-assignment notice can be measured in just a few spring outings.
The organization will now monitor the waiver wire to see if another club is willing to take a chance on the 25-year-traditional’s arm, or if he will find his way back to the organization that drafted him.
The next official update regarding Winquest’s status will occur once the waiver period expires, at which point the Yankees must either announce a claim by another team or confirm his offer back to St. Louis.
Do you think the Yankees gave up on Winquest too early, or was the move for Luis Gil the only logical choice? Share your thoughts in the comments.
