Yankees' Breakout Players, Most Disappointing to Start 2024 Season

Joel ReuterMay 23, 2024

Yankees' Breakout Players, Most Disappointing to Start 2024 Season

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    BRONX, NY - APRIL 21: New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) throws to the plate in the second inning during a regular season game between the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees on April 20, 2024 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
    Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

    The New York Yankees look like a legitimate top-tier team through the first two months of the 2024 season, and they are doing without ace Gerrit Cole who remains sidelined with elbow inflammation.

    The emergence of Luis Gil as not only a capable replacement in the starting rotation, but as a bona fide ace-caliber starter and the AL Rookie of the Year front-runner has been a huge reason the team has managed to weather that storm.

    While Gil has put together a breakout season, second baseman Gleyber Torres is off to a dreadful start in a contract year.

    Ahead we've taken a closer look at those two players who carry the title of biggest breakout and biggest disappointment so far, along with shining some light on a player enjoying a more under-the-radar breakout.

Under-the-Radar Breakout: RHP Nick Burdi

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    CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 14, 2024: Nick Burdi #57 of the New York Yankees throws a pitch during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on April 14, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
    George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images

    A flame-throwing closer at Louisville who was ranked as the No. 36 prospect in the 2014 draft class by Baseball America, Nick Burdi saw his career derailed by Tommy John surgery, thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and then a second Tommy John surgery.

    All told, he entered the 2024 season with 19 career appearances in the big leagues over parts of four seasons, during which time he struggled to a 9.39 ERA and 1.89 WHIP, albeit while also striking out 27 batters in 15.1 innings.

    The Yankees signed Burdi to a minor league deal in January and he made the Opening Day squad as a non-roster invitee.

    In 11 appearances, he has a 1.93 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, allowing just five hits in 9.1 innings while tallying seven walks and 11 strikeouts. He is pitching mostly in middle relief and the walks are a bit of an issue, but the fact that he has contributed anything this year makes him a pleasant surprise.

Biggest Disappointment: 2B Gleyber Torres

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    NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 05:  Gleyber Torres #25 of the New York Yankees in action against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on May 05, 2024 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 5-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
    Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

    He may never replicate the 38-homer season he put together as a 22-year-old in 2019, but Gleyber Torres developed into one of the game's most productive second basemen in recent years, posting a 4.0-WAR season in 2022 and a 2.9-WAR campaign with 28 doubles, 25 home runs, 68 RBI and 13 steals last year.

    Still only 27 years old and poised to be one of the top hitters on the market next offseason, he has instead stumbled out of the gates in an all-important contract year.

    He has played in all 50 games for the Yankees, but is hitting just .223/.301/.310 for a 74 OPS+ with a 24.2 percent strikeout rate that represents his highest mark since his rookie season in 2018.

    Ugly batted-ball metrics, including a .210 expected batting average that ranks in the ninth percentile, don't suggest a quick turnaround is coming.

Biggest Breakout: RHP Luis Gil

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    NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 07: Luis Gil #81 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Houston Astros during their game at Yankee Stadium on May 07, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
    Al Bello/Getty Images

    Luis Gil was a top-five prospect in the Yankees system in 2020, 2021 and 2022, but his prospect star had faded after he struggled early in 2022 and then underwent Tommy John surgery that May, costing him most of the 2023 season as well.

    The 25-year-old returned healthy this spring and ended up winning a rotation spot out of camp filling in for the injured Gerrit Cole.

    Over nine starts, he has gone 5-1 with a 2.39 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 62 strikeouts in 49 innings while allowing an AL-best 4.8 hits per nine innings and limiting opposing hitters to a .154 batting average.

    He racked up 14 strikeouts in six innings against the White Sox last time out, and he has put himself in the driver's seat in the AL Rookie of the Year race while also staking claim to more than just a temporary role in the rotation once Cole returns.

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