Yankees Sign Right Handed Reliever Vinnie Pestano and Four Others

Amid all the last minute shopping and crazy holiday traveling Yankees general manager Brian Cashman managed to make a slew of very interesting signings on Christmas Eve.

According to Brendan Kuty of NJ.com,  the Yankees signed 3o-year old right-handed reliever Vinnie Pestano to a minor league deal.

Over the course of the past six seasons Pestano was a member of the Cleveland Indians from 2010 to 2013 and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 2014 to 2015. Despite his career 2.98 ERA, Pestano appeared in just 19 major league games last season with the Halo’s in 2015.

The Pestano signing is rather interesting because after the Yankees tore apart one the best bullpens in baseball by trading away Adam Warren and Justin Wilson during the MLB Winter Meetings, it’s no secret that one of Brian Cashman’s biggest tasks before opening day is filling the bullpen with new and improved arms. Outside of Dellin Betances and the reigning American League Reliever of the Year Andrew Miller – the Yankees bullpen is surrounded by question marks.

Pestano’s bullpen resume is quite intriguing. As Kuty noted, Pestano averaged 68 games and a 2.45 ERA in middle-to-late innings from 2012 to 2013. However, since than his average fastball velocity has steadily decreased and his ERA dipped to underwhelming 3.97. The interesting part however is that the strikeout rates are still there, which is why I believe Larry Rothschild and Joe Girardi will be calling upon Pestano a lot in in 2016 from the Yankee dugout.

In addition to Pestano, the Yankees also added right-fielder Cesar Puello, the same prospect who was listed in the biogenesis scandal and has yet to play in a major league game to date. They also added 25-year old catching prospect Sebastian Valle, who was once regarded as the top prospect in the Phillies organization, 28-year old Richard Bleier who is considered a lefty specialist and 24-year old outfielder Juan Silva.

While these are certainly all interesting names, I think the only player who will have an impact on the Yankees in 2016 is Vinnie Pestano.

What do you think Yankees fans? Let us know in the comments below.