Yankees: Five players who will help the team before the year is out

The Yankees sleeper no-name pitcher

Why is this guy wearing an Orioles uniform and not the Pinstripes? Well, for this 25-year-old right-hander, it’s a long story. Suffice it to say for the sake of brevity, he’s a starting pitcher who was returned to the Yankees in March from the Chicago Cubs, who had no use for him.

His name is Caleb Smith and if that’s the first time you’ve heard that name, join the club.

The Yankees immediately assigned Smith to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin the 2017 season. Since then, Smith has made thirteen starts for the Railriders compiling a 5-0 record with an ERA of 2.44. He’s held opponents to a .194 batting average and has a minuscule WHIP of 0.97.

He does not have the pedigree of many of the Yankees top prospects, but he is certainly worthy of being noticed by the team’s brass.

And for a team that is looking for starting pitching, it just might make sense for the Yankees to give this guy a chance, if not now at least at some point in the near future.

Pitchers have a way about them to “find themselves”, or maybe a pitch that becomes the difference maker, and suddenly they blossom into a real live major league ballplayer who can get hitters out on a consistent basis, even if they don’t throw 95.

Smith could be that kind of guy.