3 Yankees who weren’t on fans’ radar in March but could become playoff x-factors

Few things in life are more unpredictable than a baseball team’s season. Wide-eyed optimism in the spring can turn to hopeless despair in the summer, which can then rebound to cautious bullishness in the fall. The 2025 New York Yankees have experienced all of this emotional turmoil.

Despite so many players having exceptional years at the plate, the team’s defense has been a persistent problem. At one point, it seemed likely the Yanks could miss the playoffs. At another point, bitter fans from across the league accused the Yankees of cheating because the team’s torpedo bats seemed to produce an indecent number of home runs.

As Yankees management and fans slowly turn their gaze towards the postseason, now is the time to reflect upon the x-factor players who were unheralded and unknown at the beginning of the season, but have since found essential roles in the team’s lineup. These Yankees could propel the team forward, or fail to step up when it matters most. But either way, they’ll be players to keep a close eye on once the playoffs begin.

These three Yankees have emerged from nowhere to become potentially lethal postseason threats.

Cam Schlittler

In Yankees world, many of the team’s most exciting prospects tend to be hyped to death. Some of the enthusiasm is warranted, some of it not so much. Anthony Volpe has struggled to evolve after three seasons in the majors. Jasson Dominguez has been an asset at the plate, but has struggled defensively. They both have time to improve (although Dominguez has more time than Volpe), but fans have yet to witness the pair’s alleged otherworldly talents manifest at the big league level. So it’s curious that Cam Schlittler, who has stunned Yankeedom with his performance on the mound this season, was essentially an unknown prior to his debut.

Schlittler has more than earned his spot in the rotation with a 3.24 ERA across his first 50 innings. Not to mention, he’s hurling 100mph fastballs after averaging around 91-92mph in college just a few years ago. It once seemed a bit bold for the Yankees to keep Schlittler and let Marcus Stroman go, but now it’s easy to make the case that it might’ve been one of the best front office decisions of the season.

With Max Fried and Carlos Rodon firmly at the top of the rotation, it’s possible that Schlittler will earn some starts in the postseason. It’s a big ask for a rookie, but Schlittler has done nothing but impress thus far in 2025.

Trent Grisham

Grisham arrived in New York in 2024 after back-to-back lackluster seasons in San Diego. Once in the Bronx, he played in only 76 games, struggled to maintain a batting average over .200, and was below average at the plate for a third straight year. 2025 hasn’t just been a resurgence for Grisham; it’s been the best season of his entire career. As of Sept. 11, his 126 OPS+, .818 OPS, .470 slugging percentage, and 3.3 WAR are all personal bests. At the start of the season, Yankees fans might’ve been wondering why Grisham was on the team. Now they hope he never leaves.

Ben Rice

Word out of spring training was that Ben Rice had found his swing and would become a threat at the plate in 2025, but it was hard to tell how much of that was spring-inspired hopefulness versus a sober assessment. In retrospect, the Rice optimism might’ve been understated.

He has emerged as one of the most potent threats in New York’s lineup, with 23 homers, 21 doubles, and a .794 OPS. His versatility has also been an asset, with Aaron Boone slotting him into first base, catcher, and designated hitter roles. In the postseason, Rice will likely be one of the most important players on the roster.