It only took one offseason for Yankees top prospect to live up to Michael King comps

Last summer, the only thing about Will Warren that resembled former Yankees hurler Michael King was ... well, every visual element of his delivery. If you're going to resemble someone in only one way, that's a pretty comprehensive way to do it.

On the surface, Warren and King's mechanics lined up almost beat-for-beat. Unsurprisingly, that led to a below-the-hood match as well, with stunning spin rates and fastball/curveball interplay. Somehow, though, Warren's hard work wasn't translating, both at the Triple-A and MLB levels.

Warren struck out 136 men in 109 2/3 Triple-A innings last year, but carried an unsightly 5.91 ERA that bled depressingly into his short MLB debut stint. The forward-thinking view was often shunned last year; it was hard to see the forest for the trees, after all, as Warren was battered to the tune of a 10.32 ERA in six outings, only successfully corralling the White Sox. The fastball just seemed too flat, leading to a lot of takes on the breaker and punishment in the zone.

The Warren/King overlays were undeniable. The results were eminently deniable.

Yankees' Will Warren fulfilling Michael King hype at 2025 MLB Spring Training

But along came spring training this March, and Warren has sprinted out of the gate like ... well, like King after his initial stumbles in 2021.

That season, King was viewed as a five-and-fly starter who could hold his own, but was often touched up early in his outings (10 earned runs in his first inning of work, zero in his second in the seven times he reached it). He was eventually moved to the 'pen, where he posted a 2.33 ERA in 16 outings that season before becoming a certified innings eraser in 2022.

Perhaps the bullpen is where Warren ultimately lands, too, but his spring training showcase has proven that he clearly has loftier ambitions. As ESM's Ryan Garcia recently noted, his four-pitch mix has been expertly utilized at camp; that's not typically the hallmark of a pitcher geared for a bullpen role long-term. Warren wants a rotation spot, and he wants it now.

Unfortunately for him, so does Marcus Stroman, though Clarke Schmidt's current schedule could result in an April door opening up. Last week, Warren was given The Luis Gil Test against the Phillies' A lineup. In 2024, Gil's rotation bid didn't seem serious until he went on the road to Clearwater, shutting down the Phils over 3 2/3 one-hit innings, whiffing a ridiculous eight men on March 11. Warren was handed the same opportunity, and while he didn't quite dismiss all eight on nasty breakers, he managed to strike out four (including Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto) and surrendered just a single hit (a Max Kepler home run).

King didn't receive another starting role with the Yankees until the end of a lost season in 2023, when he asked for his well-earned elevation. That ridiculous month ultimately made him the centerpiece of a Juan Soto trade and quite possibly the highest paid starter on next winter's free agent menu. Certainly, it appears Warren's opportunity will knock a little sooner, and the doppelganger seems better prepared than ever.