7 Yankees who are fighting for their futures heading into 2024 season

Ron Marinaccio

Onto the pitching staff! Let's talk about another former prospect whose value inexplicably plummeted overnight. Ron Marinaccio ... what is happening?!

The right-hander put up a sterling 40-game showing in 2022 -- 2.05 ERA, 3.20 FIP, 1.05 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 44 innings. He looked like the real deal and an immediate integral piece for the bullpen. That year, the Yankees demoted him in July for ... no reason? We still don't know why. Thankfully, he kept his composure and performed admirably when he returned.

But a shin injury ended his 2022 season right before the playoffs. It also was still affecting him in 2023. And he regressed hard. He finished with a 3.99 ERA, 4.69 FIP and 1.31 WHIP in 47.1 innings, but that wasn't even the worst part. A cold stretch saw him sent down to the minor leagues for the remainder of the year, and at Triple-A he logged an 8.80 ERA and 1.96 WHIP in 15.1 innings. He walked 18 batters and struck out only 13.

This spring? The 28-year-old has allowed five runs on five walks and five hits across 3.2 innings. It's very much unclear how he fits into the 2024 picture.

Jonathan Loaisiga

And then there's Johnny Lasagna, who has a terrific arsenal but can never stay healthy. He's of the few Yankees in a contract year that actually needs to prove something. The Yankees sound fairly fed up with his inability to stay on the field, too. We thought he was going to be non-tendered because of it.

Outside of the shortened 2020 and the disastrous 2021 season, Loaisiga has either been ineffective or unhealthy. Once called the "Yankees' future closer," that couldn't feel further from the truth at this very moment.

He's healthy heading into 2024, but elbow concerns shut him down in 2023 and there's just no possible way his future performance can be projected. If Loaisiga doesn't put up serviceable numbers or can't stay healthy this year, his future in the sport might be in doubt. His Yankees career is probably done, for what it's worth.