The 2025 New York Yankees’ lineup will have tons of new faces, but they’ll have the same goal – getting back to the World Series but coming out victorious and showering in champagne this time around.
Two-time MVP and team captain Aaron Judge headlines the lineup, but he has a couple of former MVPs following him in the order in Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt.
Some young bucks will need to break out and do their part if the Juan Soto-less Yankees want to make it back to the pinnacle of the sport.
Starting Lineup
Austin Wells – C
The Yankees starting catcher was named the team’s leadoff hitter on Tuesday, per Aaron Boone, and rightfully so. He’s emerged this spring as a player who will get on base at a high clip and add some power from the leadoff spot.
He lacks some speed from your traditional leadoff hitter, but as long as he continues to get on base about 40% of the time, he’ll be the leadoff hitter the Yankees struggled to find for most of last season.
ZiPS Projections via FanGraphs: .229 AVG, .713 OPS, 15 HR, 58 RBI
Aaron Judge – RF
Yankee captain Aaron Judge has a lot to prove this season, but defending his American League MVP might be the least of his worries. Without the ever-clutch Soto beside him in the lineup, New York’s success in 2025 is heavily contingent on Judge finally figuring out how to translate his regular season dominance into postseason heroics.
ZiPS Projections: .282 AVG, 1.009 OPS, 46 HR, 124 RBI
Cody Bellinger – CF
A change in scenery could be exactly what Bellinger needs to rekindle his past dominance – especially when his new home ballpark pairs perfectly with his lefty swing. Donning the pinstripes once worn by his father, Bellinger resembled his former MVP self during spring training – he hit .423 with a 1.214 OPS, four home runs, and five doubles in 19 exhibition matchups.
ZiPS Projections: .264 AVG, .764 OPS, 20 HR, 81 RBI
Paul Goldschmidt – 1B
Goldschmidt signed a one-year, $12 million contract this winter after having what overall looked like a declining year for the 37-year-old. When taking a deeper look at his 2024 campaign, he got out of the gates slowly but turned it around in the second half.
He’s just three seasons removed from winning the NL MVP – expecting him to hit like an MVP is unrealistic, but if he can get on base, come up clutch, and make a lot of contact, he’ll add an element to this offense that they only got from Juan Soto a year ago.
ZiPS Projections: .250 AVG, .762 OPS, 23 HR, 81 RBI
Jasson Dominguez – LF
Top prospect Jasson Dominguez is gearing up for his first full season in the Bronx. The 22-year-old switch hitter aims to prove that hitting a homer off Justin Verlander in his first big league at-bat wasn’t a fluke while ensuring his glove doesn’t lag too far behind.
ZiPS Projections: .254 AVG, .744 OPS, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 20 SB
Ben Rice – DH
One of the biggest stories this spring has been the evolution of Ben Rice. He was called up last season to replace an injured Anthony Rizzo and outside of his three-home run game against the Boston Red Sox, was pretty underwhelming, but he showed signs of becoming a professional hitter.
Being a professional hitter isn’t something every professional baseball player has – Rice had a solid approach and looked the part, as well as having solid timing against arms he’s never seen before and showed some flashes of power and gap-to-gap power as well. This spring he showed up with more muscle and slashed .246/.324/.566.
ZiPS Projections: .226 AVG, .750 OPS, 22 HR, 71 RBI
Anthony Volpe – SS
Anthony Volpe has dealt with the overwhelming expectations set by the fanbase to be the next Derek Jeter – he’s not – he’s Anthony Volpe. The 24-year-old shortstop brings Gold Glove-level defense, speed, and occasional pop. This Yankees team needs Volpe to take a leap as an all-around hitter and hit for a higher average. If he can hit around .270, this offense might finish as the best in the American League.
ZiPS Projections: .239 AVG, .703 OPS, 16 HR, 73 RBI, 26 SB
Oswaldo Cabrera – 3B
Super-utility man Oswaldo Cabrera gets his first crack at being an everyday position player. The upbeat switch hitter will command the hot corner after winning the position battle in spring training, where he hit .278 with a .735 OPS and a pair of round-trippers.
ZiPS Projections: .239 AVG, .683 OPS, 11 HR, 46 RBI
Jazz Chisholm Jr. – 2B
The Yankees saw an immediate impact from their 2024 trade deadline splash as Chisholm’s effortless charisma rubbed off on the entire club. Bracing for his first full season in pinstripes, he’ll shift from the hot corner back to his natural position at second base and forge a formidable middle infield duo with Gold Glover Anthony Volpe.
ZiPS Projections: .251 AVG, .766 OPS, 24 HR, 83 RBI, 32 SB
Starting Rotation
Carlos Rodon (L)
Carlos Rodon has struggled to meet his full potential since joining the Yankees in 2023. Now that the starting rotation has taken multiple significant hits, it’s going to be more important than ever for the 2025 Opening Day starter to step up and justify his six-year, $162 million contract.
ZiPS Projections: 28 GS, 4.04 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 166 K, 151.1 IP
Max Fried (L)
After missing out on Juan Soto, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman pivoted to left-handed pitcher Max Fried. The two-time All-Star signed an eight-year, $218 million contract. The 31-year-old will be leaned on to be the ace of this rotation with Gerrit Cole missing the entirety of the 2025 season with a torn UCL.
ZiPS Projections: 27 GS, 3.43 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 147 K, 162.2 IP
Marcus Stroman (R)
From being shopped on the trade block, to being leaned on to be a dependable starter in a span of three months, has left the Yankees in a sticky situation. Marcus Stroman is owed $18.5 million this season and a third-year option for next season will kick in if he pitches 146 innings, which would cost New York an additional $18 million. The Yankees will need him to eat up some innings and stay healthy, due to the injuries that Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt have already suffered.
ZiPS Projections: 25 GS, 4.34 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 101 K, 137.0 IP
Will Warren (R)
The Yankees aren’t getting the starting rotation they originally signed up for, but the club found a silver lining in the breakout spring performance of Will Warren. Before a pair of rocky starts to close out Grapefruit League play, Warren boasted a 2.87 ERA with an elite 0.77 WHIP and 16 strikeouts across 15.2 frames.
ZiPS Projections: 24 GS, 4.42 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 116 K, 122.1 IP
Carlos Carrasco (R)
The Yankees signed Carlos Carrasco to a one-year, $1.5 million minor-league contract on Feb. 22, but earned himself a spot in the team’s starting rotation by pitching to a 1.69 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 15 innings of work. The 38-year-old also struck out 15 batters in five spring appearances.
ZiPS Projections: 17 GS, 5.03 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 69 K, 82.1 IP
Bullpen
Ryan Yarbrough (L)
Ryan Yarbrough spent his 2024 campaign on two clubs; the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, posting a 3.19 ERA in 98.2 innings. He’s a familiar face to the New York Yankees, as the 33-year-old spent his first five seasons in Tampa Bay in the Rays’ bullpen. He’ll likely serve as a long reliever or opener for the Yankees.
ZiPS Projections: 31 G, 4.40 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 66 K, 1 HLD
Fernando Cruz (R)
Hurling one of the nastiest splitters in baseball, Fernando Cruz boasted the highest K/9 (14.72) and third-highest strikeout rate (38.8%) in the majors last season.
ZiPS Projections: 59 G, 3.14 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 80 K, 13 HLD
Tim Hill (L)
A return to the Bronx was inevitable for sidearming southpaw Tim Hill, who emerged as one of New York’s most formidable bullpen arms during the 2024 postseason.
ZiPS Projections: 51 G, 4.33 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 28 K, 10 HLD
Mark Leiter Jr (R)
Mark Leiter Jr. struggled when he was traded to the Yankees midway through last season, posting a 4.98 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 22.1 innings. Leiter had a solid postseason, though, appearing in six games and surrendering a 1.61 ERA with a batting average-against of .158.
ZiPS Projections: 47 G, 4.19 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 74 K, 12 HLD
Devin Williams (R)
In addition to signing Fried after missing out on the Soto reunion, Cashman traded Nestor Cortes, Caleb Durbin, and cash considerations for one of this generation’s best closing pitchers in Devin Williams. His devastating changeup and fastball mix carves up batters. He’s pitched to a sub-2.00 ERA for the last three seasons, and 65 saves over that span. The Yankees bolstered their bullpen with one of the league’s best closers.
ZiPS Projections: 47 G, 2.64 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 61 K, 31 SV
Luke Weaver (R)
The former first-round draft pick saw a career resurgence in the Bronx last season, taking over as the club’s premier closer as they marched to the Fall Classic. He’ll return to his role as the setup man in 2025 as part of an intimidating 1-2 punch at the back of the bullpen with All-Star closer Devin Williams.
ZiPS Projections: 41 G, 4.09 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 89 K, 13 HLD, 6 SV
Yoendrys Gomez (R)
The homegrown righty was untouchable in 11.1 spring training innings, not allowing a single run with nine strikeouts and a 0.53 WHIP.
ZiPS Projections: 25 G, 4.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 76 K, 7 HLD
Bench
Trent Grisham (OF)
Trent Grishman won’t be much more than a defensive replacement, but he can be a serviceable outfielder if the Yankees deal with some injuries throughout the season. Also, if Jasson Dominguez continues to struggle defensively in left field, New York’s skipper Aaron Boone might make the pivot to Grisham.
ZiPS Projections: .257 AVG, .713 OPS, 16 HR, 51 RBI
Oswald Peraza (INF)
Oswald Peraza has been disappointing but he offers a solid glove all around the infield. If he gets playing time, it’ll likely be at third base, which is currently a black hole. Oswaldo Cabrera will likely be the starter at the hot corner, but if he struggles at the plate, don’t be shocked to see Peraza get some time at third.
ZiPS Projections: .233 AVG, .674 OPS, 14 HR, 59 RBI
JC Escarra (C)
From Uber driver to New York Yankee, JC Escarra’s dream of playing in the major leagues came true when he cracked the Opening Day roster. The 29-year-old hit .314 with an .881 OPS and three home runs during spring training to earn his spot as the club’s backup catcher.
ZiPS Projections: .225 AVG, .663 OPS, 8 HR, 51 RBI
