NEW YORK – Yankees GM Brian Cashman made a decision. Protected three Rule 5 Draft prospects. A fourth was exposed. That decision could backfire on the Yankees for years.
Is called Harrison Cohen. The 26-year-old Yankees right-handed reliever from Syosset, New York, has been virtually unhittable in the minor leagues. Their numbers demand attention. His status demands concern.
When the Rule 5 Draft is held Wednesday at the Orlando Winter Meetings, Cohen could wear a different uniform come nightfall.
The figures that make Cohen a privileged target
Cohen posted back-to-back seasons with an ERA under 2.00. In 2025, he finished with a 1.76 ERA and 1.10 WHIP, and struck out 59 batters in 51 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.
At Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees rookie arm pitched to a 1.57 ERA in 28.2 innings. Opposing batters hit just .151 against him. It is not a typo.
Sam Dykstra and Jesse Borek of MLB Pipeline named Cohen the Yankees’ most likely candidate to be selected in the Rule 5 process.
“This 6’3″ reliever, once undrafted by George Washington, has posted consecutive seasons with an ERA under 2,” they write. “He’s gotten some pretty balanced splits by relying on a tight 80s cutter against righties and a mid-80s changeup with a good arm-side fade against lefties, all while sporting a more mundane 92-94 four-seamer from a low arm slot.”
What makes Cohen dangerous on the mound
His fastball velocity sits in the low 90s. Nothing special. But the Yankees rookie’s pitch creates a deception that makes hitters look foolish.
Cohen works from a low arm slot with a herky-jerky motion. He produces a frisbee spin on his slider that makes right-handed hitters scratch their heads.
“Disappointment can be a problem for his control,” Dykstra and Borek noted, “but it could also make him a plug-and-play option in an MLB bullpen.”
MLB.com talent evaluators Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis called his slider and cutter “unhittable.” The average exit velocity against him was just 84.4 mph. That number is among the best among minor league relievers.
Why Cashman left Cohen unprotected
The Yankees only had four spots available on their 40-man roster before the deadline. They had to choose.
Spencer Jones, the team’s first-round pick in 2022, received protection. So did pitchers Elmer Rodriguez and Chase Hampton. All three were higher up in the Yankees’ prospect hierarchy.
Cohen, ranked 30th in the system, missed the cut. At 26 years old, he was considered expendable. His ordinary fastball velocity worked against him in the evaluation.
“On the one hand, Cohen is a 26-year-old former undrafted free agent from George Washington with a normal 90-degree fastball,” Mayo and Callis wrote. “On the other hand, his slider of about 80 degrees and his slightly harder cutter have been unbeatable.”
Garrett Whitlock’s Warning
Yankees fans know what happens when unprotected pitchers land on opposing pitchers. Garrett Whitlock taught that lesson.
In 2020, the Yankees decided not to protect Whitlock. The Boston Red Sox selected him in the Rule 5 Draft. The results have been painful.
In 22 head-to-head games against the Yankees with Boston, Whitlock has posted a 1.77 ERA with 47 strikeouts. He has achieved five victories and only one defeat when facing his former organization.
Cohen could follow that same path. His deceptive arsenal and proven track record make him a prime target for teams looking for help in the bullpen.
Who are the other two casualties?
Brock Selvidge, the Yankees’ 2021 third-round pick, posted a 4.92 ERA along with an increase in walk frequency in 75 Double-A frames.
Despite these setbacks, the Yankees’ rookie arm maintains a reliable foundation based on his quality slider and reliable hitting ability. Questions remain about his ultimate role — whether he will become a fifth starter or a specialized left-handed reliever — and health issues complicate efforts to secure a spot for him in the organization’s deep 40-man pool. Another franchise could value his status as an almost MLB-ready lefty and offer him an opportunity.
Selected in the second round in 2021, Brendan Beck has battled injuries throughout his development; At 27 years old, he has only recently completed his first full professional campaign, splitting 2025 between the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
Although his performance was promising (although it declined at the senior level), Beck demonstrates refined pitch placement and control in a four-pitch arsenal. Without a dominant pitch in his repertoire, his chances appear limited, but rebuilding clubs could consider the Yankees rookie as an affordable rotation piece worth pursuing.
Yankees’ bullpen needs make Chen decision puzzling
The timing couldn’t be worse. New York’s bullpen posted a 4.37 ERA in 2025. It ranked 11th among 15 American League teams.
Devin Williams signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Mets. Luke Weaver remains unsigned and will land elsewhere. The relievers Cashman assembled last winter have dispersed.
David Bednar and Camilo Doval arrived on the transfer deadline. But the Yankees still need more arms. Cohen could have provided exactly what they are missing.
MLB Pipeline noted that Cohen “has been one of the most unassailable relievers in the Minors over the past two seasons.” His success at the senior levels suggested an opportunity in the big leagues in 2026.
Now that opportunity could come elsewhere.
The Rule 5 Draft begins Wednesday at 2 pm ET. Teams with bullpen needs and vacancies will be watching. Cohen’s name will almost certainly come up.
Cashman has bet that the reward of maintaining roster flexibility outweighs the risk of losing Cohen. History suggests that that gamble doesn’t always pay off.
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