Edward Cabrera to the Bronx? Inside His Breakout Season and Yankees Fit
- Joseph Esposito
- Jan 5
- 4 min read
The Yankees are actively exploring ways to upgrade their starting rotation amid uncertainty surrounding several pitchers returning from injury.
On Sunday, Ken Rosenthal and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported that the Yankees have held trade discussions with the Miami Marlins regarding right-hander Edward Cabrera, while also engaging the Milwaukee Brewers on Freddy Peralta.
Coming off a career-best season, Cabrera has emerged as one of the more intriguing arms on the trade market as the Marlins look to capitalize on his value. In 2025, Cabrera logged a career-high 137.2 innings, posting a 3.53 ERA, 3.83 FIP, and 150 strikeouts—numbers that reflect both improved durability and performance.
Below, I’ll break down what fueled Cabrera’s breakout, why there’s reason for excitement, where the concerns lie, and my overall thoughts on his fit with the Yankees.
Pitch Mix & Approach Tweak in 2025:
Cabrera made significant and deliberate changes to his arsenal this past season. He cut his four-seam fastball usage by more than half, doubled his sinker and slider usage, slightly increased his curveball usage, and reduced his changeup usage by nearly 8%.
Beyond pitch selection, Cabrera also made a conscious effort to address one of his biggest flaws in prior seasons: command. The results were tangible.
Key improvements from 2024 to 2025:
Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
Zone % | 42.0% | 45.6% |
First-Pitch Strike % | 60.2% | 62.4% |
Behind % | 13.7% | 11.4% |
Location+ | 95 | 101 |
In short, Cabrera threw more strikes, got ahead in counts more often, and was able to dictate at-bats rather than pitch from behind—leading to improved overall results.
Reasons to be Excited
Edward Cabrera was a top prospect for a reason.
His raw velocity is elite: he throws the hardest changeup in MLB, and among starting pitchers, both his sinker and four-seam fastball rank in the top 20 in velocity. Interestingly, however, his best pitches in terms of results in 2025 were neither of those.
They were his curveball and slider.
Here are the results of his curveball from 2025:
Cabrera’s curveball delivered truly elite results, ranking 5th among MLB starting pitchers in CSW% (Called Strikes + Whiffs). That’s top-tier production for any individual pitch.
Here are the results for his slider in 2025:
Much like his curveball, Cabrera’s slider was dominant, finishing 6th among starting pitchers in CSW%, further reinforcing his ability to miss bats with multiple offerings.
The Other Pitches: More to Unlock
While the curveball and slider shined, the results on Cabrera’s four-seamer, sinker, and changeup were more inconsistent.
Here are all of their corresponding charts below:
Four Seam Fastball:
Sinker:
Changeup:
Outside of his 4 Seam Fastball, I believe there is a lot to like with his Sinker and Changeup and I do think there is more to unlock with them to make them better and more effective pitches. In particular, I think the Yankees may be the perfect team to unlock both of these pitches for Cabrera with Matt Blake and Sam Briend but more specifically his sinker.
The Yankees have a strong track record of helping pitchers refine sinkers, and a recent example stands out: Max Fried. The Yankees helped Fried reshape his two-seamer into a true sinker, reducing its vertical break from 8.5 inches to 4.3 (lower = more drop). The results were dramatic: a 10% increase in whiff rate and significant drops in xBA, xSLG, and xwOBA from 2024 to 2025.
Cabrera’s sinker profiles as a pitch with similar untapped potential, making the Yankees an ideal developmental fit.
On top of that, Cabrera comes with three years of team control, a massive plus for a rotation that needs both upside and sustainability.
Reasons for Concern:
The biggest red flag is Cabrera’s injury history.
He has dealt with a wide range of ailments over the years, most notably shoulder and elbow issues. While he has thus far avoided Tommy John surgery, the accumulation of elbow-related injuries is concerning and raises long-term durability questions.
Any acquiring team, especially the Yankees, would need to manage his workload carefully and accept that risk comes with the upside.
My Final Thoughts:
Edward Cabrera is not a sure thing.
His injury history could resurface at any point, and his development with the sinker and changeup is not guaranteed. However, the talent is undeniable. Coming off a career season, there are signs that Cabrera may finally be turning the corner toward fulfilling his immense potential.
This is the definition of a high-risk, high-reward acquisition.
If the cost of acquisition is reasonable, especially with names like Ben Hess and Dillon Lewis reportedly discussed as centerpieces, I would be extremely intrigued by the upside Cabrera brings. There are legitimate concerns, but at the right price, I’m betting on the talent.
What are your thoughts on Edward Cabrera?
Would he be your top trade target, or is there someone else you’d prefer? Let me know in the comments.
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