Yankees Stick With Roster Moves Despite Losing Cade Winquest

GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone stand by decision to cut ties with Rule 5 pick before he ever pitched in a game.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 6:52am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the motion of a baseball pitcher, broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in muted tones, conceptually representing the complexities of roster decisions in major league baseball.The Yankees' difficult decision to part ways with Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest before he ever took the mound reflects the challenges of developing young talent while also competing at the highest level.St. Petersburg Today

The New York Yankees were forced to designate Rule 5 draft pick Cade Winquest for assignment on Friday, just days after he made the opening day roster but never got into a game. General manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone stood by the decision, citing the difficulty of developing a young player while also trying to compete at the major league level.

Why it matters

The Winquest situation serves as a reminder of the challenges teams face when trying to hold onto Rule 5 draft picks, who must remain on the major league roster all season or be offered back to their original team. The Yankees rarely make these types of picks, and this case shows why - it's hard to find playing time for an unproven player when the focus is on winning now.

The details

Winquest, a 25-year-old who has yet to pitch above Double-A, was selected by the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft last December. He made the opening day roster as the team's ninth reliever, but never got into a game in the first 12 contests. With the need to call up another pitcher, the Yankees were forced to designate Winquest for assignment on Friday. If he clears waivers, the Yankees can try to keep him in the minors, but they must first offer him back to his original team, the Cardinals, for $50,000.

  • Winquest made the Yankees' opening day roster on April 1, 2026.
  • On April 11, 2026, the Yankees designated Winquest for assignment to make room on the roster.

The players

Cade Winquest

A 25-year-old pitcher selected by the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft, who had yet to pitch above Double-A before making the team's opening day roster.

Brian Cashman

The general manager of the New York Yankees.

Aaron Boone

The manager of the New York Yankees.

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What they’re saying

“We were forced to make a decision and ultimately, he hadn't even pitched yet this year. It didn't work out the way ultimately we wanted. But he's really talented. We like the process we went through when we selected him, but it would have been nice to be able to find room to get him into games to develop, but it's hard when you're trying to compete to develop at the same time.”

— Brian Cashman, General Manager

“There were probably four or five games where he was a batter away from coming into the game and it just never happened, which disappoints me. I wanted him to get in there and we wanted to see him and we still think very highly of him.”

— Aaron Boone, Manager

What’s next

If Cade Winquest clears waivers, the Yankees will have the opportunity to keep him in their minor league system, but they must first offer him back to the St. Louis Cardinals, his original team, for $50,000.

The takeaway

The Winquest situation highlights the challenges teams face when trying to hold onto Rule 5 draft picks, who must remain on the major league roster all season or be offered back to their original team. This case shows why the Yankees rarely make these types of picks - it's difficult to find playing time for an unproven player when the focus is on winning now.