Yankees Give 'Unhittable' Reliever Shot at Opening Day Roster

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The New York Yankees have invited 27 non-roster players to spring training, including a largely unheralded right-handed reliever named Harrison Cohen. Cohen, who signed with the Yankees as an undrafted free agent in 2022, has been described as "one of the most unhittable relievers in the minors over the last two seasons." Despite his low-90s fastball, Cohen's mid-80s slider and cutter have been dominant, leading to a 1.57 ERA in 28.2 innings at Triple-A last season. Cohen will now get a chance to impress the Yankees' brass and potentially break camp with the major league team.

Why it matters

The Yankees are always looking to uncover hidden gems and build depth in their pitching staff. Cohen's impressive minor league performance has earned him an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster, which could be a big break for an undrafted player. His success would also highlight the Yankees' ability to identify and develop talent outside of the traditional draft process.

The details

Cohen went undrafted in 2022 out of George Washington University, but advanced quickly through the Yankees' minor league system, reaching Triple-A by the middle of last season. In 29 relief appearances at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he posted a 1.57 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. While his fastball is only in the low 90s, his mid-80s slider and cutter have been described as "unhittable." Cohen's strong performance has now earned him an invitation to major league spring training, where he'll look to impress the Yankees' coaching staff and potentially break camp with the big-league club.

• Cohen signed with the Yankees as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
• He advanced from low Single-A to High-A to Double-A over his first professional season.
• Cohen was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on June 14, 2022.
• He appeared in 29 games at the Triple-A level last season, posting a 1.57 ERA.
• Cohen has been invited to Yankees major league spring training in 2023.

What’s next

Cohen has been selected to pitch for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic, with Israel's first game taking place on March 7 in Miami against Venezuela.