The Yankees made a small but intriguing move on Monday morning, inviting veteran left-handed pitcher Rob Zastryzny to spring training.
How would you grade the Knicks’ season up to this point?
The 32-year-old has bounced around the league over the past few years, with stops in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Milwaukee. His role with the Yankees is still undefined, but he offers a different look as a low-strikeout, weak-contact pitcher—a style the team could use to balance their bullpen.
A Journeyman With a Unique Skill Set
Zastryzny doesn’t fit the mold of a power pitcher who racks up strikeouts, but he finds ways to be effective. Last season, he threw just 7.2 innings with the Brewers, posting a 1.17 ERA despite striking out only 5.87 batters per nine. His ability to leave runners stranded (83.3% left-on-base rate) and limit hard contact gives him a chance to carve out a role. The question is whether he can refine his approach to become a more reliable bullpen option.
In Triple-A, he posted a 3.03 ERA over 29.2 innings.
Pitching Coach Matt Blake’s Next Project?
Zastryzny’s arsenal includes a four-seam fastball, sweeper, cutter, and changeup. His fastball has been particularly effective, not allowing a hit last season on 48 pitches. In 2023, opponents hit just .227 against it with the same slugging percentage, showing some real potential. His sweeper also produced solid results, holding batters to a .233 average. However, his cutter and changeup have been liabilities in the past, something the Yankees’ coaching staff may look to tweak.
Can He Improve His Ground Ball Rate?
In some ways, Zastryzny is reminiscent of Tim Hill, another soft-contact specialist. The main difference is that Hill generates far more ground balls, while Zastryzny’s 33.3% ground ball rate is below average. The Yankees have emphasized groundball pitchers to support their improved infield defense, so this could be an area of focus for Matt Blake. If they can get Zastryzny to induce more weak grounders, he might become a viable left-handed depth option.
A Spring Training Lottery Ticket
The Yankees aren’t expecting Zastryzny to suddenly turn into a dominant bullpen piece, but he provides veteran depth and a different look from the left side. With injuries always a factor over a long season, having a backup plan is always critical.
