Yankees take fliers on two pitchers — including one of their former prospects

The Yankees are taking fliers on a pair of interesting arms — one that was once their own and another a former Mets farmhand — for potential pitching depth.

The club claimed right-handers Roansy Contreras and Allan Winans off waivers Thursday — Contreras from the Orioles and Winans from the Braves — taking advantage of open 40-man roster spots just under three weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training.

Contreras, 25, had been a former Yankees prospect that they sent to the Pirates in 2021 as part of the Jameson Taillon trade.

The Yankees have claimed pitcher Roansy Contreras, their former prospect, off waivers.

Once a promising starter who worked mostly out of the bullpen last season with the Pirates and Angels, Contreras owns a 4.72 ERA across 90 career appearances (33 starts) with 201 strikeouts and 103 walks in 234 2/3 innings.

Since the end of the season, Contreras has been claimed off waivers four times as he is out of minor league options, meaning the Yankees would have to send him through waivers if he does not make the big league bullpen out of camp.

 

The Yankees also claimed pitcher Allan Winans off waivers.

Winans, 29, had been designated for assignment by the Braves last week after posting a 7.20 ERA in eight starts across two seasons in the big leagues — including tossing seven shutout innings against the Mets in his second career start after they had originally drafted him in 2018.

He has been better at Triple-A, where he owns a career 3.23 ERA in 51 games (36 starts), and has one minor league option remaining, which likely has him pegged for the rotation at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start the year.