The Yankees’ bullpen looks thin heading into spring training, and their latest move has fans scratching their heads. But this under-the-radar trade for a struggling 23-year-old fireballer could turn into the steal of the offseason if pitching coach Matt Blake works his magic.
New York officially pulled the trigger today on a deal that sends Triple-A first baseman T.J. Rumfield to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for right-handed reliever Angel Chivilli. On paper, it looks bizarre—trading a productive minor leaguer who slashed .285/.378/.447 with 16 home runs last season for a pitcher who posted a ghastly 7.06 ERA. But dig deeper, and you’ll understand why general manager Brian Cashman is smiling.
The Raw Talent Behind the Ugly Numbers
Chivilli brings something the Yankees desperately need: elite arm strength. His four-seam fastball averaged 97.1 mph last season, putting him in the 88th percentile among all major league pitchers. That’s the kind of raw velocity you can’t teach, and it’s exactly what Matt Blake—the Yankees’ pitching wizard—loves to mold.
Despite the ERA, Chivilli’s off-speed offerings generated massive whiff rates in 2025 — Baseball Savant shows a ~45.5% whiff on his slider and ~42.6% on his changeup (combined off-speed whiff in the low-40s).”
The 23-year-old Dominican also posted a 14.4 percent swinging-strike rate and kept the ball on the ground nearly half the time. His 29.7 percent overall whiff rate ranked in the 80th percentile. These aren’t the metrics of a bad pitcher—they’re the metrics of a talented young arm stuck in the worst possible environment.
Why Coors Field Was Killing Him
Here’s the kicker: Chivilli was trying to develop at Coors Field, literally the most hostile environment for pitchers in baseball. The thin Denver air reduces pitch movement, turning potentially nasty breaking balls into hittable mistakes. His home ERA was astronomically worse than his road numbers, and he surrendered 20 home runs in just 90.1 career innings.
Now imagine those same pitches with normal air density at sea level. That 90-mph slider should break harder. That changeup—already generating whiffs at an elite clip—becomes even more devastating. Suddenly, you’re looking at a completely different pitcher.
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The Matt Blake Factor
If there’s anyone who can unlock Chivilli’s potential, it’s Blake. The Yankees’ pitching coach has transformed struggling arms into reliable weapons time and again. His track record speaks for itself, and Cashman clearly trusts him to fix what’s broken.
Chivilli still has one minor league option remaining, giving the Yankees flexibility. They can send him to Triple-A Scranton for targeted refinement without burning roster control. With over a year of service time and team control through 2030, he’s a long-term investment at minimal cost.
The main issues to fix are obvious: command and home run prevention. Chivilli allowed 1.99 homers per nine innings, and his 17.4 percent strikeout rate shows he’s not turning his chase rate into punchouts. But these are correctable problems for a 23-year-old with his stuff.
What This Means Right Now
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated outfielder Michael Siani for assignment—the same player they’d just claimed from the Dodgers six days ago. It’s a ruthless move, but it shows how seriously they view Chivilli’s upside.
For Colorado, landing Rumfield addresses a clear need at first base after moving on from Michael Toglia. The 25-year-old left-handed bat provides immediate Triple-A depth and could compete for a major league role this spring.
The Bottom Line
This trade won’t make headlines like a blockbuster signing, but it’s exactly the kind of calculated gamble that builds championship depth. The Yankees are betting that environment, coaching, and development can transform a failed Rockies project into a high-leverage weapon.
Come spring training, watch Chivilli’s first-pitch strike rate, his fastball location, and whether Blake tweaks his changeup grip. If those metrics improve even modestly, the Yankees might have just stolen a future nearer for a blocked first-base prospect.
Sometimes the best trades are the ones nobody sees coming.
Vikas Tiwari, writer and editor focused on Yankees news, rumors, trade updates, and game coverage, emphasizing accuracy, sourcing, and clarity.
