Yankees Cut Bait on Andrew Brackman

by John Sickels on Nov 1, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

Andrew Brackman (Photo by Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)

As you may have heard, the New York Yankees declined the option on Andrew Brackman today, making the 25-year-old right-hander a free agent.

Brackman was drafted in the first round in 2007 out of North Carolina State, signed to a major league contract worth $4.55 million guaranteed with the potential to net him up to $13 million. He had to have Tommy John surgery right after signing but the Yankees felt it was worth the gamble given his upside. Instead of succeeding as the Yankees hoped, Brackman suffered from severe control problems.

He pitched well at times in 2010, but otherwise he was ineffective in the minors and sometimes downright awful, particularly this year in Triple-A where he posted a 6.00 ERA with a 75/75 K/BB in 96 innings. He got a brief trial with the Yankees this season but didn't do enough to hold their interest at his current price.

Brackman hits 95 MPH on his best days but usually works at 90-93. His curveball has a lot of potential, but he's struggled with consistency of his slider and changeup, and his command is about as reliable as Lindsay Lohan's sense of propriety.

Question: if you were a major league team, would you be interested in signing Brackman, and if so, what would you do with him? Personally I would consider giving him a minor league contract and sending him to Double-A to see what happens, but I wouldn't give him anything beyond a minimum wage contract.

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As a Yankees fan I am really hoping they re-sign him somehow, whether it’s a minimum MLB deal, or a minor league deal.

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by Brandon C. on Nov 1, 2025 4:20 PM EDT reply actions

+1

by Yankees10 on Nov 1, 2025 8:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Id like the Angels to give him a chance. Maybe they can help him like the have with John Hellwegg?

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by mathisrocks5 on Nov 1, 2025 4:59 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Royals make sense

Got an ex-Yank pitching coach too. Why not? Might motivate Brackman to see that wide-open starting rotation awaiting.

by royalrevenge on Nov 1, 2025 5:06 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Cards or Rangers make sense

With pitching guru types on board like Mike Maddux or Dave Duncan (although he probably wont be with the Cards anymore) his replacement Brett Strom is a good candidate works well for Brackman too.

by backtocali on Nov 1, 2025 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

This has Neal Huntington written all over it.

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by gorillakilla34 on Nov 1, 2025 5:48 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

This has Jack Zduriencik written all over it.

He’s already done it once with David Aardsma, he’ll do it again.

Fans are typically idiots.

by The Typical Idiot Fan on Nov 1, 2025 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

He did it by claiming Aardsma and Huntington has traded for or claimed every other failed first rounder from the 05 draft on up.

by gorillakilla34 on Nov 2, 2025 4:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Agreed

And I don’t think its a bad thing if the Bucs signed him.

by NastyNate82 on Nov 1, 2025 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions

As a Pirates Fan...

I hope NH jumps all over this. He has preached about creating depth and drafting/signing arms with upside, so this would be hipocrasy if he didn’t Sign Brackman.

by Bulldawg5 on Nov 2, 2025 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

He’s kind of a mess though, but there is some upside there…and he loves big guys who throw hard.

by NastyNate82 on Nov 3, 2025 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I think, at the end of the day,

This has every GM in baseball’s name on it, so long as he’ll agree to a minor-league deal.

Question is, at the end of the day, where does Brackman want to go?

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by Dan Strittmatter on Nov 1, 2025 8:32 PM EDT reply actions

This.

Hard to see any teams not being at least a little interested.

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by wg1of5 on Nov 1, 2025 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I think the better question is if any teams will give him a major league deal. I would definitely guess he goes to the Yankees if it’s a minor league deal.

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by Brandon C. on Nov 1, 2025 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't see anybody taking that risk

With how awful he was all of this year. Certainly, if anybody wants to give him a chance in Spring Training on a partially-guaranteed big-league deal, that’s their prerogative and Brackman will probably take it.

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by Dan Strittmatter on Nov 2, 2025 1:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Seems like some crappy team

Could conceivably consider it worth the risk.

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by Dan Strittmatter on Nov 2, 2025 2:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I’ve watched a lot of him, and I think if he is put into the pen to start the year it could work out. Regardless, he is in a bad situation, and may even benefit from signing a minor league deal.

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by Brandon C. on Nov 2, 2025 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Why do you think he's regressed so much?

It seems like 09 was terrible and then he made significant strides in 10 and then back to a wild mess this year.

by NastyNate82 on Nov 3, 2025 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions

The Yankees tweaked his mechanics quite often, and that may have messed him up.

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by Brandon C. on Nov 6, 2025 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

exactly, its easy to point to GM’s and pitching coaches that could help him succeed, but he’ll probably get quite a few offers, and it’ll just depend where he wants to play

by Noah McKinnie Braun on Nov 1, 2025 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions

"where does Brackman want to go?"

He’s from Cincinnati. The Reds won’t have much 40-man roster room, but if Brackman will accept a minor league deal, maybe he winds up in his hometown organization.

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by Thundering Turtle on Nov 3, 2025 8:41 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

It seems to me he could have an option left

they wouldn’t have burned 1 in "08 since was on the 60 DL all year. And it further seems to me that a player making the majors within 5 years (?) of signing gets a 4th option?

So he’s burned 3 in 09 - 11, unless his signiong year in ‘07 when he didn’t pitch counts somehow. He would have been optioned to some minors level it seems.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Nov 1, 2025 9:17 PM EDT reply actions

Regardless, he doesn't have an option left.

Otherwise, the Yankees would have retained him.

It’s interesting to see a former top prospect hit free agency so young, while still retaining some of their prospect stature. When’s the last time something of this sort happened?

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by Stupendous Man on Nov 1, 2025 9:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

elijah dukes?

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by billybeingbilly on Nov 1, 2025 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions

josh hamilton, jeff allison

by ScottAZ on Nov 1, 2025 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions

hamilton didnt hit FA...he was a rule 5 pick

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by billybeingbilly on Nov 1, 2025 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I suppose the Elijah Dukes scenario might fit this mold,

But his off the field issues make it a bit different of a scenario, in that he was essentially black-listed out of MLB. Whereas Brackman should have plenty of suitors.

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by Stupendous Man on Nov 1, 2025 11:58 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

40-man roster spot clear-up?

There’s plenty reason for the Yankees to not exercise the option even if he had an option. They simply could have felt that their 40-man roster had better uses.

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by Dan Strittmatter on Nov 2, 2025 1:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Closer

Brackman strikes me as precisely the sort of guy who will bounce around for a few years before coming out of nowhere. Purely intuition.

by GuyinNY on Nov 1, 2025 9:44 PM EDT reply actions

I have the same feeling.

As long as he’s healthy he’ll get a shot to come out of nowhere too.

by SenorGato on Nov 2, 2025 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Though I think he'll start.

by SenorGato on Nov 2, 2025 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Well that's awfully optimistic...

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by Dan Strittmatter on Nov 2, 2025 1:59 AM EDT up reply actions

If...

…the Pirates went after Brandon Wood, why wouldn’t they go after Andrew Brackman?

by noelman31 on Nov 2, 2025 12:37 AM EDT reply actions

Obviously because they'll lose out to the Cubs.

Mark Riggins makes his name on Brackman’s rise as a SP.

by SenorGato on Nov 2, 2025 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions

I could see the Rays taking a chance on him if they think he can be a back of the pen guy

with Mcgee and Bush they would have some good young arms back there.

by Dbullsfan on Nov 2, 2025 2:33 AM EDT reply actions

Rays....

Um,the Rays have way too much GOOD pitching to waste a 40 man spot on Brackman.Friedman n co know about him & will have loads of scouting reports basically re hashing his traits/faults BUT most importantly they haven’t the budget to waste on a risk like Brackman.

Already the are stocked P wise but who would you remove from their 40 man to replace him with Brackman?

Plus it removes a Rule V player they may want to keep (usually a IFA who is nearing readyness) in AA/AAA - simply the move would make zero sense .

by frenchredsox on Nov 2, 2025 3:39 AM EDT up reply actions

3 things:

1) Brackman is 25 & will require at least a split deal & a 40 man roster spot (his advisers will demand that as a minimum) ;
2) He has been AWFUL for a long time actually - 2011 was simply a pure regression.Throwing 95 mph heat & not finding the strike zone is exactly that THROWING not pitching;
3) He is out of options so will be constantly in need of clearing waivers for roster moves.

All in all he is one in hundreds of players who can throw heavy heat,but unlike them he is a TJ survivor (not good),can’t PITCH (worse) & will cost more than your average MILBer (even worse) & finally cost you a roster spot…..

Overall not many teams NEED him nor will be willing to throw money at a marginal risk player.The only reason this is news is because he is an ex first round Yankee (although his club is superfluous)who was cut.

In essence he has more chance of ending up with a team with a poor minors (White Sox?) or a team with pitching needs (Orioles ?) that is is willing to invest 1 mill or so on a 10% chance of success…..

by frenchredsox on Nov 2, 2025 3:29 AM EDT reply actions

Split contract

Would not necessitate a 40-man spot or waivers. However, I think someone - a crappy team like the Pirates who have no aspirations of contending in 2012 and are willing to soak up some crappy production for an upside play - will actually give him a big-league deal, so those hopes of landing him on a split deal are probably slim.

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by Dan Strittmatter on Nov 2, 2025 3:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Change of Scenery

Brackman was the victim of too much pressure because of the bad contract and should blossom in a new organization. What was Cashman thinking? A major league contract with TJ pending? It usually takes taller pitchers longer to develop.Look at Randy Johnson"s early career. He was 26 before he figured it out and that was with out the TJ. I am not saying this guy is Johnson but the Yankees just did him a big favor, If he and his agent dont get too greedy again and sign an under the radar minimum deal with Pitt or Sea he should emerge as at least a vianble set up man by the 2013.

by Jerseyguy6 on Nov 2, 2025 10:11 AM EDT reply actions

Weird...

I know this is a “throwing good money after bad” approach, but I just don’t see why a team with $s doesn’t say:

$2M guaranteed on a minor league deal with an option for the next year. It seems to me that over the long haul that kind of gamble for a guy like this makes sense (e.g. the wins would cover the losses). It would also be persuasive for someone like Brackman who is getting more than the major league minimum and may eventually improve his stock…

by Lawless on Nov 3, 2025 3:57 PM EDT reply actions

it makes the most sense for teams without alot of money....

b/c its a relatively low risk gamble that could pay off huge….big market teams dont need to do that when they can throw $15 million/yr at the best FA SP every eyar

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by billybeingbilly on Nov 4, 2025 2:07 AM EDT up reply actions

should have stayed in basketball

Brackman was a promising center for NC State for two years. Before the injuries, he was a slightly better prospect in baseball, but with them, he would have been better off in basketball (where the hoop is twice as big as the ball).

by Jim in NC on Nov 5, 2025 9:33 AM EDT reply actions