Matt Blake and the rest of the Yankees’ pitching coaches have shown a remarkable knack for transforming other teams’ cast-offs into high leverage relievers. Clay Holmes, Luke Weaver, and Ian Hamilton immediately spring to mind as reclamation-projects-turned-bullpen-aces over the last few seasons. The latest arm to join their ranks was Jake Cousins, who emerged from relative obscurity ( familial ties aside ) to carve out a valuable role in the Bombers’ bullpen.
Grade: B 2024 Statistics: 37 games, 38 IP, 2.37 ERA (175 ERA+), 4.06 FIP, 3.
54 xFIP, 9.80 K/9, 3.35 BB/9, 0.
1 fWAR 2025 Contract Status: Pre-arbitration eligible Originally drafted by the Nationals in the 20th round of the 2017 MLB Draft from the University of Pennsylvania, Cousins played a year of independent ball in 2019 before getting a chance to make the majors with the Brewers . While his first two seasons in Milwaukee showed some promise as a high-strikeout reliever, it was all cut short by a UCL injury in 2022. He didn’t require Tommy John surgery, but it halted Cousins’ progress in its tracks, and he ended up struggling between the majors and Triple-A for Milwaukee, Houston, and the White Sox before he finally landed in the Bronx at the start of the 2024 season, traded for cash considerations.
His first taste of life in pinstripes was a bit rocky, Cousins giving up three runs on four hits and three walks in his first two outings. He would have to wait over two-and-a-half months for his next opportunity.