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When a team carries the payroll, talent, and championship expectations of the New York Yankees, an early October exit leaves little room for praise. Following a 93-win campaign that saw key injuries, a formidable starting rotation, and a second consecutive Division Series loss as the top AL Wild Card, the final evaluations are in.
For this assessment, only players who finished the season on the 40-man roster with at least 100 plate appearances or 50 innings pitched were considered.
Cam Schlittler, starting pitcher, earned an A+ after establishing himself as a true ace. He recorded a 7.0 WAR (per baseball-reference.com) and a 1.95 ERA over 33 starts, and he is expected to coast to his first AL Cy Young Award.
Ben Rice, designated hitter/first baseman, received an A. He is likely to garner down-ballot MVP votes after hitting 41 home runs with an .897 OPS (third in the AL). In the postseason, he went 8-for-19 with four homers, though the Yankees managed just five runs total against Rays pitching in the ALDS.
David Bednar, closer, rebounded from a late-May hiccup to post a 1.30 ERA over his final 43 games and was flawless in three postseason appearances. As a free agent, he should be the Yankees' top in-house priority.
Paul Blackburn, reliever, saw his changeup turn him from a long reliever without a defined role into a key setup weapon in his free agent walk year.
Carlos Rodon, starting pitcher, earned an A- after a 1.42 ERA in his final four regular-season starts, including eight scoreless innings against the Rays. However, he did not pitch in the postseason.
Max Fried, starting pitcher, received a B+. He overcame two bouts of a left elbow bone bruise to post a 2.80 ERA in 20 starts. He took the loss in ALDS Game 3 at home against Tampa Bay.
Brent Headrick, reliever, was one of the game's top setup relievers for a long stretch, with a 1.30 ERA through July 30. However, he posted a 4.30 ERA from that point on, possibly due to heavy first-half usage.
Cody Bellinger, left fielder, earned a B. His final numbers were impacted by a late-July hamstring strain, but he still played outstanding defense in left. He had stark home/road splits: a .919 OPS at home versus .628 on the road.
Will Warren, starting pitcher, deserves much credit for consistently taking the ball every fifth or sixth day and then making a seamless late-season transition to relief for the postseason.
Luis Garcia Jr., first baseman, had many big offensive moments with power after being acquired from Washington at the trade deadline. However, he batted .170 over his final 12 games and went 1-for-10 against the Rays in the playoffs.
Fernando Cruz, reliever, did not pitch after August 25 due to a partial UCL tear. This explains his drop-off in his final 16 games (5.93 ERA) after being firmly in the Circle of Trust (2.20 ERA) through mid-July.
Paul Goldschmidt, first baseman, posted a .967 OPS against right-handed pitching in 183 plate appearances. He wants to play next year, his age-39 season.
Ryan Yarbrough, reliever, made both 2026 playoff rosters and served all season as a valuable innings eater and arms saver at the back end of the bullpen.
Spencer Jones, outfielder, earned a B-. He improved with each call-up, flashed a power-speed combo, and hit lefties well (1.107 OPS). However, his outfield defense needs improvement, especially if he is considered for center field.
Ryan Weathers, starting pitcher, was finally hitting his stride (2.56 ERA in 11 starts) when a flexor strain ended his regular season in late August. He ramped up to become a bullpen option by October.
George Lombard Jr., shortstop, received a C+. He will enter 2027 as the incumbent shortstop after a valuable two-plus month rookie experience that included a taste of the postseason and periods of defensive inconsistency.
Gerrit Cole, starting pitcher, returned from Tommy John surgery rehab and posted a 3.61 ERA in 22 starts. He was troubled by the long ball at times and made one postseason start (5 IP, one run) against the Rays.
Jose Caballero, infielder, earned a C. There was a desire to see him more utilized as a starter during the postseason, where his energy and baserunning could have been a bigger factor.
Aaron Judge, right fielder, saw his 2026 season end after a right calf strain, just a week after returning from a first right rib fracture. It was a lost and highly disappointing year for the captain following two straight MVP campaigns.
Anthony Volpe, infielder, received a C-. He lost the shortstop job but deserves credit for re-emerging from a minor league demotion as a more versatile defender—with a quick transition to second base—and an improved hitter.
Austin Wells, catcher, earned a D+. He took a beating behind the plate and saved a rough offensive year with a solid last two months, but his 2026 snapshot is that baserunning miscue in ALDS Game 2.
Amed Rosario, infielder, received a D. He was employed to menace lefties but actually hit better against right-handed pitching. He provided leadership but was defensively unreliable and did not make the ALDS roster.
Heliot Ramos, outfielder, rallied late after big-time initial struggles in pinstripes following his trade deadline acquisition. He had just three hitless at-bats in the postseason, none in the Division Series.
Jasson Dominguez, outfielder, earned a D-. He improved as a right-handed hitter but further regressed as an outfielder and was a non-factor by early September. On a club stocked with DHs, his pinstriped future is uncertain.
Ryan McMahon, third baseman, saw his plus defense and 20-homer power—his calling cards—drop in both departments. He is now uncertain to return in 2027 despite having a year left on his contract.
Trent Grisham, center fielder, suffered another hamstring strain, which might have contributed to plunging defensive metrics. He won't be recalled fondly in the Bronx for how this October ended.
Tim Hill, reliever, resurrected his career with the Yankees in 2024, and maybe he can do it again elsewhere. His fall-off in 2026 was such that he did not make either postseason series roster.
Incomplete grades were given to DH Giancarlo Stanton; pitchers Elmer Rodriguez, Yerry de los Santos, Angel Chivilli, Brendan Beck, John Schreiber, Michael Fulmer, Bradley Hanner, and Kervin Castro; catchers J.C. Escarra and Ali Sanchez; and infielder Max Schuemann.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Our Yankees grades are in for every player after 2026 season.
Originally reported by yahoo.