From the day pitchers and catchers reported to spring training last year to the final day of the season in Kansas City, did any Yankee take a bigger leap than Clarke Schmidt?
You could argue for Ian Hamilton, who went from non-roster invitee to key member of the bullpen. You could make a case for Michael King, too, based in large part on his final two months of the season when he transitioned back to the starting rotation and looked terrific.
But when combining growth and the importance of that progress to the Yankees — especially the 2024 squad — Schmidt’s 2023 season was a critical one amid a largely brutal year for the team.
And it stands to reason that Schmidt has another step forward to take in the months ahead — assuming he is able to stay healthy after throwing a career high in innings last year — which would help solidify a rotation that still has some question marks behind Gerrit Cole.
