Yankees agree to terms with four arbitration-eligible players

The Yankees have come to an agreement with four of five arbitration-eligible players heading into the 2025 season, the team announced Thursday.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., RHP Clarke Schmidt, RHP Devin Williams and RHP Scott Effross are among the arbitration-eligible players who agreed to one-year contracts to avoid an arbitration hearing.

Chisholm was the big offensive piece acquired via trade last season and quickly infused the team with athleticism and quickness. The left-hander played 46 games in pinstripes in 2024, hitting .273 with 11 home runs and driving in 23 runs. In total, Chisholm batted .256 while hitting 24 homers and driving in 73 runs. He did all this while playing predominantly as the Yankees’ third baseman, which he had never played before professionally.

Schmidt had a strong second season as a full-time starter with the Yankees but missed the first part of the year with an injury. In 16 starts, Schmidt pitched to a 2.85 ERA while striking out 93 batters across 85.1 innings. The 28-year-old will be a fixture in the Yankees rotation in 2025 alongside Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Luis Gil.

Williams was acquired from the Brewers via trade this offseason and will be the Yankees’ new closer heading into this upcoming season. Williams missed significant time due to injury but was his All-Star self when he returned. In 22 appearances, he pitched to a 1.25 ERA and struck out 38 batters in just 21.2 innings. He was also voted as the top reliever heading into 2025 by MLB Network.

Effross appeared in just three games in 2024 thanks to a back injury. The right-hander has been snake-bitten since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs in 2022. He pitched to a 2.13 ERA across 13 appearances for the Yankees that season while also closing three games. However, he missed all of 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He then had a setback in his recovery when he suffered a back injury. He did not make a major league appearance until late September.

Mark Leiter Jr., the right-hander the Yankees acquired from the Cubs at the 2024 deadline was the only player who did not settle with the team. Both sides can still settle before their arbitration hearing. If the sides don’t come to an agreement, Leiter Jr. will be the first Yankee to head to arbitration since Delin Betances in 2017.

Here is what each arbitration-eligible Yankee will get in 2025, according to multiple reports: