Storylines to Follow as Yankees Begin Spring Training

The New York Yankees return to action this week for Spring Training, and these are the storylines to follow.

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February 16, 2026

The New York Yankees return to action this week, as the team opens spring training with an afternoon matchup against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. It certainly doesn’t bring with it the same importance as Opening Day, but it’s an exciting day for MLB fans nonetheless.

Coming off another disappointing playoff run, the Yankees have several interesting storylines to monitor as they chase their 28th World Series title. These, however, are the most notable ones to follow in Florida over the next few weeks.

George Lombard Jr.’s Development

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It’s no surprise that Anthony Volpe’s grip on the Yankees’ starting shortstop job has loosened considerably over the past year. After a career-worst 2025 campaign, Volpe underwent offseason surgery on his shoulder that projects to keep him out until early May.

While trade-deadline acquisition Jose Caballero is in line to start with Volpe out, the Yankees’ top prospect, George Lombard Jr., is not far from making his major league debut. In last year’s spring training, Lombard turned heads as a 19-year-old. If he can do the same this year, it’s reasonable to think he joins the Yankees in 2026 or 2027.

Ben Rice’s Offensive Production

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In his sophomore season, Ben Rice enjoyed a breakout campaign. With 26 home runs and an .836 OPS, the former 12th-round pick cemented himself as a player on the rise. In 2026, Rice needs to prove his 2025 campaign was no fluke. All the underlying numbers suggest his success can be maintained, especially considering his 93.3 MPH average exit velocity, which ranked in the top 10 in baseball. Still, Rice must prove he’s here to stay.

Will Warren’s Off-Speed Pitches

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With Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt all out to begin the season, Will Warren will be relied on heavily to produce for the Yankees in 2026. Currently, he projects as the fourth starter in the rotation.

In 2025, Warren showcased one of the game’s best fastballs. According to Baseball Savant, Warren’s fastball run value of 17 ranked in the 95th percentile. As expected, he struck out nearly 25 percent of the batters he faced. Conversely, his breaking balls produced a run value of -17, a number that ranked in the first percentile. If Warren can improve his off-speed pitches, specifically his sweeper, it would go a long way for an already thin Yankees rotation.

Ryan Weathers’ Performance

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Like Warren, offseason acquisition Ryan Weathers figures to be the Yankees’ fifth and final starter to begin the 2026 season. Despite missing a good bit of time last year, Weathers will be ready to go on Opening Day.

Since pitchers reported to Florida last week, reports have already surfaced that Weathers’ fastball has reached over 98 MPH. That number, especially for February, is extremely encouraging for a player coming back from injury. If he can sustain those numbers, it would likely determine whether or not the Yankees would need to call up a pitching prospect like Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz.