Star powers typically garner headlines for the New York Yankees, but manager Aaron Boone understand it takes a village to build a true World Series contender. That means under-the-radar players also need to give his team major contributions during the marathon that is the regular season.
The key for the Yankees is unearthing those hidden gems before their competitors realize their full value. That process is especially important given the organization's commitment to keeping its payroll in check.
Luminaries like Aaron Judge and Max Fried will always get the most attention in the Bronx, but New York fans should keep their eyes on the following three X-factors as potential difference makers in 2025.
1. Mark Leiter Jr.
The team's decision to trade for Devin Williams gives Boone a dominant reliever to rely on in the ninth inning. Now his bullpen challenge becomes getting the game to his ace closer.
Luke Weaver will get plenty of those opportunities in high-leverage situations, but he can't soak up all of those innings. Mark Leiter Jr. figures to be the next in line to get his chance to work in the seventh and eight.
He struggled last season after arriving in a late-season trade, but an offseason of rest appears to have done him a world of good. The 34-year-old right-hander looked particularly sharp against the Brewers in his first appearance of the season. Pitching two scoreless innings with four strikeouts got hi campaign off to a good start.
The key for the Yankees will be to avoid the temptation to overwork Leiter in the early going. The Cubs did that last year, and he looked burned out by the time the postseason arrived. If Boone can keep his workload under control for the full season, he could have another bullpen ace at his disposal come October.
2. Ben Rice
Ben Rice is the big beneficiary of Giancarlo Stanton starting the season on the shelf. The young left-hander is getting the chance to seize the DH spot as his own with the veteran slugger out of the lineup.
Like everyone else on the Yankees roster, Rice had a productive opening weekend against Milwaukee. He went three for six against the Brewers and got an early season home run to boot. More importantly, Rice looked patient at the plate, which helped him square up more pitches in advantageous accounts.
At the very least, Rice looks to have firmly established himself as a quality major league hitter from the left side of the plate. That's always going to be a valuable commodity in Yankee Stadium. Throw in the fact that he can catch, and it's easy to envision him being a key member of Boone's squad.
The big question for Rice is whether or not he can showcase a strong enough hit tool to stay in the lineup rotation even after Stanton returns from injury. If he can turn into a plus everyday hitter, it will open up a lot of options for GM Brian Cashman and his staff as the season rolls along.
3. Clarke Schmidt
Clarke Schmidt is the forgotten member of the Yankees' starting rotation, since he's also starting the season on the Injured List. He has the ability to change that narrative dramatically once he gets back on the bump for his club.
Schmidt's biggest issue in 2024 was his inability to get through an opposing batting order for a third time. That's something that pitchers can improve by working on their secondary offerings. Pitching coach Matt Blake and his staff have a strong track record of helping pitchers do just that.
The Yankees do not need Schmidt to suddenly blossom into Gerrit Cole's heir apparent this year. If he can find a way to pitch over 100 innings as an above average starter, it would give his team a massive lift.
An added bonus from Schmidt would be for him to pitch well enough to be counted on as a postseason starter. It might be a year too soon for the Yankees to give him that kind of responsibility, but it's not out of the question. At worst, he should be a great option out of the bullpen for New York once October arrives.