Cade Winquest Never Threw a Single Pitch for the Yankees, and Now He's Back With St. Louis

The Yankees' Rule 5 draft gamble on Cade Winquest lasted exactly three days. New York returned the 25-year-old right-hander to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, just 72 hours after designating him for assignment. It's a quick end to what was supposed to be a depth move that could have paid dividends.

From Winter Meetings to Opening Day Roster, Then Gone

Winquest made history when he was selected from St. Louis during the Rule 5 draft at December's winter meetings. He became the Yankees' first Rule 5 player to crack the opening day roster since infielder Josh Phelps back in 2007. That's a big deal. It means the organization saw something worth protecting and bringing north for the regular season.

Except Winquest never got the chance to prove it mattered. He didn't appear in a single regular season game for New York. His time in pinstripes was over before it really began.

The Numbers Tell the Story

In nine spring appearances, Winquest went 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. Those aren't the kind of numbers that stick around in a competitive roster. The Yankees made the call to cut ties, and St. Louis has now brought him back into the fold.

Here's the financial side of the deal: New York paid $100,000 to select him at the draft. St. Louis had to pay $50,000 to get him back. Not exactly a win for the Bronx front office, but sometimes the experiment doesn't work out the way you hoped.

Winquest heads back to the organization that originally developed him, another reminder that Rule 5 picks don't always pan out the way teams envision them when they're making those winter meetings selections.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.