The Rule 5 Draft, where MLB teams are allowed to pick prospects off of other teams, is fast approaching and the New York Yankees could find themselves without some major talent.

MLB.com’s Sam Dykstra and Jesse Borek laid out one candidate from each MLB team that is mostly likely to be picked up during the Rule 5 Draft. For the Yankees, they selected pitcher Harrison Cohen.

“Once undrafted out of George Washington, the 6-foot reliever (Cohen) has posted back-to-back seasons with sub-2 ERAs,” they wrote. “In this most recent campaign, he finished with a 1.76 mark and 1.10 WHIP while striking out 59 in 51 innings between Triple-A and Double-A.”

“He ran pretty even splits by relying on a tight mid-80s cutter against righties and mid-80s changeup with good armside fade against lefties, all while sporting a more mundane 92-94 four-seamer from a low arm slot. The deception can be an issue for his control, but it also could make him a plug-and-play option in an MLB bullpen,” they continued.

Cohen initially signed with the Yankees as an undrafted free agent in 2022 after playing five NCAA seasons with George Washington University.

‘He has been one of the most unhittable relievers in the Minors over the last two seasons, and his success at the upper levels this year could lead to a big league opportunity in 2026,” Cohen’s MLB prospect summary reads.

Cohen spent a majority of the 2025 season on the Triple A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, pitching a 1.57 ERA in 28.2 innings. Across teams, he threw a 1.76 ERA through 51 innings. He’s the 30th ranked prospect in the Yankees system and could be a huge asset in 2026 — when he’s expected to debut — if he’s not selected by another team.

Harrison Cohen Could Give Yankees Bullpen Major Boost

The Yankees had lots of difficulty closing in 2025, with Devin Williams — who has since signed with the Mets — and Luke Weaver both facing major inconsistencies through June. Even David Bednar, who the Yankees pursued heavily on the trade market, wasn’t as strong as the Pinstripes needed him to be. With Cohen, the Yankees could have a major weapon in the bullpen, especially if he keeps working on his pitches throughout the offseason and spring training.

The Yankees protected outfielder Spencer Jones, pitcher Elmer Rodriguez and pitcher Chase Hampton from the Rule 5 Draft by elevating them to the team’s 40-man roster. While they didn’t so the same for Cohen, he could return to the Yankees even after being drafted if he doesn’t stay on the active roster or injured list on his new team for a whole season.