TAMPA, Fla. – Cade Winquest heard “there was a small chance’’ he’d be claimed during last December’s MLB Rule 5 Draft, but the right-hander wasn’t expecting this.

“YANKEES’’ was the one-word, all caps text Winquest received from his agent.

Advertisement

“And my phone blew up after that,’’ said Winquest, 25, who jumped from being a starter on the St. Louis Cardinals’ Double-A roster to a Yankees’ bullpen candidate.

Plus, “I was in New York when it happened,’’ said Winquest, who was visiting his girlfriend in Manhattan.

That completed a “full-circle moment’’ for the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Winquest, who was nearly drafted by the Yankees in 2022 out of the University of Texas-Arlington.

1 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 10 Bob Shawkey with 1,163 strikeouts. He pitched with the club from 1915 to 1927. He is seen above in a team photo with the infamous 1927 Yankees.

1 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 10 Bob Shawkey with 1,163 strikeouts. He pitched with the club from 1915 to 1927. He is seen above in a team photo with the infamous 1927 Yankees.

2 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 9 Mariano Rivera with 1,173 strikeouts in pinstripes.

3 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

World Series MVP Mariano Rivera waves to fans in 1999.

4 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Former New York Yankee pitcher Mariano Rivera answers questions during a Hall of Fame press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, in New York.

5 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 8 Mel Stottlemyre Sr., long-time New York Yankee pitcher and pitching coach with 1,257.

6 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

New York Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre waves in response to the ovation of the crowd at opening day ceremonies April 12 at Yankee Stadium as third base coach Willie Randolph applauds (R). The former Yankees pitching star has been diagnosed with a form of bone cancer, but plans to stay on the job while undergoing treatment.

RFS

7 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Yankees manager Joe Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre walk towards the dugout during opening ceremonies at the Yankees home opener at Yankees Stadium in Bronx, NY Monday April 2, 2001.

8 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 7 Mike Mussina with 1,278 strikeouts with the Yankees.

9 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Mike Mussina of the New York Yankees waves to the crowd after being taken out of the game in the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox on September 18, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

10 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Former New York Yankee pitcher Mike Mussina answers questions during the Hall of Fame press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, in New York.

11 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 6 Lefty Gomez with 1,468 strikeouts. Gomez spent nearly his whole career with the Yankees from 1930-1942.

12 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 5 Red Ruffing with 1,526 strikeouts. Ruffing pitched for the Yankees from 1930 to 1942.

13 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 4 CC Sabathia with 1,700 strikeouts while with the Yankees.

14 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Starting pitcher CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees sits in the dugout during the first inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 30, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona.

15 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (right) talks with starting pitcher CC Sabathia (52) in the dugout during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on Friday, July 21, 2017.

16 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Yankee Ron Guidry delivers a pitch during game with Blue Jays. June 30, 1987 REUTERS/Gary Hershorn 87215082 ACTION BASEBALL NY METS PITCHING; Guidry, Ron Ron Guidry DISCLAIMER: The image is presented in its original, uncropped, and untoned state. Due to the age and historical nature of the image, we recommend verifying all associated metadata, which was transferred from the index stored by the Bettmann Archives, and may be truncated.

17 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Yankees former pitcher Ron Guidry throws out a ceremonial first pitch during the old timers’ day ceremony before a game between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium in 2022. Not since the days of Reggie Jackson and Guidry in pinstripes, and Steve Garvey and Fernando Valenzuela in Dodger blue, have the two legendary franchises met in the World Series.

18 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 2 Whitey Ford with 1,956 career strikeouts in pinstripes.

19 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Phil Rizutto and Whitey Ford throw out the first pitch of Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 22, 2000 at Yankee Stadium.

20 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Whitey Ford is introduced during the Old Timer’s Day ceremonies at Yankee Stadium on June 20, 2015

21 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

No. 1 Andy Pettitte tops the list with 2,020 career strikeouts as a member of the Yankees.

22 / 22

The Top 10 Yankees strikeout leaders. Who is No. 1?

Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte tips his hat after being taken out of the game 10/7/1999 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx during Game 2 of the American League Divisional Series. Texas Rangers at New York Yankees.

But the Yanks took starter Cam Schlittler in the seventh round, and three picks before their eighth-round selection – hoping Winquest would still be there – the Cards swooped in.

Advertisement

“Just from the past three weeks I’ve been here, I would love to be a Yankee for the rest of my career,’’ said Winquest, who became the first MLB Rule 5 draftee by the Yanks since 2011.

Yankees taking a chance on Cade Winquest

Leading into the draft, “We did an evaluation on a handful of guys and he kind of popped among that group,’’ said Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake.

“I think everybody felt good about taking a chance on a guy who’d been in Double-A as a starter (3.19 ERA, 8 starts after his 2025 promotion) and has some upside.’’

Winquest must remain on the Yanks’ big-league roster all season, or else he’ll be offered back to St. Louis at half of the $100,000 draft fee.

Advertisement

And there’s a healthy competition among the Yankees’ relievers, with six pitchers – Winquest, Jake Bird, Angel Chivilli, Rafael Montero, Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn – possibly battling for three spots.

Spring news: New Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers making a solid first impression

David Bednar, Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill and Brent Headrick are the top five relievers.

But Winquest has already gained some positive attention in camp.

“There’s an electricity there,’’ manager Aaron Boone said after watching Winquest’s recent session against live batters, including MVP Aaron Judge.

Yankees add a pitch to Cade Winquest’s arsenal

Improving on his previous live outing, Winquest was “better as he went,’’ said Boone, highlighting Winquest’s “really good curveball’’ and effective fastball-slider mix.

Advertisement

Winquest’s curveball is kind of the calling card for him, and we’re trying to piece some stuff around it,’’ said Blake, notably the introduction of a sinker.

“It’s working really well and I don’t know why I haven’t been throwing it my whole career,’’ said Winquest, who began using the sinker two weeks after the Yanks drafted him.

“It’s a pitch I’m falling in love with.’’

Blake and the Yanks’ pitching development team have also worked to tighten the spin on Winquest’s four-seam fastball, but the sinker could be a difference maker.

Based on Winquest’s three-quarter delivery and release point, the sinker seemed “like a good fit,’’ said Blake, and “he took to that pretty quick.’’

Advertisement

Before arriving at Yankees camp, “I was told that I’m going to have (pitching) resources I’ve never had,’’ said Winquest. “It’s been amazing.’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Cade Winquest hopes to make Yankees 2026 roster from Double-A