Yankees return Cade Winquest to Cardinals

TL;DR

Cade Winquest has been returned to the St. Louis Cardinals after being designated for assignment by the New York Yankees. The Yankees selected him in the Rule 5 Draft but he never played for the team.

LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: Cade Winquest #80 of the New York Yankees pitches during the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 4-3. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Completing his strange trek from St. Louis to New York and back, Cade Winquest has been returned to the Cardinals after the Yankees designated him for assignment last week. The Yankees selected Winquest in the Rule 5 Draft last December, but the right-hander ultimately never made an appearance for the team.

It was a surprise to see the Yankees take Winquest in the Rule 5, the club’s first Rule 5 selection in over a decade. By rule, Rule 5 draftees must be added to the active roster and stay there for an entire season or else be exposed to waivers, indicating the Yankees saw at least some potential for Winquest to upgrade their bullpen.

But the fit proved awkward from the start. The Yankees saw potential, but they don’t have the luxury of letting long-term projects develop on the active roster while trying to win a pennant. Brian Cashman said as much when asked of Winquest’s DFA, telling reporters “It would have been nice to be able to find room to get him into games to develop, but it’s hard when you’re trying to compete to develop at the same time.”

The Cardinals assigned Winquest to their Triple-A affiliate, where he’ll continue to work in an effort to actually make his major league debut. It was a tough draw for Winquest in New York, getting warm a couple times in comfortable wins at the start of the season, only to not make it into the game. Hopefully, the call comes soon enough for him in St. Louis.

Q&A

Why did the Yankees return Cade Winquest to the Cardinals?

The Yankees returned Cade Winquest after designating him for assignment, as they could not find room for him on the active roster while competing for a pennant.

What is the Rule 5 Draft and how does it affect players like Cade Winquest?

The Rule 5 Draft allows teams to select players from other organizations, requiring them to stay on the active roster for a full season or be exposed to waivers, which was the case for Cade Winquest.

What did Brian Cashman say about Cade Winquest's designation for assignment?

Brian Cashman stated that while it would have been beneficial to develop Winquest, it was challenging to do so while the team was focused on competing for a championship.