RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesWill Brian of the Somerset Patriots delivers a pitch during a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on May 15, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Will Brian emerged from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre bullpen to work the top of the eighth Sunday at PNC Field with the RailRiders leading the Syracuse Mets by one run. The left-handed reliever got Cristian Pache to line out to third base on two pitches, MJ Melendez to pop up to third on one pitch, then struck out Nick Morabito looking on three pitches.
Six pitches. Inning over.
Since being promoted from Double-A Somerset last month, Brian has been doing an effective job out of the RailRiders bullpen. He has pitched in 10 games and has four holds, one save, a 3.65 ERA, and 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings.
“Being here is awesome. It’s a blessing to be with the Yankees and to be homegrown in Triple-A makes it that much more special,” Brian said. “Being here I’ve learned a lot more. It’s professional. When you get around guys who are on the 40-man or have been up and down in the big leagues, you pick their brains a little bit and see what that’s like. You’re playing against teams who also have big leaguers and being able to compete against them.
“The experience here, in general, makes it that much better.”
Brian, 27, has been adjusting to life in Triple-A. There are many differences from Double-A, the obvious one being the competition. But also the ball is different. The one used in Double-A has higher seams, which affects grip and pitch movement. The ball used in Triple-A is manufactured to MLB standards with the seams lower.
“Mistakes here get punished a lot more than you would in Double-A,” Brian said.
“The minor-league ball you can get away with a little bit more in terms of how things move, things like that. The big league balls are slicker. That’s kind of been the biggest adjustment for me. Personally, the ball feels bigger to me. I don’t have big hands.”
Then there are the ABS System and challenges. One call for or against you can change the game. Brian said he leaves those decisions to catchers J.C. Escarra and Abrahan Gutierrez.
“Those guys know the zone better than anybody. They’re behind the dish every single day, working every single day,” Brian said. “When it comes to challenges, I think it’s all up to them. My job is to go out there and throw as many strikes as I can and get out of an inning the best I can. Yeah, when it comes to challenges, I will stay clear from that.”
Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, Brian attended Cincinnati Reds games. But he and his family were Yankees fans. So one can imagine what it was like when the Yankees selected him in the 10th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Eastern Kentucky University.
“When I got that call, my phone was blowing up from all my friends and family,” Brian said. “Then I think I got to Florida two days after the draft. Me and one other person, we were the first ones there. So getting to experience that and meeting everybody … just putting the pinstripes on and the Yankees logo across your chest, it’s as exciting as you can get. You get to play for the best baseball team known to man. You can’t complain at all.”
He pitched two games in April with Low-A Tampa in 2023 before needing Tommy John surgery and missing the rest of that season. Another injury in 2024 limited him to two games as well.
Last season was his first full one. He began with High-A Hudson Valley and, after not allowing a run in four appearances, he was promoted to Somerset in April 2025. He appeared in 29 games with the Patriots and was 2-1 with six holds, two saves, a 2.48 ERA, and 38 strikeouts in 36.1 innings.
Will Brian snag the hard-hit comebacker? Will Brian snags the hard-hit comebacker! The @Yankees southpaw dazzles while on the mound for the @SOMPatriots ! pic.twitter.com/tNXuXzgj6r
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 23, 2026
This season, in 21 relief appearances with Somerset, he was 1-2 with four holds, two saves, a 4.23 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 27.2 innings. He was assigned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on June 11th to make a start in a rain-suspended game June 12th. He returned to Somerset on June 14, but rejoined the RailRiders six days later.
“It came as a shock. When Coop (Somerset manager James Cooper) gave me that phone call and said, ‘Pack your stuff, you’re going to Scranton,’ my heart started to rush,” Brian said. “Just like it would anywhere getting to move up. Any sort of team, any sort of organization, it should get your heart racing. You’re getting closer and closer to your dream. But getting that call from Coop and coming up here as a homegrown guy, I knew a good majority of the guys here, so that sort of made the process a little easier. I wasn’t as nervous and (RailRiders manager) Shelley (Duncan) made everything a lot easier and kind of broke the ice with me.”
Even though he is one step away from the major leagues, Brian is trying not too get too ahead of himself and stay in the moment.
“I know it’s one level away, but it’s still a big gap in my opinion,” he said.
“The big thing for me right now is just throwing strikes. Clearly everyone would always want to increase their velo. Outside of that it’s just, ‘How can I command the zone the best I can and continue to get outs the best way I can.’ I just try to stay present, try not to look too much in it, see what I can do every single day and what can I work on.”
Brendan Beck of the RailRiders was named the International League Pitcher of the Week for the period of July 20-26. The righthander, who is the Yankees’ No. 23 prospect, threw 6.1 shutout innings in a 2-0 win over the Syracuse Mets on Thursday, allowing three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Beck’d It Up. 👊 6.1 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 7 K #RepBX pic.twitter.com/yeCwHSsEzx
— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) J...
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