The New York Yankees rivalry with the New York Mets has intensified in recent years with both teams emerging as World Series contenders. A huge reason for that has been both clubs consistently ranking near the top of the league in payroll, making New York a destination for free agents whether playing in pinstripes or across the city in Queens.
Since taking over in 2020, Mets owner Steve Cohen has turned the franchise into one of baseball’s biggest spenders, creating a roster that attracts star free agents who might otherwise choose the Yankees.
The results have been clear. The Mets signed Juan Soto in 2024 to a record-breaking contract after he spent the previous year with the Yankees, and more recently added right-handed reliever Devin Williams last week following his stint in the Bronx.
That trend continued on Wednesday during the Rule 5 MLB Draft. The Yankees announced a recap of their draft, losing three players to other organizations while adding three of their own. Notably, the Mets were once again among the teams to pluck talent from the Yankees.
“In the Major League phase of the 2025 Rule 5 Draft, the Yankees selected RHP Cade Winquest in the first round from St. Louis. In the Triple-A phase, the Yankees selected RHP Hansel Rincon in the first round from Milwaukee and C Abrahan Gutierrez in the second round from the Athletics. Additionally, Chicago NL selected RHP Adam Stone (first round), Seattle selected RHP Sean Hermann (second round) and New York NL selected LHP Matt Turner (third round) from the Yankees in the Triple-A phase,” the team wrote on X.
The Rule 5 Draft allows teams to select certain minor league players who are not protected on a 40-man roster, giving those players a chance to reach the majors while preventing organizations from stockpiling talent without opportunity.
As for Matt Turner, who the Mets selected from the Yankees in the Triple-A phase, he is very much a minor league journeyman. The 26-year-old left-handed reliever has spent his entire professional career in the minors after being drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Turner has never pitched for the Yankees at any level, as they only added him following the 2025 season. He split last year between Double-A and Triple-A with the Colorado Rockies, posting a 5.79 ERA across 41 appearances. While his track record suggests he is more organizational depth than a future big-league contributor, the Mets saw enough value to take a chance on him.
With both teams competing for supremacy in New York, even minor league selections carry symbolic weight. That tension could escalate even more this offseason, as Cody Bellinger, a Yankees free agent, has been linked to both clubs and has yet to make a decision on his future.
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