The Yankees bullpen depth and where the relievers fit in.

Without question, the Yankees are loaded with power relievers. Where and how do they all fit in?

Brian Cashman continued his retooling of the club by adding two more power relievers to the fold, after trading prospect Manny Banuelos to Atlanta in exchange for righty David Carpenter and power lefty Chasen Shreve. The bullpen has been widely viewed as a position of strength for the Yankees, at both the big league and upper minor league levels, and after making a few trades, the position is even stronger.

Yankees Bullpen

Brian Cashman has been busy reshaping the team this offseason and the bullpen has been no exception. While there is plenty of time left for moves to be made, as of this moment here is where things stand.

It appears that Dellin Betances and free agent signing Andrew Miller will be locking the eighth and ninth innings down, in one way or another this season. When Shawn Kelley was dealt to the Padres he alluded to a conversation with GM Brian Cashman stating that being traded was part of a bigger plan. At least part of that plan has come to fruition, as newly acquired David Carpenter will most likely slot into the seventh inning role vacated by Kelley himself.

Middle relief duties will likely be handled by Adam Warren with a very intense competition being held for the other spot among a cast of many candidates. If I had to place a bet, I would say that Danny Burawa has as good of a chance as any to win it in camp. Going into spring training, recent acquisition Justin Wilson will most likely have the leg up on recently acquired Chasen Streve and 2014 second round draft pick Jacob Lindgren for the lefty job. Rounding out the bullpen will be right-handed swingman Esmil Rogers, who was claimed by the Yankees from Toronto last season.

In the mix

Andrew Bailey: Re-signed to a minor league deal in November, the Yankees are hoping that the 30-year old Bailey can finally recover from shoulder surgery, which caused him numerous set-backs last season. Shoulder injuries to pitchers are always tough blows to overcome, but the upside is a pitcher that closed 75 games in Oakland from 2009-2011. If he's healthy in camp, expect him to get a long look for a roster spot.

Jacob Lindgren: Transitioning to professional baseball proved to be an easy one for the "Strikeout Factory," as he climbed all the way to Double-A Trenton in 2014 after being drafted in the second round of the draft. Lindgren struck out an absurd 48 batters in only 25 innings before fatigue set in late in the season. Currently on the fast track to the Bronx, he’s expected to get a look in spring training with an outside shot at breaking camp with the big club. The future is bright for this budding star; he will most likely begin the season with Triple-A affiliate Scranton-Wilkes Barre.

Danny Burawa: Recently added to the 40-man roster, the Yankees are hoping that the 25-year-old can finally command his outstanding stuff. Even in a year in which he struggled, Burawa still managed to hold opponents to a .258 average with 73 strikeouts in 59.1 innings. The front office hopes that everything will click in 2015, and if it does, Burawa will find himself in the Bronx at the end of spring training.

Branden Pinder: Like Burawa, Pinder was also protected from the Rule 5 Draft and to the 40-man roster this offseason. After being demoted in 2013, it looked like bad times were ahead for the 25-year-old. This year, Pinder held batters to a miserly .209 average while showing much better control (4.11 K/BB). He's someone to keep in mind for next year, but will likely start the season off in Triple-A Scranton instead.

Chase Whitley: After being called up and giving the Yankees seven decent starts, the former 15th round draft pick will find himself in the mix for a spot in Joe Girardi’s bullpen. His most likely fit will be as a long-man/spot-starter at the big league level in 2015, but with Esmil Rogers re-signing, the most probable scenario has him starting the season in Scranton.

Nick Rumbelow: Another impressive right-handed reliever in the stable is Nick Rumbelow. He was flat-out dominant after pitching to a 2.62 ERA to go along with 81 strikeouts in 58.1 innings of work across four levels in 2014. With Pinder and Burawa already on the 40-man roster, Rumbelow is a long shot to make the team out of spring training. Chances are that he heads back to the Triple-A bullpen, awaiting the opportunity to shine in the majors.

Chasen Shreve: Acquired from Atlanta in the Manny Banuelos trade, Shreve joins Jacob Lindgren and Tyler Webb as the top three relief lefties in the organization. At 24 years old, Shreve joined the Braves bullpen late in the season and struck out 15 and walked only three batters in 12.1 innings. He will get a long look in spring training, but the Yankees can afford to send him back to Triple-A for a time.

Jose Ramirez: Talent and stuff have never been a question with Jose Ramirez. Unfortunately, injuries continue to plague him and with other relievers rapidly rising through the system, time might be running out for the soon to be 25-year-old. He doesn't really have much of a shot to make the team out of spring training, so he'll head to Scranton to work on his control and hopefully shake the injury bug.

Other names to watch

Johnny Barbato: Barbato was acquired in the trade that sent Shawn Kelley to San Diego. Currently assigned to the Double-A Trenton roster, there is a possibility of him needing Tommy John surgery, as GM Brian Cashman has stated. Barbato’s ceiling is another live arm that could be a late-inning reliever.

James Pazos: Another fastball-slider reliever that the Yankees are high on is lefty James Pazos. As much as they like him, though, he currently sits behind the trio of left-handers in Lindgren, Shreve and Webb–a ranking that just reflects how much depth the team currently enjoys. He's destined to spend 2015, his age-24 season, in Triple-A.

Gonzalez Germen: The Yankees brought in Germen through a rare trade with the Mets this offseason, he struck out 31 batter while walking 14 over 30.1 innings in 2014. He will essentially occupy a similar position in the bullpen hierarchy that Preston Claiborne once did and will start the season in Scranton to wait for the eventual injury to strike.

The Yankees have positioned themselves well with young, cost controlled power relievers. It’s not only an abundance of arms, but an astounding quality as well. With the Royals garnering the attention for their big three in 2014, people forget that the Yankees championship teams had quality bullpens as well. With all the options they have, it would be surprising if they didn't use some of their depth to trade for something of great need. One thing is for sure, spring training is going to be exciting.