ORLANDO, Fla. — The Yankees usually pass on selecting anyone in the Rule 5 draft because it’s not easy for perennial contenders to hand a big-league roster spot to a prospect.

On the final day of the Winter Meetings, the Bomber made an exception by picking a Double-A right-hander who throws in the high 90s and touches 100 mph.

The Yankees’ first Rule 5 pick since 2011 was right-hander Cade Winquest, a 6-foot-2, 205-pounder who spent the last three seasons as a Cardinals prospect after being drafted in the eighth round of the 2022 draft out of Texas-Arlington.

“Cade’s been somebody we’ve been following since the draft,” Yankees assistant general manager Michael Fishman said. “He was somebody we were targeting in the draft back in 2022. He got picked a few picks before us, but he’s got

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