Entering 2017, Tommy Kahnle’s closest connection to the Yankees was being a former farmhand turned effective reliever for other teams. Kahnle was a 5th round draft pick for New York in 2010, but never made it to the 40-man roster. After the Rockies poached him in the Rule-5 draft back in 2013, Kahnle would play two seasons for Colorado before a trade sent him to the Chicago White Sox.
There, he would begin to develop into a legitimate bullpen piece. In 2016, Kahnle posted a 2.63 ERA but struggled with command, giving up 20 walks to 25 strikeouts.