New York Yankees flamethrower Nestor Cortes committed to following up breakout 2022 with even more success this year

Nestor Cortes of the New York Yankees was certainly the player on his team who overcame expectations in 2022. His 2022 campaign was nothing short of remarkable, and solidified him as one of the top arms in his team's rotation.

The 27-year-old Cuban-born pitcher reached career-highs in basically every area. He amassed a record of 12-4 with an ERA of 2.44 over 158.1 innings spread across 28 starts. It was also his first season pitching exclusively as a starter.

On the heels of the big season, Nestor Cortes was able to sign a one-year deal worth $3.2 million with the Yankees. Although many think that he is worth more, the contract is a marked improvement from the $727,500 he earned in 2022.

Chris Kirscher of The Athletic recently made a trip to the New York Yankees' spring training facility in Tampa, Florida. Cortes was among the players he was able to catch up with.

In Kirschner's profile, Cortes said:

"I want to show that last year wasn't a fluke and I'm durable. That's the name of the game for starting pitchers."

"I spoke with Nestor Cortes who is coming off a career year. He wants to prove he’s still one of the best SPs in the game. He still wants to be an All Star. And he wants to prove he can do it all over again." - Chris Kirschner

Cortes began his career as a reliever for the Baltimore Orioles in 2018 before joining the Yankees the following season. Prior to 2022, the most starts that Cortes made in a season were 14 in 2021. Although he is guaranteed a starting spot in the Yankees lineup this year, he will need to work hard to ensure that he stays there.

In addition to posting the best stats of his career, Cortes also recorded his first career complete-game shutout in the final weeks of the 2022 season. In a six-inning half of a double-header against the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 25, Cortes struck out five batters and allowed only one hit.

"Nestor Cortes Complete Game Shutout" - New York Yankees

No reason to believe that Nestor Cortes will not be just as dominant in 2023

The Yankees placed a high value on Cortes by upping his salary by such a significant margin. Don't be surprised if Cortes rivals teammates like Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon in terms of prestigue very soon.