Winans was a 17th-round draft pick by the New York Mets in 2018 out of Campbell University in North Carolina. After three seasons with the Mets, the Braves selected him in the Rule 5 Draft. He made eight starts for Atlanta during the past two seasons, collecting a 7.20 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 40 innings.

Winans was a 17th-round pick by the Mets back in 2018, a Rule 5 snag by the Braves in 2021, and a DFA in January before the Yankees grabbed him. Like Yankees backup catcher JC Escarra, Winans has struggled to keep the dream alive, serving as a substitute teacher back in his hometown of Bakersfield in the offseason.

The New York Yankees pitching took another hit when Ryan Yarbrough was put on the 15-day injured list with a strained right oblique