When the Yankees were searching for pitching last season they took a chance and looked within the organization and called-up Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy.

Perhaps they’ll following a similar path this year in the wake of poor starts by Kennedy and Phil Hughes and call up Daniel McCutchen. The 26-year-old righty has been drawing a lot of attention to himself this season with a 2.15 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 46 innings for double-A Trenton.

McCutchen is more of a power pitcher who relies on a good fastball and strong splitter to attack hitters.

“My fastball is about 93-90 mph,” said McCutchen. “I have a split-change that I throw a lot and that I rely on a lot. My hard curveball is about 81 mph, and I throw a changeup about 83 mph which has good sink.”

Being older than most double-A players, McCutchen says he expects to move through the rather quickly.

“I’m about the same age of guys who are in the bigs for a while now,” he said. “So I want to get up as fast as possible.”

His age isn’t due to any struggles early in his minor league career. He was originally selected by the Yankees in the 47th round in the 2003 draft, but elected to stay in college. He was also drafted in the 29th round in 2004 by the Rays and in 12th round by the Cardinals in 2005. He was nearly 24 when he finally signed with the Yankees after being drafted in the 13th round of the 2006 draft.

He threw just 30 innings in the Yankees organization that year before he tested positive for a banned substance, Adderall. Adderall is a commonly prescribed amphetamine for which he had a prescription, but he sat out the remainder of that season and part of 2007 with a 50-game suspension.

Last year, his first full professional season, he split time between Tampa and Trenton. Combined he threw 142 innings with 2.47 ERA, 103 strikeouts, and a 1.05 WHIP. Still with Trenton, he has thrown a dominating 46 innings with a 2.15 ERA, 43 strikeouts, and a 0.91 WHIP.

With numbers like those he is desperately in need of a call up, but is he ready for the Bronx?

“I haven’t experienced anything like Yankee Stadium,” said McCutchen. “Oklahoma State is a great crowd, 16,000, nothing compared to the Stadium, but I’ve done well in that pressure situation so far. I love the pressure, I love the big crowds.”

After dominating in double-A for the past 87 innings the Yankees will be wasting their time if they don’t promote McCutchen to triple-A. If he does well in Scranton expect him to be called up to the Bronx around the All-Star break. Particularly if Hughes is slow coming back from his rib injury or Ian Kennedy doesn’t turn his season around. That might be rushing him, but for a pitcher who will be 27 by September there seems little reason to hold him back.