Chase Hampton stays out of Yankees' path after second waiver claim in recent weeks

Chase Hampton's story should have taught the New York Yankees a key lesson. When it comes to prospects, the ascent can be rapid, but the downfall can happen at even greater speeds. At one point in time, the 25-year-old could have commanded a haul on the trade market. Now, he's a waiver-wire dart throw.

After the Yankees cut him loose to facilitate Aaron Judge's depressingly brief return, he was snatched up by the Washington Nationals. That didn't last long, however, he the right-hander found himself on the waiver wire again entering the weekend. We hoped for a reunion. New York had already invested so much into him, so it made sense to bring him back with less pressure and see if he could be rehabilitated as he continues to build back from his injury.

That dream has been dashed. Hampton's off to the midwest, landing with another National League club as the St. Louis Cardinals won the waiver wire battle.

The Chase Hampton carousel keeps spinning as the former Yankees top prospect lands with the Cardinals

The 8.18 ERA over 17 starts and 55 innings from Hampton this year might make it seem like he's toast, but it's not uncommon for pitchers to struggle upon returning from Tommy John surgery. While the prognosis for hurlers who've undergone the procedure has improved dramatically over the years, there are so many factors that come into play once one returns to the mound.

Yankees head physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad details some of them in his blog post about UCL injuries and subsequent surgery, and what really stands out is themental aspect of how the injury can affect a pitcher.

There are issues with stiffness, mechanical changes, the weight of wondering if there was something the pitcher could've done differently to avoid the injury, periods of diminished velocity, and much more. For minor leaguers like Hampton, there are also huge financial implications, too.

Hampton's biggest issue this season was his command. It manifested itself in two ways. For one, he walked 12.9% of the batters he faced, which was a stark increase in free-pass frequency versus the 8.4% rate he posted during his breakout 2023 campaign. The second way we saw the lack of control bite him was the frequency with which he grooved pitches, yielding a whopping 2.13 HR/9 in 2026.

Still, Hampton's stuff was undeniable. He was named Yankees Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2023, which was his first pro season. If his issues are truly the result of the mental struggles the surgery can bring and not a true physical limitation, we could see him eventually bounce back.

For now, it looks like that will be with the Cardinals, but you never know. Hampton's descended to the tier where he's become roster fodder, and could easily be cut loose in a couple of weeks if St. Louis finds another move that they believe would make a greater impact. For now, the Yankees should wish him well, but still keep tabs on him in case they get a second chance to bring him back into the fold.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow