Hidden relief prospect Yankees stole from Astros is making himself an MLB option

When the Yankees make a midseason bet on a Low-A pitcher, they're rarely just acquiring a throw-in. Usually, they see an opportunity that others may not to extract a live arm from the depths of someone else's system, turning minor trades into highway robbery. Two months into 2025, that certainly seems to be the case with Kelly Austin.

The Yankees nabbed Austin last summer as the corresponding portion of their bizarre Caleb Ferguson dump, sending the unwanted lefty to Houston. Ferguson has since gone on to be a strangely effective member of the Pirates' pitching staff, but he did very little for the Astros and has already moved along. By default, that makes this trade a win for the Yankees.

When you factor in Austin's maturation process, the deal looks even better.

Last summer, Austin tossed 14 innings for the Hudson Valley Renegades and leveled up from his time in the Astros' system at Asheville of the same level, whiffing 19 and allowing 10 hits and two earned runs. This year, he's been elevated to Double-A Somerset for his age-24 season, striking out 16 batters in 15 innings, sporting a 1.80 ERA. He capped that hot stretch off by K'ing the side in the misty rain in the ninth inning of Wednesday's game.

Yankees relief prospect Kelly Austin - stolen in a small trade with the Astros - is going through a strikeout surge at Double-A Somerset

Austin remains a non-40-man arm. He won't be considered for a bullpen promotion this season, pending dire straits and a larger-than-normal degree of roster shuffling. But so far in his Yankees career, he's serving as another shining beacon of the trade deadline mantra that teams throughout the league should be adopting: if the Yankees want a pitcher you have no use for, do not give them that pitcher.

On the flip side, if the Yankees want a pitcher everyone wants, hand him over. He might be Frankie Montas.

Brian Cashman's larger trade deadline moves have been marred by injury and regression since 2020, but he's still got room in his bag of tricks for the Austins and Clay Holmeses of the world. In this particular instance, the Yankees' best-case scenario seems to be unfolding once again, and it feels even better to do it to a hardened rival.