New York Yankees Prospect Who Made Major Leap in 2023
It's been a very disappointing year for the New York Yankees considering all the expectations that surround the franchise every single season.
One of the lone bright spots is they were able to call-up some of their young prospects who were MLB ready to see how they would perform at that level.
The Yankees prospect that might have made the biggest leap of all this season didn't get called-up, but could be on the verge of receiving it soon.
Pitcher Chase Hampton has opened eyes about his potential during his first professional season.
MLB.com writes, "New York keeps doing this – turning a mid-round pick into a notable arm in quick time. Hampton (a sixth-rounder out of Texas Tech) showed three above-average pitches in his fastball, curveball and slider to strike out 145 batters in 106 2/3 innings between High-A and Double-A. Despite this being his first full season, Hampton only needed nine starts with Hudson Valley before heading to Somerset, and his continued strong strikeout rate in the Eastern League helped him jump 22 spots from his preseason rank."
The 22-year-old is now the No. 4 ranked prospect in the pipeline and is one of the most exciting players they have in the minor leagues.
Hampton finished the year with a 4-3 record and 3.63 ERA across his 20 games started for both affiliate teams.
New York's rotation should be much healthier to start 2024 with an entire offseason to rest and rehab.
It doesn't seem likely that the front office will attack the starting pitcher market during free agency either after handing out a big contract to Carlos Rodon.
Hampton is expected to make his MLB debut at some point during the 2025 season, but if he continues to shine at the minor league level and the Yankees' starters struggle, he could be a prospect to watch as a call-up for next year.
