Last-Minute Predictions for Yankees' 40-Man Roster Deadline

The New York Yankees are expected to make roster moves ahead of the 40-man roster deadline (as is everyone in the MLB) in order to protect some of their top prospects from the Rule 5 Draft. With the deadline closing in at 6 pm EST, some players are considered locks, and others are less certain.

The Rule 5 Draft goes into effect when a player who was drafted before age 18 has not been promoted to their 40-man roster within five seasons of being drafted. If they have not been added to the roster, they become eligible for a draft by other MLB teams through the Rule 5 process, a Draft which is set to take place on December 10 in Orlando, FL.

The Locks

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders outfielder Spencer Jones (48) is walked during the first inning of Game 2 of an MiLB International League Championship Series at VyStar Ballpark Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp defeated the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 6-4 and force a Game 3 Thursday evening for the title championship. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

24-year-old outfielder Spencer Jones is considered a no-brainer. Jones has been hailed as the next Aaron Judge, for better or worse, with great slugging potential paired with an unsettlingly-high strikeout rate. Jones is 99th on the MLB's list of Top 100 prospects. Jones was promoted from Double-A to Triple-A in 2025, in a season where he batted .274/ .362/ .571 and a .933 OPS, with 35 home runs and 80 RBIs overall.

The Yankees were adamant about not trading Jones at the 2025 trade deadline, insisting that they wouldn't trade him away for anyone but specifically Pittsburgh Pirates super-starter Paul Skenes. The Pirates didn't bite, so Jones stayed, and he will almost certainly be on the roster by this evening.

Right-handed starting pitcher Elmer Rodriguez is considered another no-brainer. At 22 years old, Rodriguez is 97th on the Top 100, and ended the regular season with a 2.58 ERA in Triple-A. He was promoted twice in 2025, from High-A to Triple-A, and is among the Yankees' most promising pitching prospects.

Chase Hampton, another right-hander, is considered likely for the roster. Hampton has faced numerous injuries, including a season-ending injury back in February that kept him out for all of 2025. At 24 years old, Hampton has plenty of potential, and the Yankees are likely to see what he can do going forward. Hampton posted a 2.41 ERA in 2024.

Other Possibilities

Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman before game one against the Los Angeles Dodgers the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

In a recent post, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News listed a few other prospects to keep an eye out for as the deadline approaches, and emphasized that the Yankees can make all the room they need for the guys they want. In addition to 27-year-old right-handed starter Brendan Beck (3.36 ERA in 26 games, 24 starts in 2025), 26-year-old right-handed reliever Harrison Cohen (1.76 ERA over 49 games in 2025) and 24-year-old left-handed starter Allen Facundo (1.85 ERA in 10 games at Single-A in 2025), Phillips named five possible players.

"Other eligible Rule 5 guys include Eric Reyzelman, Henry Lalane, Brock Selvidge, T.J. Rumfield, Manuel Palencia and Jace Avina," Phillips wrote on X (Twitter). "Keep in mind the Yanks have a handful of open 40-man spots & can easily create more."

The Yankees will also be awaiting an answer from free agent outfielder Trent Grisham, who has been extended a $22 million qualifying offer. Grisham is not expected to accept the offer, but nothing is set in stone. The Yankees may seek to promote Jones to an outfield role if they lose Grisham, depending on Jones' ability to prove himself ahead of 2026.

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