Over recent years, New York Yankees baseball has been synonymous with injuries. By now, fans are quite accustomed to the many repetitions of IL stints their top stars frequently embark on. This season, it started early.
Giancarlo Stanton rolled into Tampa with pain in both elbows before the workouts even started. With Stanton, this is not a surprise. The daunting Yankee slugger has logged more than 114 games in a single season only once going back to 2019 (played 23 of 60 games during the 2020 season). His total number of plate appearances eclipsed 460 only once in that time. But as long as he can return before the postseason and do what he did in the Yankees’ 2024 World Series run, all will likely be fine. After all, this is what we’ve come to expect from him.
But since the Stanton news broke, the Yankees have been dealt another rotten hand. Among another minor issue with Clarke Schmidt, there is devastating news involving a top prospect that could cost him the entire season.
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Chase Hampton shut down with potential season-ending injury
According to manager Aaron Boone, Yankees’ no. 6 prospect Chase Hampton is undergoing testing for a flexor strain and a UCL issue. MLB.com Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch, who covered the story, tweeted this on Wednesday:
Yankees prospect Chase Hampton has a right flexor strain and “something going on in the UCL,” Aaron Boone said. Hampton is in NYC for testing. “He’s pretty bummed.”
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) February 19, 2025
This comes on the heels of an obscure injury last year that caused him to miss most of the season. Hampton pitched only 18.2 innings across seven games in 2024. The injury was initially thought to be a UCL issue but was later diagnosed as a flexor strain. The fact that this injury has seemingly resurfaced does not bode well for his near future.
Hampton, who was set to make an impact in the majors this year, is prized for his deceptive delivery and an assortment of plus offerings. His fastball averages 92-94 with a very high spin rate and significant carry. In his professional career, he owns a 3.45 ERA through four minor-league levels. Scouts have labeled his arsenal as that of a solid No. 3 starter.