NEW YORK — The New York Yankees continue to shuffle their 40-man roster as spring training approaches. On Tuesday, the club claimed right-hander Dom Hamel off waivers from the Texas Rangers. The move came with a price.
Marco Luciano, the former top prospect the Yankees picked up just seven days earlier, was designated for assignment. So was left-hander Jayvien Sandridge. Both moves were necessary to clear roster space for Hamel and to officially add Cody Bellinger, whose five-year, $162.5 million deal became official on Monday.
The rapid turnover highlights the cutthroat nature of MLB roster management in late January. Players who were Yankees one week can find themselves looking for a new home the next.
Former Mets farmhand joins Yankees
Hamel, 26, was a third-round pick by the New York Mets in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Dallas Baptist University. He quickly established himself as one of the organization’s top pitching prospects.
In 2022, Hamel earned Mets Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors. He led the system with 10 wins and 145 strikeouts while posting a 3.25 ERA across 119 innings at Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn. He held opposing hitters to a .196 batting average that season.
The Chandler, Arizona native ranked among MLB Pipeline’s top 30 Mets prospects as recently as last year. His fastball sits 91-94 mph with extreme spin and vertical break. He also throws a slider, cutter, curveball and changeup.
A whirlwind journey through four organizations
The Yankees mark the fourth MLB organization for Hamel over the past five months. His path has been anything but straightforward.
Hamel made his big league debut with the Mets on Sept. 17, 2025, against the San Diego Padres. He pitched one scoreless inning in relief, allowing three hits and hitting a batter. With that appearance, the Mets set a new record for most pitchers used in a single MLB season at 46.
The Mets designated him for assignment on Sept. 18. The Baltimore Orioles claimed him two days later. Baltimore then designated him for assignment on Sept. 25. Texas picked him up on Sept. 27. The Rangers designated him for assignment on Jan. 20 when they signed Jakob Junis.
Luciano’s brief Yankees stay comes to an end
The Yankees’ designation of Luciano marks another chapter in the former blue-chip prospect’s turbulent winter. The Yankees claimed the 24-year-old infielder and outfielder off waivers from the Orioles on Jan. 22. His stay lasted exactly seven days.
Luciano was once considered among the brightest young talents in all of MLB. The San Francisco Giants signed him as a 16-year-old international free agent in July 2018 for a $2.6 million bonus. He peaked at No. 12 on Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list prior to the 2021 season.
His major league numbers have been underwhelming. In 41 games with the Giants between 2023 and 2024, Luciano batted .217 with a .590 OPS. He has yet to hit a home run at the big league level despite his reputation for raw power.
Luciano spent the entire 2025 season with Triple-A Sacramento. He slashed .214/.335/.413 with 23 home runs and 66 RBI in 125 games. The power was there. The consistency was not. He struck out 29.6% of the time.
The DFA carousel keeps spinning
This marks the fifth organization to roster Luciano since November. The Giants designated him for assignment in early December. The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed him on Dec. 5. They held him for just two weeks before letting him go. The Orioles picked him up on Jan. 7, hoping he would pass through waivers unclaimed.
The Yankees had other plans, claiming him on Jan. 22. Now, just one week later, Luciano finds himself in DFA limbo once again. With no minor league options remaining, he would be exposed to waivers should he fail to crack the club’s 26-man roster.
Sandridge departs after rough MLB debut
Sandridge, 27 next month, also received his walking papers. The left-hander got his first taste of the big leagues last season after signing a minor league deal with the Yankees in February 2025.
His one MLB appearance came against the Mets on July 5. It did not go well. Sandridge walked Juan Soto and then allowed a home run to Pete Alonso. He struck out Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos but also walked Luis Torrens and hit Jeff McNeil before being removed. He allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Bullpen depth becomes priority
The Yankees lost two key relievers this winter. Luke Weaver and Devin Williams both departed for the retooling Mets. The bullpen was one of the team’s biggest strengths in 2025, but limited payroll flexibility following the Bellinger deal has forced the front office to search for depth on the waiver wire.
Hamel still has a couple of minor league options remaining. The Yankees could keep him as depth in the minors or try him in a situational relief role. Over parts of five minor league seasons in the Mets organization, he went 27-24 with a 4.72 ERA in 111 games with 89 starts.
In 2025 at Triple-A Syracuse, Hamel went 4-6 with one save and a 5.32 ERA in 67 2/3 innings across 31 appearances. He struck out 25.2% of batters faced and showed improved control with a 7.4% walk rate. Spring training will determine whether he can stick on the big league roster or provide depth at Triple-A Scranton.
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