The New York Yankees have made headlines by claiming outfielder Duke Ellis off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. To accommodate this roster move, the Yankees placed right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton on the 60-day injured list (IL).
Duke Ellis, a 26-year-old talent hailing from Shreveport, Louisiana, has had an interesting journey to the majors. Initially drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 20th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Ellis opted to play college baseball at the University of Texas. After three years with the Longhorns, he went undrafted but later signed with the Chicago White Sox. This season, Ellis made his MLB debut, playing in eight games, logging four plate appearances, and recording his first MLB hit along with four stolen bases.
Ellis is known for his speed on the base paths, which is his standout skill. In 2024, across stints with the Mariners, Mets, and White Sox organizations, he has successfully stolen 51 bases out of 54 attempts in the minor leagues, though his batting line stands at .235/.315/.336. Ellis is set to join the Yankees’ Triple-A team in Scranton-Wilkes Barre, where he’ll likely be a candidate for a pinch-runner role alongside Cam Eden.
As for Ian Hamilton, the 29-year-old reliever has pitched 29.2 innings for the Yankees this season, posting a 4.55 ERA and 30 strikeouts before suffering a right lat strain in mid-June. He’s currently on a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset. Since Hamilton has already spent 60 days on the IL, this move is largely procedural. The Yankees can activate him at any time if they feel he’s ready, though they’ll need to make another roster adjustment to do so.
Leave a Reply