New York Yankees Claim Speedy Outfielder From AL Club

The 26-year old has stolen 51 bases in the minor leagues this season.

Aug 14, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Yankees hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees are adding more speed on the base paths as they make their final push to capture the AL East title. 

On Monday afternoon, the club announced they had claimed outfielder Duke Ellis off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton was moved to the 60-day injured list. However, fans shouldn't be concerned; Hamilton has already been out for 60 days and is currently on a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset.

Ellis, 26, has bounced between organizations this season. Four years after signing with the Chicago White Sox as an undrafted free agent, the speedy outfielder made his big league debut as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning of a one-run game in Chicago. Ellis quickly earned his first career stolen base, getting into scoring position before being picked off at second base by Héctor Neris. He went 0-for-8 with four stolen bases in eight games before being designated for assignment on June 16. 

From there, he was claimed off waivers by the Mets and played two games with Double-A Binghamton before being designated for assignment again on June 30. His next stint was longer, as he played 32 games with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma from early July until Aug. 23 when he was DFA’d once more. 

Through 75 minor league games this season, Ellis is batting .235/.315/.336 with five home runs, 32 RBIs, 41 runs scored, and—most notably—51 stolen bases on 55 attempts. 

If Ellis is to find a role in the Bronx this season, it will likely be as a pinch-runner. Players with skill sets similar to Ellis have often made significant impacts on division races and even postseason games. 

Former Royals outfielder Terrance Gore famously collected three World Series rings despite appearing in just one Fall Classic. He saw action as a pinch-runner in both the ALDS and ALCS after spending most of the season in Double-A, helping Kansas City during its 2015 run. The same story unfolded during his stints with the Dodgers in 2020 and the Braves in 2021. Meanwhile, Gore has zero big league home runs and only one career RBI to his name.

In today’s game, where free runners start on second base in extra innings, having the ability to plug in a player with Ellis’s speed on the base paths is a cheat code. A late-game pinch-running opportunity can mean the difference between a win and a loss, or even a failed season and a championship. However, with September call-ups approaching, Ellis faces competition for the "Terrance Gore role." 

On Aug. 9, the Yankees acquired another speedy outfielder, Cam Eden, from the Blue Jays. Eden, 26, has stolen 156 bases with an 88.6% success rate over 430 minor league games. He is a career .237 hitter in the minors and recorded one hit in six major league at-bats during the 2023 season. It is unlikely that New York uses both of their extra roster spots on pinch-runners.

Rosters expand from 26 to 28 players on Sept. 1. The Yankees entered Monday with the best record in the American League at 77-54 but are clinging to a 1.5-game division lead over the Orioles.