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Cardinals add former Yankees pitching prospect to kick-start offseason
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- Cardinals add former Yankees pitching prospect to kick-start offseason
Cardinals add former Yankees pitching prospect to kick-start offseason originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The St. Louis Cardinals fell short of the postseason but exceeded expectations in 2026.
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Now, they enter the offseason while looking to improve a roster that finished eight games below .500.
St. Louis got the ball rolling on Monday, taking a low-risk, high-reward flier on a former New York Yankees pitching prospect.
The NL Central club announced that it claimed right-hander Chase Hampton off waivers from the Washington Nationals .
Hampton, 25, is yet to make his Major League debut. He missed the entire 2025 minor league season due to Tommy John Surgery.
In 2026, the Texas Tech product threw 55 innings across three levels (Single-A Tampa, High-A Hudson Valley, Double-A Somerset) in New York's system.
He posted an ugly 8.18 ERA and struck out 56 batters compared to 34 walks in 17 appearances.
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Earlier this month, the Yankees designated Hampton for assignment to make space on the 40-man roster for Aaron Judge 's return.
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Mostly due to injuries, Hampton hasn't reached Triple-A and has only thrown over 100 innings in a professional season once.
For the Cardinals, there's no risk in adding him to the organization and inviting him to spring training.
It wasn't long ago that many publications considered Hampton a top 100 prospect in baseball. MLB.com ranked the righty as its No. 92 prospect in 2024.
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