Story by
Yankees should add former NJ HS standout, Tigers big leaguer with near .900 OPS vs. left-handed pitching
- Story by
- Yankees should add former NJ HS standout, Tigers big leaguer with near .900 OPS vs. left-handed pitching
Yankees should add former NJ HS standout, Tigers big leaguer with near .900 OPS vs. left-handed pitching originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
In the midst of the offseason around Major League Baseball, the New York Yankees and other teams around the league will have an opportunity to not only make trades and sign players they know are free agents right now, but also land players who were designated for assignment.
Advertisement
The Yankees were given a perfect chance to do just that with Justyn-Henry Malloy , a corner infielder/outfielder from the Detroit Tigers .
The Tigers announced that they designated Malloy on Saturday, adding Kyle Finnegan to the 40-man roster.
"To make room for RHP Kyle Finnegan on the 40-man roster, OF Justyn-Henry Malloy has been designated for assignment," the club posted on X/Twitter.
Malloy, 25, wasn't given the opportunity he needed and deserved in Detroit.
When allowed the chance to show what he has in Major League Baseball, he did what he's done throughout much of his life: swing the bat at a very high level.
Advertisement
The right-handed hitter was a former New Jersey high school baseball standout at St. Joseph Regional in Montvale, New Jersey. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves .
Malloy was eventually sent to Detroit in December of 2022 for Joe Jimenez , an All-Star reliever.
Malloy's best showing at the big league level came in 2024, when he posted an .839 OPS against left-handed pitching.
The Georgia Tech product is arguably the most disciplined hitter in baseball, ranking well above the 90th percentile in Chase% and BB%, according to Baseball Savant .
Why the Yankees should look at Malloy
The fit with the Yankees is relatively straightforward.
Advertisement
Malloy was born in New York City, growing up just a few short miles from the stadium in Bergenfield, New Jersey.
The Yankees are also in a strange spot with right-handed hitters in their lineup.
As currently constructed, New York has Jose Caballero , Anthony Volpe , Aaron Juge, and Giancarlo Stanton as its right-handed hitters.
The Yankees have just four outfielders on their 40-man roster with Judge, Jasson Dominguez, Trent Grisham , and Spencer Jones. If the Yankees re-sign Cody Bellinger , they'll likely look to move on from Dominguez or Jones.
Despite Malloy being used primarily as a designated hitter against left-handed pitching, there's value in his bat against right-handers, too.
Advertisement
He posted a near-.900 OPS in Triple-A Toledo against RHP a season ago.
With the many questions the Yankees have in the outfield and the lack of right-handed bats in their lineup, Malloy would be a nice fit.
