The New York Yankees outrighted infielder Jeter Downs and outfielder Oscar Gonzalez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Downs and Gonzalez are now off the team's 40-man roster with spring training quickly approaching. Both players were claimed off waivers by the Yankees this offseason and will provide organizational depth for the 2024 campaign. Downs, 25, only has 50 career major-league plate appearances and has disappointed with a .182/.260/.273 slash line at the plate. Gonzalez, 26, impressed as a rookie in 2022 with the Cleveland Guardians but regressed last season with a .214/.239/.312 slash line, two home runs and 12 RBI in 54 games before being sent to the minors.
Yankees Claim Diego Castillo Off Waivers, DFA Jeter Downs
The New York Yankees claimed infielder/outfielder Diego Castillo off waivers from the New York Mets on Friday and designated infielder Jeter Downs for assignment in a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster. Castillo has been passed around from the Arizona Diamondbacks, to the Mets, and now the Yankees in a matter of three weeks. The 26-year-old Venezuelan had just one at bat in the big leagues for the Diamondbacks in 2023 and hit .206 (54-for-262) with 11 home runs and 29 RBI in 96 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in his rookie season in 2022. In 124 games at Triple-A Reno in 2023, Castillo hit .313/.431/.410 with three home runs, 72 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 556 trips to the plate. He's going to serve as utility depth in the minors for the Yankees to open the 2024 campaign.
Yankees Claim Jeter Downs Off Waivers From Nationals
The New York Yankees claimed infielder Jeter Downs off waivers from the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. Downs will now join the Yankees organization after the Nationals designated him for assignment last week. The 25-year-old was once considered a top-100 prospect when the Boston Red Sox landed him in the blockbuster trade that sent outfielder Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers several seasons ago Downs hit just .154 (6-for-39) with one home run and 21 strikeouts in his MLB debut in 2022 with Boston and also struggled in three minor-league stops for the Nationals last year, slashing .222/.363/.356 with three home runs, 20 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 57 strikeouts in 60 games. Downs is going to need to make more contact in the minors in 2024 if he wants to resurface in the big leagues in the Bronx as infield depth.
Washington Nationals infielder Jeter Downs was designated for assignment Tuesday, per MLB.com's Jessica Camerato. The move came to make room on the 40-man roster for recently-signed relief pitcher Dylan Floro. The 25-year-old Downs was a former top shortstop prospect for the Boston Red Sox, but he spent most of his time in 2023 with the Nationals' Triple-A Rochester, slashing .236/.358/.379 with three home runs, 18 RBI, and 11 steals in 193 plate appearances. At this point, fantasy managers can likely turn their attention to other young players who may be worth taking a shot on.
Jeter Downs Has Missed A Few Days, Still Could Make Roster
Washington Nationals shortstop Jeter Downs (hand) was hit by a pitch a few days ago and hasn't played since. X-rays were negative, and he has a contusion on his left hand. Downs is fighting for a spot on the Nationals bench with Matt Adams and Michael Chavis. Once considered a top prospect, Downs hasn't done anything to keep that standing over the last few years. 2022 was especially difficult for Downs and he was placed on waivers by the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. The former first-round pick latched on with the Nationals and is now trying to revamp his career. He's a non-player for fantasy purposes.
The Washington Nationals claimed infielder Jeter Downs off waivers on Thursday, according to a source. Downs was a former top shortstop prospect for the Boston Red Sox, but he became available this offseason when Boston designated him for assignment last week. The 24-year-old has fallen considerably as a top prospect while underwhelming at the Triple-A level in Boston's organization over the last several seasons. He made his major-league debut for the BoSox in 2022 and went 6-for-39 with a homer, four RBI, four runs scored and 21 strikeouts. Downs hit only .197/.316/.412 with 16 homers, 33 RBI, 56 runs and 18 stolen bases in 81 games for Triple-A Worcester last year. Still, he's very young and will get a second chance to develop in a rebuilding Nats organization. Keep him on your radar.
To make room on the Boston Red Sox's 40-man roster after the signing of outfielder Masataka Yoshida, the team designated infielder Jeter Downs for assignment on Thursday. Once a top prospect that was acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent outfielder Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Downs' stock has taken a major hit. The 24-year-old shortstop has hit under .200 in each of the last two years at Triple-A Worcester, and he slashed .197/.316/.412 with 16 home runs, 33 RBI, 56 runs scored and 18 stolen bases in 81 games for Worcester in 2022. He also made his big-league debut, going 6-for-39 (.154) with a homer, four RBI and 21 strikeouts in 14 games for Boston. There's a good chance he could be claimed off waivers or traded to another team.
The Boston Red Sox optioned middle infield prospect Jeter Downs to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, suggesting that Christian Arroyo should be back for the weekend series against the Cleveland Guardians following a brief minor league rehab assignment after being sidelined with COVID-19. Downs, the Red Sox's No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline, went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his MLB debut on Wednesday. The 23-year-old certainly needs more time down on the farm, as he was hitting just .180/.297/.397 at Worcester before his call-up, albeit with 11 home runs, 21 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 53 games played. Downs has some intriguing power/speed upside for a middle infielder, but he'll need to refine his plate approach before Boston can seriously consider him an everyday player at the next level.
Boston Red Sox second baseman Jeter Downs is starting at third base and is batting ninth in his major league debut on Wednesday against Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal. The Red Sox are giving Rafael Devers the day off against a left-hander. Downs has primarily played in the middle infield, but they'll put him at the hot corner in his first big-league contest. The 23-year-old hit just .180/.297/.397 in 53 games for Triple-A Worcester before his call-up, but he also had 11 home runs, 21 RBI, 35 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 222 plate appearances. Boston's No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has lost some plate discipline the last two years in the minors, but his power/speed skills will be intriguing long term. Downs will need to refine his approach at the plate in order to be successful in the majors, and he might be sent back to the minors soon.
The Boston Red Sox recalled infielder Jeter Downs from Triple-A on Monday. Downs was hitting .180 with a .297 on-base percentage, 11 home runs, and 11 stolen bases in 222 plate appearances for Boston's Triple-A affiliate this season. With experience at both shortstop and second base, he'll give the Red Sox some additional middle infield depth behind starters Xander Bogaerts and Trevor Story. Right-handed relief pitcher James Norwood was designated for assignment to open up a spot on the active roster for Downs.
