In early January, the New York Yankees were still grappling with the loss of their second baseman Gleyber Torres, who signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Detroit Tigers.
However, the team quickly brainstormed potential replacements, one of the most exciting being a trade that would have sent the Yankees’ top two pitching prospects to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for three-time All-Star and 2015 American League Rookie of the Year, Carlos Correa.
That trade, which ultimately didn’t happen, would have involved the Yankees offering their top pitching prospect, Will Warren, along with their second-ranked prospect, Chase Hampton, in return for Correa.
But now, Hampton’s 2025 season is in jeopardy after an unexpected setback. The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday morning in New York City.
Just days earlier, Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed that Hampton was dealing with an issue involving the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his pitching elbow, prompting a visit to New York for medical imaging.
The results were worse than expected, showing a tear in the ligament that required immediate surgical repair. As a result, Hampton’s season is over before it even started.
Boone shared that Hampton’s decision to proceed with surgery immediately was likely motivated by a desire to recover quickly after dealing with injuries over the past year.
“I think in his mind, just dealing with some of the things he’s had to deal with over the last year-plus, I think there’s a little bit of, ‘Hey, let’s get fixed and get back on the trail,’” Boone said. “So hopefully there’s a little comfort in knowing that he has a chance to put this behind him. So, long road back, but doesn’t change what a talented guy he is.”
The typical recovery time for Tommy John surgery is at least one year, which means Hampton is now unlikely to make his MLB debut in 2025. In 2024, Hampton dealt with multiple injuries, limiting him to just seven starts across three levels of the Yankees’ minor league system.
Hampton, drafted by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2022 draft out of Texas Tech, made a solid start to his professional career in 2023, posting a 2.68 ERA in nine starts for the Hudson Valley Renegades.
His strong performance earned him a promotion to Double-A, where he posted a 4.37 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings for the Somerset Patriots. Despite the injury setbacks in 2024, Hampton was ranked as the Yankees’ sixth overall prospect and second-best pitching prospect by MLB.com, trailing only Will Warren, who made his MLB debut last season.
Fangraphs also ranked Hampton as the Yankees’ No. 6 prospect overall. The site’s prospect analyst, Eric Longenhagen, noted that if Hampton returns to his previous velocity — a low 90s fastball — he could become a No. 4 or 5 starter. However, if he regains the form he showed in 2023, Hampton could slot into the middle of a rotation.
Although the Yankees have lost a potential pitching option in Hampton for at least another year, teams often need pitching depth as the season progresses. Having internal options like Hampton can give a competitive advantage, but now the Yankees will have to wait for his recovery before he can contribute again.
