There are no surprises in this trio of additions. Hampton, Rodriguez and Jones are among the Yankees’ top players and would certainly be protected. Jones is the most recognizable of the bunch thanks to a miraculous display of power this summer. The 24-year-old hit 35 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A combined and turned heads when he defeated 13 round-trippers in his first 19 games after rising to the higher of those two levels.
However, Jones is extremely strikeout prone and fell into a deep slump after that breathtaking hot streak. Over his last 48 games and 183 plate appearances, Jones is hitting just .219/.289/.383 with a 42% strikeout rate. He could get a shot sometime in 2026, but he will need to drastically reduce his strikeouts if he wants to be a productive big leaguer. Jones’ immense raw power and hulking 6-foot-1 frame have led to many comparisons to Aaron Judge, but even the strikeout-prone judge struck out just 23.9% of his plate appearances during his final Triple-A season. Jones was at 33.7% in Double-A and 36.6% in Triple-A.
Rodriguez, 22, came to the Yankees in a rare trade with their archrival Red Sox, sending catcher Carlos Narvaez the other way. It has serious win-win potential. Narvaez became a prominent part of Boston’s catching corps in 2025, while Rodriguez ascended to Triple-A, posting a 2.58 ERA with a 29% strikeout rate and 9.4% walk rate in 150 minor league frames.
Hampton, 24, missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. Also in 2024, he threw just 18 2/3 innings. That said, he is a former pick and touted sixth-round prospect who threw 106 2/3 frames with a 3.63 ERA while rising to Double-A in 2022 as a 21-year-old. Scouting reports prices are plus curveball and slider on. If he’s back to full health in ’26, he’ll start the year in Double-A or Triple-A and could find himself eligible for a big-league game late this summer – though he might be a more realistic rotation candidate for 2027.
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