The New York Yankees bolstered their outfield depth prior to their home opener on Tuesday.
In order to improve their outfield, the Yankees claimed Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson off waivers.
Thompson, who is 27 years old, was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on March 27. He was a second round draft choice back in 2009.
Thompson was unable to crack the MLB roster in Los Angeles because he is coming off a down year. Last season, he hit just .122 with a .483 OPS in 27 games for the Dodgers. In the two seasons prior to that struggle, however, Thompson was competent. From 2015 to 2016, he spent 124 games in the big leagues and smashed 18 home runs in 358 at-bats. He also hit .249 with a .322 on-base percentage and .792 OPS in that span.
In 2016, he did not spend any time in the minor leagues. In 2017, Thompson played 95 games for the Oklahoma City Storm Chasers. There, he batted .212 with nine home runs and a .632 OPS.
In New York, Thompson should have some temporary value. After all, Jacoby Ellsbury, Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier are all currently on the disabled list. That said, the Yankees need a body to back up Brett Gardner, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Tyler Austin for the time being.
Thompson’s brother, Klay, is a guard for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA. While Trayce is an MLB player, his father, Mychel, was also an NBA player.
To make room for Thompson on their 40-man roster, the Bronx Bombers placed relief pitcher Ben Heller on the 60-day disabled list due to a bone spur in his right elbow. The right-handed Heller appeared in 19 games for the club between 2016 and 2017. He was initially placed on the 10-day disabled list on Monday.
Thompson will likely not be a member of the Yankees for the entire season. They have plenty of outfield depth when they are healthy, so there will not be a spot for him when they are closer to full strength. After that, however, he could find another opportunity with a new ballclub.
Prior to his Dodgers tenure, Thompson played for the Chicago White Sox, so this will be his third MLB team.
