Two weeks after taking a flyer on a former New York Yankees prospect, the Washington Nationals have already moved on.
Right-hander Chase Hampton was designated for assignment Saturday when Washington activated left-hander Connelly Early from the 60-day injured list, ending a short and uneventful stay in the Nationals organization, via the MLB transaction log.
For Yankees fans, the move is less a surprise than a reminder of how quickly a prospect’s path can change. New York designated Hampton on Sept. 7 to open a 40-man roster spot for Aaron Judge’s return from the 60-day IL.
Washington claimed him five days later and optioned him to Double-A Harrisburg. He never reached the majors with the Nationals. Now he is back in DFA limbo, available to any club willing to take a chance on the arm the Yankees once protected from the Rule 5 draft.
That pedigree is why this still matters in the Bronx. Hampton, 25, was a sixth-round pick out of Texas Tech in 2022 and signed for an over-slot bonus.
He reached Double-A as a first-year pro, cracked top-100 prospect lists, and sat in the mid-to-upper 90s with a slider that graded as a plus pitch.
The Yankees added him to the 40-man last November after Tommy John surgery in February 2025 wiped out an entire season. The bet was that the stuff would come back.
It has not, at least not yet. After returning in May, Hampton posted an 8.18 ERA over 55 innings across three minor-league levels in the Yankees system. Command never settled. Walks piled up.
So did home runs — 13 in those 55 frames. At Double-A Somerset he was 0-5 with a 9.59 ERA in 35 2/3 innings. When Judge needed a roster spot, Hampton was the most expendable name on a crowded 40-man.
From a Yankees standpoint, the original DFA was defensible. New York is trying to win now. A rehabbing starter who has not thrown a big-league pitch and just allowed a homer every four innings is a luxury in September.
Washington’s claim made sense too: a rebuilding club paying nothing for a 25-year-old with remaining options and a past as a top-100 arm. That the Nationals lasted only two weeks before cutting him loose says the look-see did not change the scouting report.
Hampton is not finished. Tommy John recoveries often take a second full year. Another team can stash him in Double-A without burning a major-league role.
The Yankees already made their choice. They needed the roster space more than they needed to keep waiting. Washington just reached the same conclusion.
If Hampton’s slider and velocity return, someone will look smart for claiming him. For now, he is a former Yankee on the waiver wire again — and a reminder that prospect status expires faster than a 40-man roster spot.
