For Dom Hamel, it is a bit of a homecoming.
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders right-hander was scheduled to pitch the second game of a doubleheader against the Syracuse Mets at NBT Bank Stadium in New York. Hamel spent the last two seasons in Syracuse, getting drafted out of Dallas Baptist University by the Mets in the third round (81st overall) in 2021. He rose up through the system and reached Triple-A in 2024. He started 27 games that season for Syracuse and was 5-9 with a 6.79 ERA and 124 strikeouts
in 124.2 innings.
Last season, he made his first five appearances as a starter, then was moved to the bullpen and primarily used as a reliever. In 31 games (11 starts), he was 4-6 with one save, a 5.32 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 67.2 innings. During his time in Syracuse, he faced the RailRiders 10 times. Some of his more notable efforts against them were:
July 11, 2024: Allowed one run on four hits in six innings with one walk and five strikeouts for a 2-1 win.
April 2, 2025: Threw five shutout innings with two hits, no walks and three strikeouts in a 5-1 victory.
Aug. 31, 2025: Was one of five pitchers to combine on a three-hit shutout in a 3-0 win. Worked two perfect innings with three strikeouts.
The Mets called him up from Syracuse on September 13th and he made his major league debut September 17th against the San Diego Padres. He pitched one-plus innings in a 7-4 loss, allowing three hits and hitting one batter.
One day later, the Mets designated him for assignment. He was claimed by the Baltimore Orioles on September 20th, but they DFA’d him five days later. The Texas Rangers then claimed him on September 27th only to DFA him in January. That’s when the Yankees picked him up.
“After I was put on waivers and claimed here, I was excited. I grew up a Yankees fan,” Hamel said. “On top of that, I’ve seen so many guys coming up at these levels and I can tell the way they compete, you can tell they’re handling business off the field as well. Checking those daily boxes. There wasn’t a doubt I was coming into a good org and was going to see some development.”
Being in big-league camp and getting to meet some of the Yankees’ top players and ask questions was an awesome experience, Hamel said. He already knew Cody Bellinger having played with his younger brother Cole; they all grew up in Chandler, Arizona.
“I followed Cody, we all went to the same high school, so coming into camp was cool to see him again and catch up,” Hamel said. “He was introducing me to people. Obviously, we’re on different sides of the ball, but you can still learn from guys like that who have experience at that level.”
Another player was reliever Paul Blackburn, who he knew from his time in the Mets organization.
“I think we’re pretty similar pitchers,” Hamel said. “I see my future in kind of a similar realm as him. He’s bounced around and he’s about as professional as they come. He gets his daily work in. A really selfless guy, not a big-league, show-you-up kind of guy. He’s all eyes and ears. Playing with him in Syracuse last year, asking him questions, and then seeing him in camp was cool.”
Hamel is glad to once again be a starting pitcher, although he admits the experience of being a reliever last season was good for him.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to put your best stuff in the zone,” he said. “Going to the bullpen was good for me, just because there’s a lot more urgency to be in zone and set the tone earlier on whereas a starter you’re kind of considering different things or trying to conserve pitches in the mix to face a guy second time through the order. That was my first year in the bullpen. Got thrown in on a whim and was able to go to the show. So I feel I can do anything.”
It has been a bit of a rough beginning for Hamel with the RailRiders, going 0-2 in his first three starts. But he has confidence in his abilities.
“I had a good offseason back home in Arizona. Worked on some stuff I feel is going to contribute in the long run,” Hamel said. “I see myself as just as good a player as a lot of those guys. If you don’t believe yourself in that aspect, you’re going to be stuck.”
