Tuesday, November 18th stood as the deadline for Major League organizations to add players to their 40-man rosters. This is important to consider in accordance with the yearly Rule 5 Draft. Players who
were signed to the club at 18 years old or younger and have been in the organization for five seasons, or players who were signed at 19 or older and have been in the organization for four seasons become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Knowing that, Tuesday’s 6pm deadline decided whether certain prospects could be protected in the draft, depending on whether they were added to the 40-man roster.
Like all other clubs, the Yankees had decisions to make that ranged from no-brainers to toss-ups. Before the 6pm deadline hit, the Yankees made their decision, and added Spencer Jones, Elmer Rodríguez, and Chase Hampton to the 40-man roster, protecting them from the draft this offseason.
The 40-man roster now sits at 38, opening the door for likely moves at least on the fringes of the roster heading into this offseason.
Spencer Jones
The Yankees’ second-ranked prospect according to FanGraphs, Jones fell under the “no-brainer” umbrella. Despite the very troubling strikeout numbers continuing to rise in 2025 (35.4% overall in 2025), the undeniable upside that Jones possesses shined bright this past season. In 116 games between double-A and triple-A, Jones swatted 35 home runs and slashed .274/.362/.571. The power is there, and there is a world where Jones becomes an impact bat in the Bronx, the question remains, however, how he’ll adjust to Major League pitchers once he gets the call. Either way, the Yankees were obviously going to protect him on their 40-man roster, he may even have a shot at a role with the big club in 2026.
Elmer Rodríguez
The Yankees also had to make a decision on their third-ranked prospect, Elmer Rodríguez. The right-handed starter was terrific across the minors in 2025, working his way from high-A up to a cup of coffee in Scranton-Wilkes Barre. Acquired in a trade from the Red Sox last year, Rodríguez combined for 150 innings in the minors this past season, and pitched to the tune of a 2.58 ERA and a 2.47 FIP to back it up. He posted an increased strikeout rate up at 29 percent in the most innings he’s pitched in his professional career to this point. It was a promising 2025 for the 22-year-old, and he was an easy choice when it came to this 40-man decision.
Chase Hampton
Hampton may be considered a surprise inclusion to the 40-man as protection, but the Yankees elected to secure him nonetheless. The 24-year-old right-handed starter missed all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John Surgery in February, and that was after pitching less than 20 innings in the minors the year prior. But, the Yankees like Hampton enough to keep him around, projecting as a higher floor, lower ceiling back end of the rotation guy. Hampton was solid in 2023 across 106.2 innings between high-A and double-A, and was just as good in 2024 before the injury bug began to bite. The Yankees are clearly hoping that his breaking ball-led repertoire can develop him at some point into a Major League pitcher.
Notable Omissions
Allen Facundo
Facundo was considered a “must-add” according to Eric Longenhagen’s assessment of the Yankees’ situation at FanGraphs, and the club obviously did not buy into that idea. Facundo, a lefty, has stuff that could legitimately play in a Major League bullpen, with a fastball that touches triple digits and good slider to lean on. The 23-year-old missed s alot of time in 2025, but posted a 1.85 ERA in his 39 minor league innings. As Longenhagen predicted, with the Yanks not protecting hum, there’s a chance someone else could take their shot at the upside he possesses.
Brendan Beck
The Yankees did not elect to add and protect righty Brendan Beck, either. Beck, now 27 after being drafted in the second round of the ‘21 draft, pitched over 130 innings between two levels last season, to the tune of a 3.36 ERA. He was terrific in his first taste of pro ball as well back in 2023. But, missed time has plummeted his stock, as someone who missed all of 2022 and 2024 due to injury. The risk is obviously high, and he is already 27, so the Yankees were willing to risk losing him to another organization willing to take him on.
Harrison Cohen
According to Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis over at MLB.com, the Yankees toughest decision at this deadline was that of Cohen. Similar to Beck, Harrison Cohen is now 26 years old, but as a former undrafted free agent. Despite stuff that could likely be considered pedestrian, Cohen has been an excellent ren-preventor in the minors for a while now. In 2024, across 26.2 innings, he managed a shiny 1.35 ERA. This past season, he showed it was no fluke by maintaining a stellar 1.76 figure, this time in 51 innings across 49 outings, striking out more than a batter per inning.
