The New York Yankees have secured outfielder Taylor Trammell via waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers, as announced by the team on Thursday. In order to accommodate Trammell on the 40-man roster, infielder Kevin Smith has been designated for assignment.
Trammell’s journey to the Yankees began with a trade from the Seattle Mariners to the Dodgers earlier this season, subsequent to his exclusion from the Opening Day roster and subsequent designation for assignment.
Having been drafted in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds, the 26-year-old has faced challenges in finding consistency at the major league level. Following his progression through the Reds’ minor league system, Trammell was involved in significant trades, notably in 2019 to the San Diego Padres and in 2020 to the Seattle Mariners.
Trammell made his major league debut in 2021, appearing in 51 games but struggled with a .160/.256/.359 slash line, along with eight home runs and 18 RBIs. Subsequent seasons also saw modest performances, with Trammell maintaining a .196/.284/.402 slash line in 2022 and a .130/.286/.326 slash line in 2023.
During his brief stint with the Dodgers this year, Trammell had limited opportunities, garnering zero hits in six at-bats before being designated for assignment upon the promotion of outfield prospect Andy Pages.
Moving forward, Trammell aims to make an impact with the Yankees, who currently lead the Newsweek MLB Power Rankings. While he possesses considerable talent, Trammell faces the challenge of proving himself at the major league level.
Despite the Yankees’ formidable outfield lineup, Trammell is expected to start in Triple-A, with the opportunity to showcase his skills and potentially earn a promotion to the big leagues. At 26 years old, he still has time to fulfill his potential as a first-round draft pick.