The St. Louis Cardinals, fresh off a 2026 season that saw them exceed expectations but still fall short of October baseball, jumped into the offseason with a wild claim. On Monday, they snagged right-hander Chase Hampton off waivers from the Washington Nationals.
Who Is This Dude, Anyway?
Who’s Hampton, you ask? This dude’s a 25-year-old righty, a former Yankees pitching prospect who hasn’t even sniffed a Major League mound yet. The biggest kicker? He missed the entire 2025 minor league season recovering from Tommy John Surgery. Before all that, back in 2024, MLB.com actually ranked him as their No. 92 prospect in baseball! Crazy, right? Mostly due to those injuries, he hasn’t even made it to Triple-A and has only pitched over 100 innings once in his whole pro career.
The Ugly Numbers And The Cards’ Gamble
Now, here’s where it gets interesting: in 2026, Hampton threw 55 innings across Single-A, High-A, and Double-A in the Yankees system, and let’s be real, the numbers weren’t pretty. We’re talking an 8.18 ERA, with 56 strikeouts but a concerning 34 walks in just 17 appearances. The Yankees even ditched him to make room for Aaron Judge’s return on their 40-man roster. But for the Cardinals? They’re calling this a “low-risk, high-reward flier.” They see zero risk in adding him to the organization, betting on that former top prospect potential.
So, yeah, it’s a total gamble, but one that costs them basically nothing. Hampton’s now sitting on their 40-player roster, making it 39 total. It’ll be fascinating to see if the Cardinals can somehow polish this diamond in the rough, or if those injury woes and rough 2026 stats are just too much to overcome. This is an offseason move to watch for sure.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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