The New York Yankees made very few waves this offseason. With spring training underway, two of their minor league standouts from last season took it upon themselves to make waves of their own; the only thing is, they are no longer Yankees.
Let’s check in on this duo as they attempt to earn a shot at playing in the majors with their new squads.
1B TJ Rumfield
Rumfield is coming off a respectable year in Triple-A, slashing .285/.378/.447 with 16 home runs for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders. This follows a season where he hit .294. However, with a lefty bat in Ben Rice already becoming a New York mainstay at first base, Rumfield found his path to the majors blocked. As a result, the Yankees sent him to the Colorado Rockies for Angel Chivilli.
The result hasn’t been so favorable for the Yankees. Chivilli has given up seven earned runs in 3.1 innings this spring. Rumfield, on the other hand, is 7-for-20 (.350 AVG) with four walks (.500 OBP) and tied for a spring-best four home runs.
Comparing a pitcher and a first baseman may be an apples-and-oranges comparison; still, it would seem the Rockies are winning the deal. And though this is only a sample size from spring training, it does raise the question of what Rumfield’s sudden power surge in Arizona might mean in the mile-high, home-run-friendly city of Denver.
OF Brennen Davis
Once a top prospect for the Chicago Cubs, injuries quickly derailed the powerful Davis. Year after year, the result was the same: Incredible power potential met with consistent injuries. From 2022 through 2024, Davis’ production stalled as injuries limited his time on the field.
In 2025, however, Davis flashed the potential that made him a star prospect with the Cubs, hitting .271/.364/.612 across three minor league levels with New York. And though injuries once more kept him on the sidelines for the majority of the season, he managed to hit 17 home runs in 170 at-bats (one home run every 10 at-bats).
Signed by the Seattle Mariners over the winter, Davis is keeping his foot on the gas, going 10-for-21 (.476 AVG) with three walks (.560 OBP) and three home runs. Having been denied his debut for so long, it seems this might be his year if he can stay healthy and keep producing.