Yanks claim former top prospects INF Shewmake, RHP White
The Yankees continue to acquire depth ahead of Spring Training, making a pair of additions to their 40-man roster on Wednesday.
First, New York claimed infielder Braden Shewmake off waivers from Kansas City. Then, the Yanks claimed right-hander Owen White off waivers from Cincinnati, while designating righty Allan Winans for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster, which is now full.
Both players are set to head to big league camp in Tampa, Fla., where they¡¯ll be joined by a group of 26 non-roster invitees who were announced Wednesday. The first workout for pitchers and catchers is Feb. 12, followed by the first full-squad workout on Feb. 17.
Shewmake, a 2019 first-round Draft pick by Atlanta, is a versatile infielder with experience at second base, third base and shortstop. The 27-year-old got his first taste of the Majors in ¡®23 -- going 0-for-4 over two games with the Braves -- then he was dealt to the White Sox as part of the Aaron Bummer trade last offseason.
Last year, Shewmake played 29 games for Chicago, hitting .125 (8-for-64) with two doubles, one home run, four RBIs and five stolen bases. The left-handed hitter appeared in only 39 total games across the Majors and Minors in 2024, as he missed time due to injuries.
Shewmake was once a top prospect for Atlanta, ranked No. 6 in the Braves¡¯ system by MLB Pipeline at the end of the 2023 season.
White, meanwhile, is a former Top 100 prospect who finished the 2023 season at No. 66 in MLB Pipeline¡¯s rankings when he was in the Rangers¡¯ system. The 25-year-old right-hander made five relief appearances for Texas over the past two seasons, recording a 16.71 ERA in seven innings.
On Dec. 20, White was DFA¡¯d by the Rangers. He was claimed by the Reds on Jan. 6, then got DFA¡¯d again on Jan. 29. Now, the Yankees are taking a flier on the 2018 second-round Draft pick.
White spent most of last season at Triple-A Round Rock, where he posted a 5.64 ERA in 29 games (15 starts). He has had better results at the lower levels of the Minors, as he owns a 3.23 ERA in 16 starts at Double-A, a 3.99 ERA in 11 outings at High-A and a 3.24 ERA in eight starts at Single-A.
In White¡¯s limited big league experience, he¡¯s been tracked by Baseball Savant as having thrown seven different pitches -- a four-seam fastball, slider, curveball, cutter, changeup, sweeper and sinker. However, he relies mostly on his four-seamer, which sits around 94 mph.