![\"MLB](\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/GnuhuubXsAA5EOO?format=jpg&name=4096x4096\")
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The New York Yankees’ latest roster move wasn’t meant to grab headlines, and it won’t have fans excited, but it could quietly reshape their bench.<\/p>\n
The club agreed to a minor league deal with 29-year-old Cooper Hummel, a switch-hitting corner outfielder and catcher. Hummel has struggled in limited big-league opportunities, but he has hit well at Triple-A. Hummel owns a career .159 average across 82 major league games from 2022\u20132024, but his minor league numbers tell a different story. Over 330 career games at Triple-A, he’s posted a .899 OPS, including a .277\/.419\/.454 slash line last year with the Astros’ affiliate.<\/p>\n
So how does he fit with the Yankees? Well, his signing could signal that they are getting ready to make a move.<\/p>\n
The Yankees broke camp without a clear right-handed bench bat. Instead, Pablo Reyes and Oswald Peraza, both light-hitting righties, took two of the bench spots. With Hummel in the system and the team continuing to search for right-handed production, the pressure will turn up on Peraza and Reyes.<\/p>\n
Once a top prospect in the Yankees’ minor league system, Peraza has never been able to establish himself in the big leagues. He hit a home run off the bench during the Yankees’ 20\u20139 blowout win over Milwaukee on March 29, but he had just one at-bat until a surprising start on Saturday. Peraza does not have any minor league options left, so the Yankees risk losing him if they designate him for assignment.<\/p>\n
Reyes, who drew praise from manager Aaron Boone in spring training, has yet to find his footing. He’s 0-for-6 across four games and committed multiple errors in his only start at third base. Reyes’ versatility and past success against lefties have long made him a fit for a utility role, but early struggles have made his spot less secure.<\/p>\n
Hummel doesn’t guarantee a roster move, but he gives the Yankees something they haven’t had: a right-handed, bat-first bench option with experience behind the plate and in the outfield. Whether that eventually pushes Reyes or Peraza off the roster remains to be seen, but the addition adds a layer of pressure to a bench group still trying to settle in.<\/p>\n
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The New York Yankees’ latest roster move wasn’t meant to grab headlines, and it won’t have fans excited, but it could quietly reshape their bench. The club… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":50339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n