Jeter Downs DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The New York Yankees outrighted infielder Jeter Downs and outfielder Oscar Gonzalez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Downs and Gonzalez are now off the team's 40-man roster with spring training quickly approaching. Both players were claimed off waivers by the Yankees this offseason and will provide organizational depth for the 2024 campaign. Downs, 25, only has 50 career major-league plate appearances and has disappointed with a .182/.260/.273 slash line at the plate. Gonzalez, 26, impressed as a rookie in 2022 with the Cleveland Guardians but regressed last season with a .214/.239/.312 slash line, two home runs and 12 RBI in 54 games before being sent to the minors.

The New York Yankees claimed infielder/outfielder Diego Castillo off waivers from the New York Mets on Friday and designated infielder Jeter Downs for assignment in a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster. Castillo has been passed around from the Arizona Diamondbacks, to the Mets, and now the Yankees in a matter of three weeks. The 26-year-old Venezuelan had just one at bat in the big leagues for the Diamondbacks in 2023 and hit .206 (54-for-262) with 11 home runs and 29 RBI in 96 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in his rookie season in 2022. In 124 games at Triple-A Reno in 2023, Castillo hit .313/.431/.410 with three home runs, 72 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 556 trips to the plate. He's going to serve as utility depth in the minors for the Yankees to open the 2024 campaign.