The Yankees announced Wednesday that they’ve claimed infielder Braden Shewmake off waivers from the Royals. He’ll bring their 40-man roster to capacity, meaning New York will now need to make a roster move once lefty Tim Hill’s deal is finalized. Kansas City designated Shewmake for assignment last week. They’d claimed him off waivers from the White Sox earlier in the season.
The 27-year-old Shewmake spent the 2024 season with the White Sox after being acquired in the trade that sent left-hander Aaron Bummer from Chicago to Atlanta. The former first-round pick has appeared in parts of two big league seasons but has posted a bleak .118/.127/.191 batting line in 71 plate appearances between the Braves and Sox. He hasn’t offered much more offense in the upper minors, where he’s a .240/.299/.395 hitter in 866 Triple-A plate appearances.
Shewmake clearly doesn’t hit much, but he’s regarded as a surehanded infielder with strong defensive tools at multiple positions. He’s spent the bulk of his career at shortstop but has experience at second base and third base as well. Statcast credits him with better-than-average sprint speed and arm strength, though he’s not plus in either regard.
The addition of Shewmake is a depth play for the Yankees and surely not intended to address the hole in their lineup at either second base or third base (depending on where Jazz Chisholm Jr. plays). Shewmake has a minor league option remaining and could provide depth at multiple spots around the diamond if he sticks on the 40-man roster into the season. However, with a move needed to open space for the aforementioned Hill, Shewmake could find himself designated for assignment once again, with the Yankees hoping to pass him through waivers and keep his glove in Triple-A as a non-roster depth piece.
Proof positive that prospects are just that.
First round pick, 21st overall by the Braves.
Wow very enlightening.
Feel better about yourself?
a draft blunder by the braves. light hitting glove first type of guy just reeked bench/role type of player from the get go.
Draft blunder? Shewmake was never projected to be a star and they knew that. A super utility role was his ceiling when he was drafted. The Braves always take guys higher than they normally should be taken in the 1st rd so they can underslot them. They do this almost every year. If you can find me a scouting report on Shewmake that shows otherwise I’d love to see it.
Nothing you said contradicts him being a blunder. Braves fans were scratching our heads the minute the pick was announced. What a waste of a 1st round pick.
Not an underslot. Full value.
AA has hit on a few later round picks, but his early picks have uniformly busted. Coppolella outperformed him in bringing in young talent, but of course part of how he did that earned him a lifetime ban.
Correct. I was looking at their 9th pick. My bad. Regardless, I do agree that most of their talent comes in the deeper rounds. Looking back at their history of 1st rd picks i just started to assume they were throw-away picks. I mean look at this crap baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?team_ID=AT… It’s not like some of those names at the time were hyped up, no, It was just a let me close my eyes and pick. Only Wainwright and Heyward along with Riley have made a significant Impact, and ofc Waino was traded so does that even count?
How do you know draft blunder? Maybe that was the plan all along for the 21st pick. Light hitting glove first type of guy just reeking of bench/role type of player don’t grow on trees
AA takes a ton of pitchers. His strategy has generally worked well even if the first pitcher he’s taken hasn’t typically been the hit.
Well yes but was he ever highly touted? Yes all of them can bust but you have to look for guys who you think have skills that translate well and hope their flaws are fixable. This guy seemingly had little upside and the Braves are one of those teams that hyper fast track their prospects and trade the majority of them.
Hey, could drag it out until camp opens next week and they can 60-day Jonathan Loaisiga! Or find a Stroman trade partner!
But… yes. Probably. Haha.
This could be a turning point in the season…
Why? Crazy to open a roster spot for this guy!
They had a roster spot open. When they need one for Hill, they can just DFA Shewmake again, try to pass him through waivers, and hope to stash a multi-position infielder with a strong glove and decent speed in Triple-A.
Please don’t tell me he’s the new starting third basemen.
Exactly, 3rdbase is locked n loaded.
Third base problem solved.
Thanks Steve for the explanation. I jumped to conclusions as I am a Yankees fan and am waiting for them to add that last piece and bong it’s a decent one if there is one coming at all!
He’s going to be the Ryan Weber of the ’25 Yankees. At least that’s what they want.
He’s got no breathing room for any opportunity here
Yanks are just going to bet on DJL being serviceable.
Shew make for solid depth at AAA if they can get him there.
Knowing the yanks they’ll start em in left (ex. Kiner-Falefa.)
Glad to see the Yankees do this. Shewmake is a perfect fit. Signed, a Red Sox fan.
considering the Red Sox 2025 season predicted outcome should it not be spelled “Sigh a Red Sox fan”
What’s going on in their heads that they want a guy so bad that he was cut by the worst team in modern times?
Change of scenery. New coaches. New pitching philosophies. Some can resuscitate their careers on a new team while some can’t. Hill was pretty good on the Yankees and during the playoffs for a White Sox castoff.
Shewmaker sounds more appropriate.
And we need him why?
He has an option left, so the idea would be to place him on waivers and hope he goes unclaimed. Might work, might not. A gamble with zero opportunity cost.