11:06am: The two teams have formally announced the swap. It’s a straight one-for-one deal. The Yankees designated outfielder Michael Siani for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot.
10:45am: The Yankees and Rockies have agreed to a deal that will send reliever Angel Chivilli from Denver to the Bronx in exchange for minor league first baseman T.J. Rumfield, reports Jack Curry of the YES Network.
Chivilli is a hard-throwing 23-year-old righty who has shown an aptitude for missing bats and generating grounders but has yet to find consistent success in the majors. He averaged 97.1 mph on his four-seamer this past season and boasts an outstanding 14.4% swinging-strike rate in his young career, and he’s limited walks at a solid 8.1% clip. However, a penchant for serving up the long ball have undercut those swing-and-miss capabilities and otherwise solid command so far; Chivilli has served up an average of 1.99 homers per nine frames in each of his two partial MLB seasons.
Despite that big swinging-strike rate and a healthy 32.3% opponents’ chase rate on pitches off the plate, Chivilli comes to the Yankees with a below-average 17.4% strikeout rate in his career. His opponents have posted an awful 78.4% contact rate against Chivilli’s pitches that fall within the strike zone — league average in 2025 was 85.4% — but he’s put himself at a disadvantage by falling behind in counts far too often. Chivilli’s career 56.9% first-pitch strike rate (55.6% in 2025) is considerably lower than the 62% league average.
It bears mentioning that Chivilli has struggled more at Coors Field than on the road, though his ERA in both settings (7.06 at home, 5.03 on the road) is sub-par. He’s generated enormous swinging-strike rates on both his changeup (26.3%) and slider (23.4%) but struggled to miss bats with his four-seamer he threw in 2025 or the sinker he threw in 2024.
Though the bottom-line results haven’t been there yet, pitchers with Chivilli’s blend of velocity, command, ground-balls and raw bat-missing ability (even if it hasn’t manifested in big strikeout totals yet) are hard to come by. If the Yankees can coax some more swing-and-miss from one of his heaters and/or get him to throw first-pitch strikes with more frequency, there’s potential for Chivilli to develop into a high-quality late-inning option. He also has a minor league option remaining, so he’s someone the Yanks can send to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for further refinement if he doesn’t win a bullpen job in spring training.
Chivilli is controllable for at least five more seasons, which adds to his appeal. If he spends any notable time in the minors this year, the Yankees could push that to six full seasons. Chivilli currently has 1.036 years of big league service time, meaning he’ll need to spend 136 days on New York’s major league roster or injured list to remain on track for free agency following the 2030 season. If he spends about one-third of the season in the minors, that free agency timeline would be pushed back to the 2031-32 offseason, though he’d then project as a Super Two player who’d be arbitration-eligible four times rather than the standard three.
In exchange for that development project, the Rockies will pick up an interesting 25-year-old first baseman. Rumfield was blocked in the Bronx by Ben Rice but has a clear path to regular first base work in Colorado if he hits his way into the job. Based on his recent minor league track record, Rumfield has a good chance to do just that.
A 12th-round pick by the Phillies in 2021, Rumfield landed with the Yankees by way of the trade that sent righty Nick Nelson and catcher Donny Sands to Philadelphia. He spent the entire 2025 season with the Yankees’ top affiliate in Scranton, slashing .285/.378/.447 with 16 home runs, 31 doubles, a triple, five stolen bases (seven attempts), a huge 11.9% walk rate and an 18.4% strikeout rate that’s comfortably lower than average. The year prior, Rumfield hit .292/.365/.461 with 15 homers and similar rate stats in 114 Triple-A games.
The left-handed-hitting Rumfield is not yet on the 40-man roster. He went unselected in last month’s Rule 5 Draft despite being eligible. Baseball America ranked him 30th among Yankees prospects this offseason, noting that he makes plenty of contact, is adept at pulling the in the air and plays a fine defensive first base. There was no path to regular playing time for him in the majors with the Yankees, and he lacks the defensive versatility to profile as a true bench option for them. With the Rockies, however, Rumfield will head to camp with a legitimate chance to win the first base job this spring.
At the moment, 28-year-old waiver pickup Troy Johnston and perpetually injured veteran Kris Bryant are among the team’s options at first base. Newly hired president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta recently declined to even fully commit to Bryant being in spring training when asked by Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, however, stating only: “That will be up to our medical people.”
Johnston has plenty of experience in the outfield corners as well, so even if the Rockies want to give him a real chance on the big league roster — he does have a solid Triple-A track record with the Marlins organization — he could fit into a bench/designated hitter role if Rumfield seizes the first base job.
Rumfield may not be a star in the making, but if he can turn in even average offense and glovework at first base, he’d be a seismic upgrade for a Colorado club that had far and away the worst first base output of any team in MLB — on either side of the ball. Colorado first basemen posted an atrocious .211/.268/.372 batting line in 2025. The resulting 62 wRC+ (indicating that was 38% worse than average at the position after weighting for ballpark) was 15 points south of the 29th-ranked Giants. Former first-rounder Michael Toglia paced the Rockies in first base appearances last year but hit just .190/.258/.353 with a mammoth 39.2% strikeout rate, -3 Defensive Runs Saved and -10 Outs Above Average in 88 games.
T.J. Rumfield and…what?
Rumfield and known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns.
I understood this reference.
Rockies should offer Rhys Hoskins a one year deal as a starting 1B at $5 million with some incentives and hope to flip him for a prospect on August 2, 2026.
Is there a team that likes Rockies players more than the Yankees organization?
Atlanta
Yep. It’s been a bit of a value-proposition because the Rockies have been so awful at player development and because their park is so gloriously weird. That will change now, but guys in their upper system or majors still have some appeal for those reasons.
I feel bad for the Rockies because the thought around the league seems to be they can’t develop players and no one can pitch in that environment, so everyone else is trying to fix them. Their bats are the opposite though, buyer beware.
Braves. In recent history they have loved grabbing guys that have struggled mightily in Colorado. And at times it’s actually worked. Pierce Johnson, Tyler Kinley ETC. Anthony Molina is the newest reclamation project.
pierce johnson was a padre pickup from the npb and he was fine. He was just injured at the end with padres. He went to Rockies after because that’s the only team that gave him a contract that year. Not really a reclamation project
I’m very aware of how Pierce Johnson came back to affiliated ball. Does Acquiring a pitcher that has a 6.00 era in 40 games because you think they can do better not meet your criteria as reclamation project? Same with Kinley, had an era in the mid 5s, they knew they could get more out of him.
@Jesse Chavez No because a good pitcher going to coors and doing bad doesn’t qualify as a reclamation project. It’s just a get out of coors and go anywhere else to fix your career strategy. Braves don’t get any credit for that
Braves have picked up any arm with a pulse over the last two seasons.
nope. Just Rockies 3b.
His numbers were bad last year, but he could be an intersting project. His fastball averaged 97 miles per hour but it weirdly had a lot of sink to it despite being a 4-seamer. He ran good whiff rates on his slider and changeup and had a solid 50.7% groundball rate, so if they teach him a sinker, he could potentially be a good pitcher. He also has options, so he can work on whatever tweaks the organization has in mind in the minors.
If all the Yankees gave up for him was Rumeild, it’s definitely worth a look.
Worth a look but getting behind on the count, I’m picturing that short right field porch…
“His numbers were bad last year
His fastball averaged 97 miles per hour but it weirdly had a lot of sink to it despite being a 4-seamer. He ran good whiff rates on his slider and changeup and had a solid 50.7% groundball rate”
Don’t sound bad to me!
Discount bullpen v 3.0 here we go
Great. You can send Bednar back home to the Pirates now, right?
No but can we interest you in Jake Bird?
What do you want for Bird?
Whatever you’re willing to give but a cheeseburger and a cold beer would be nice.
I think Bird gets a longer look this season. We need the BP arms. Potential is there and I don’t think the Yanks are ready to call that one yet.
Sal Bird will definitely get every chance in the world because Cashman isn’t going to admit to being wrong about something. I hope for the best but I ain’t expecting it.
Sounds like a pretty solid.profile. Perhaps a bit unlucky? But only 23, throws hars with decent control. What’s the catch?
Fastball is pretty straight, at least at Coors (not so much on the road). He gives up a lot of bombs. But when he’s on he’s electric.
No catch unless his arm is about to fall off.
Normally I would say his hrs are unlucky because they are luck but with both seasons being 2.0 and his hit data is about as similar as it gets I’m not going to.
he had to throw in coors field too often?
Rumfield has been productive in the minors. There’s no catch, just a swap of interesting projects.
I think it’s Coors that’s been getting Chivilli. Great pickup by the Yankees.
He was awful even on the road last year with the long ball.
Maybe he meant the beer?
Probably a Matt Blake spring training project, so potentially a nice surprise down the road.
Worth a try. There wasn’t any path to at bats for Rumfield. Could have lost him to Rule 5 this past year, so using him to bring in another reliever is a nice price.
Fine gamble.
They’ll need to DFA someone to fit Chivilli on the 40 man roster. Shewmake? Siani? Vivas? Hamel?
Volpe
Rumfield was not on the 40 … does that make a difference?
nvm they DFAed Siani
Rumfield not on 40 man was the difference
A for Angel for Yankees. Has a lot going for him. Gave up a prospect that they have no use for other than emergency depth.
C for Colorado. They can’t get anything out of Angel so might as well get something and they got something. A no power 1b who can’t run. But what can he do he gets on base.
Disagree entirely. Chivilli is fool’s gold. He looks electric at times but will break your heart every time, because his fastball is very hittable and seems to want to go high and far. Especially with men on base. He will be a disaster vs lefties with the Yankee Stadium RF porch. And he can’t command his slider enough to lean on that. I do think he has options.
Meanwhile, big winner is Rumfield himself, who will now be (unless he screws it up) a starting 1B in the majors for at least a part of the year, and it’s in a park tailor-made for his abilities. Very nice trade by the new Rockies administration.
He could be a 40 doubles guy w 500 plate appearances
Hes like a poor version of the 4a guy the dodgers 1b mashing in PCL but blocked at mlb level……. wonder whose going to get him n give him some mlb at bats too.
@AI
I wouldn’t call 17 homers “no power”. Not at all comparing him to Judge but he never hit more than 20 at the same league, team and age. I like his walk rate (12%) and low whiff rate (19%). He reminds me a lot of Ben Rice. And since when have you seen fast running 1B?
Not having speed is not having speed. Position is irrelevant. It’s a missing tool used to create value. Below average is a negative.
According to someone above he was available in the rule 5 draft. No other team really believes in his power jumping enough. They could be wrong. You always need relievers. Would take some bad injury luck to need a 1b.
I like this move. The Yankees have some young intriguing arms for the bullpen. Have to see what sticks but no reason to trade from high end prospects before the season starts because some of these guys may turn out to be big in the pen and then they can address other needs during the season. Defensively the Yankees are very strong other than first which maybe it improves with Rife getting more reps. The lineup while it still has allot of swing and kids also has ton of home run potential from 1-9. The rotation is deep. The bullpen looks younger with some electric arms that are intriguing.
Now hold out for maybe a Nico Hoerner at the trade deadline or a Brendan Donovan if the price ever comes down from the crazy asking price STL has been demanding. The prices will come down as the season progresses and maybe the Yanks decide they don’t need to make as many moves as the fans want with the lineup.
Interesting move, though I do hate losing Siani as part of it. You need those gloves first backups sometimes, but oh well. The DFA train rolls on.
On the whole, though, it’s a good deal for both. Chivilli could work with Blake, and Rumfield could be good in Coors, or they can both be busts, and that’s why it’s a fine low level deal.
1b is one of the positions the Rockies need to fill until Condon makes the FT jump. Rumfield had 31 doubles, 16 hR and 87 RbI in AAA last year. Let’s see how he does in ST. Still would like to see Arraez signed, but I know that’s a long shot.
Yanks are looking brutal … They’ll be battling it out with the Rays.For the cellar.
don’t hurt yourself hopping on and off the bandwagon.
Don’t see that at all. I think on paper going into 2025 last year’s team looked better, but knowing overall what we did last season, so far this one should be even better. Keeping the players that did well, addition by subtracting those that didn’t, full seasons of some key players, and the couple of interesting new additions already feels better to me and we finished tied for first.
Matt Blake is about to do it again. This dude will be closing in the Bronx by 2028 and the Mets will sign him as a starter in 2031.
So in acquiring Rumfield you have an unknown unknown
..
This seems like a Breslow move. Either this kid cannot be fixed or somehow Breslow missed the boat. I’m assuming he was offered to other clubs who wouldn’t give up their equivalent of a “TJ Rumfield”. I’ve said it before, I’ll always root for the underdog who gets success on determination, grit and of course talent. If he makes it I’ll be swallowing these words.
Scouting Report & Key Abilities
Fastball (50 Grade): Sits 94-97 mph, touching 98-99 mph, with significant armside run and sink. While it has high velocity, the “dead zone” shape can sometimes make it hittable, leading to a high-effort profile.
Slider (60 Grade): A tight, mid-80s breaker that generates high whiff and chase rates.
Changeup (55 Grade): A “plus-plus” pitch with splitter-type action in the mid-80s, often used as frequently as his slider.
Command/Control: Generally average (50), but can be inconsistent with his release point.
Profile: High-leverage reliever with potential for high-volume appearances, known for generating swings-and-misses.
Damn, only 12 years too late for a Chivilli-Cervelli battery
This should be a win win for both teams