Chase Hampton Designated for Assignment by Nationals

The Washington Nationals have designated pitcher Chase Hampton for assignment, the team announced Saturday. Hampton spent a brief period with the organization after being claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees earlier in September.

Hampton did not pitch for the Nationals during his time with the team. His designation opened a roster spot for left-handed pitcher Connelly Early, who is set to be activated from the 60-day injured list. The optioning of pitcher Luis Perales to Triple-A also contributed to the roster move.

The former Yankees top prospect concludes the season with an 8.18 earned run average over 55 innings pitched across three minor league levels. Hampton was a Top-100 prospect on MLB Pipeline's list in 2024. The previous year, in his first full professional season, he posted a 3.63 ERA in 20 starts at High-A and Double-A, with 145 strikeouts and 37 walks in 106 2/3 innings.

The 25-year-old has faced injury challenges early in his career, including Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for over a year. In the 2024 season, he was limited to 18 2/3 innings. Upon his return this season with the Yankees' Single-A affiliate in Tampa, Hampton struggled to replicate his earlier performance in both A-ball and Double-A. He surrendered 13 home runs in 55 innings, and his walk rate was 12.9 percent against a 21.3 percent strikeout rate within the Yankees' system.