Chase Hampton
Player Info
Age
24
Height
6' 2"
Weight
220 lbs
Bats/Throws
Right/Right
Draft
2022 Rnull (#null)
School
Texas Tech
ETA
2027
2024 Season
Somerset Patriots
W-L
0-0
ERA
0.00
IP
5.2
K
4
BB
3
WHIP
1.24
Year-by-Year Stats
| Year | Team | Lvl | G | GS | W | L | ERA | IP | K | BB | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hudson Valley Renegades | High-A | 9 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2.68 | 47.0 | 77 | 16 | 1.00 |
| 2023 | Somerset Patriots | AA | 11 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4.37 | 59.2 | 68 | 21 | 1.26 |
| 2024 | FCL Yankees | Rookie | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.70 | 3.1 | 4 | 4 | 2.10 |
| 2024 | Tampa Tarpons | Single-A | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3.72 | 9.2 | 8 | 2 | 0.62 |
| 2024 | Somerset Patriots | AA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 5.2 | 4 | 3 | 1.24 |
Scouting
Scouting Grades
Fastball
Slider
Curveball
Changeup
Command
Scouting Report
As a Draft-eligible Texas Tech sophomore in 2022, Hampton matched or set his career high for strikeouts in each of his final four starts and touched 99 mph in the NCAA regionals, prompting the Yankees to sign him for an over-slot $497,5000 as a sixth-rounder. He reached Double-A and became a Top 100 Prospect during his pro debut but pitched just 18 2/3 innings in 2024 while dealing with elbow discomfort and a groin strain. He had Tommy John surgery in February 2025 and won't return to the mound until after the start of this season. Before he got hurt, Hampton had a two plus pitches backed up by a pair of solid offerings. His best weapons were a 92-94 mph fastball that reached 97 with high spin rates and bat-missing carry and a tight low-80s slider. His upper-80s cutter and upper-70s curveball were nearly as effective, though he struggled to refine a too-firm upper-80s changeup with fade. Beside his pure stuff, Hampton's long arm action, low release height and flat approach angle make life tough on hitters. He created plenty of deception without losing control, and also showed feel for sequencing his pitches. He might have cracked New York's rotation two years ago had he stayed healthy, and the hope is that he can regain his 2023 form this season.
FanGraphs Report
Hampton's fastball sat just 91-94 mph during his walk-prone (draft-eligible) sophomore year in Lubbock, but he still struck out 72 batters in 56 innings on the quality of his secondary stuff. He was shut down after the 2022 draft and debuted during 2023 big league spring training with much more velocity than he had previously shown, which he proceeded to maintain across 106.2 innings this season. Hampton blew away Sally League hitters (40.5% K%) in the first half of the year before he seemed to lose his legs a little bit in a second half spent at Double-A Somerset. His line to the plate became less consistent, the timing of his fairly long arm stroke wavered, and he had some walk-prone starts in the mid-to-late summer. It's still pretty amazing that Hampton was able to sit 93-96 for much of the season (more 92-95 late) as he basically doubled his previous career innings high. Hampton's arm action is pretty reliever-y and long, but because of the way his fastball plays, he doesn't have to have pinpoint command in order to remain a starter. His well-located fastballs work uphill with plus riding life, and Hampton is competent enough at peppering the top half of the zone with the pitch to project as a starter. The heater is one of a troika of offerings Hampton has to miss bats, along with a 12-to-6 hammer curveball and a mid-80s two-plane slider. He'll be able to get ahead of hitters the second and third time through the order with his curveball and cutter, and then finish guys with high fastballs. I suppose there's still some amount of risk here, as Hampton has only really thrown consistent strikes for two months of his collegiate and minor league career. It's possible he ends up on a trajectory like Clarke Schmidt's, where it takes him a while to establish himself as a part of the rotation, but I think the way Hampton's fastball plays will mask some of his imprecision. He projects as a contender's mid-rotation starter and he could debut in mid-to-late 2024.