Yankees claim OF Taylor Trammell off waivers from Dodgers, Kevin Smith DFA'd

The Yankees made an intriguing roster move on Thursday, adding a high-upside player who hasn’t quite panned out in the majors.

The club announced that they’ve claimed outfielder Taylor Trammell off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers, designating infielder Kevin Smith for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Trammell, 26, was a first-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in the 2016 MLB Draft. He was then traded twice, first to San Diego in 2019 and then to Seattle in 2020. He made his major league debut with the Mariners in 2021, playing three seasons there before being DFA’d this April. He then played five games with the Dodgers before once again getting DFA’d.

A left-handed hitter and thrower, Trammell can play all three outfield spots, but his bat has left a lot to be desired during his time in the majors. Trammell has a career slash line of .165/.266/.361 with 15 home runs and 39 RBI.

Smith, 27, appeared in one game for the Yankees this season, entering as a pinch-runner in Sunday’s 8-7 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.