The Detroit Tigers designated corner infielder/outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy for assignment on Saturday to make room for reliever Kyle Finnegan on their 40-man roster.
That’s where the New York Yankees come in.
“To make room for RHP Kyle Finnegan on the 40-man roster, OF Justyn-Henry Malloy has been designated for assignment,” the Tigers posted on X.
The 25-year-old right-handed hitter never got a real shot in Detroit, but when he did play, he showed what he’s capable of. Malloy posted an .839 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2024 – the kind of production that catches attention around the league.
What makes this interesting for the Yankees is Malloy’s background. He was born in New York City and grew up in Bergenfield, New Jersey, just miles from Yankee Stadium. The former St. Joseph Regional standout in Montvale was drafted by Atlanta in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft before getting traded to Detroit in December 2022 for reliever Joe Jimenez.
The Yankees’ Right-Handed Hitting Problem
New York’s got a glaring issue with their current roster construction. They’ve only got four right-handed hitters: Jose Caballero, Anthony Volpe, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton. That’s not exactly ideal for balance.
Their outfield depth isn’t much better. The Yankees have just four outfielders on their 40-man roster – Judge, Jasson Dominguez, Trent Grisham, and Spencer Jones. If they re-sign Cody Bellinger, they’ll likely have to move on from either Dominguez or Jones anyway.
That’s where Malloy becomes intriguing.
The Georgia Tech product might be the most disciplined hitter in baseball right now. He ranks well above the 90th percentile in Chase% and BB%, meaning he’s not chasing bad pitches and he’s working walks consistently.
More Than Just a Platoon Bat
Sure, Malloy’s been used primarily as a DH against lefties, but there’s value against right-handers too. He posted a near-.900 OPS in Triple-A Toledo against RHP last season – numbers that suggest he can handle both sides of the plate.
For a Yankees team with questions all over their outfield and a serious lack of right-handed depth, Malloy represents exactly the type of low-risk, high-reward pickup that makes sense.
Detroit’s loss could very well be the Yankees’ gain, especially considering Malloy’s local ties and the organization’s current roster needs. It’s not often a player with his plate discipline and potential becomes available via waivers.
The Yankees have until teams clear waivers to make their move.
