The Yankees have traded RHP Nick Nelson and catcher Donny Sands to the Philadelphia Phillies for two minor-leaguers: infielder T.J. Rumfield and LHP Joel Valdez.
The moves cleared two spots on the 40-man roster, which the Yankees used as part of their moves to protect five prospects ahead of the Rule V Draft.
Rumfield, 21, was the Phillies’ 12th-round pick last year and spent his rookie season at Low-A Clearwater, hitting .250 with seven RBI in 27 games. A first baseman by trade, Rumfield slashed .315/.402/.478 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 52 games in his final season at Virginia Tech, and he then played for Trenton in the MLB Draft League, hitting .271 in 22 games.
Valdez, 21, was signed as an international free agent in September 2018 and spent both of his pro seasons in the Dominican Summer League, compiling a 2-2 record with one save and a 2.62 ERA in 75 2/3 innings over 26 games (19 starts). This year, he made 15 starts and had a 1.63 ERA in 55 1/3 innings.
Listen to New York sports talk now on Audacy and shop the latest Yankees team gear
Nelson was the Yankees’ fourth-round pick in 2016, and made his MLB debut with 11 relief appearances in 2020. This season, he was 0-2 with an 8.79 ERA in 11 appearances (14 1/3 innings) in pinstripes, and 3-4 with a 3.81 ERA in 52 innings over 29 games (five starts) at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Sands was the Yankees’ eighth-round pick in 2015 and was placed on the 40-man roster earlier this month to avoid becoming a minor-league free agent. He split 2021 between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A SWB, slashing .261/.326/.466 (89-for-341) with 18 homers, 56 RBI, and 16 doubles in 94 games.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch