The Yankees released Downs on Tuesday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
After being granted his release, Downs is set to leave affiliated ball and will sign a contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. The 26-year-old had spent the entire 2024 season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, with whom he slashed .264/.360/.498 with 10 home runs and 15 stolen bases over 69 contests.
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Yankees' Jeter Downs: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Yankees outrighted Downs to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday.
He's no longer on the 40-man roster but will remain in the organization. Downs had been claimed off waivers earlier this offseason and is a career .182/.260/.273 hitter in 50 career plate appearances at the major-league level.
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Yankees' Jeter Downs: Removed from 40-man roster
Rotowire
Downs was designated for assignment by the Yankees on Friday.
Downs was claimed off waivers by the Yanks last month and will now go through the waiver process again after the club swapped him out in favor of Diego Castillo. The 25-year-old Downs has hit .182/.260/.273 in 50 career plate appearances at the major-league level.
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Yankees' Jeter Downs: Claimed by Yankees
Rotowire
The Yankees claimed Downs off waivers from the Nationals on Tuesday.
Downs had been designated for assignment a week ago and now has landed in his third organization over the last year. The 25-year-old was considered a top-100 prospect when he was acquired by the Red Sox in the Mookie Betts trade, but Downs has slashed just .202/.306/.370 at the Triple-A level.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Dropped from 40-man roster
Rotowire
Downs was designated for assignment by the Nationals on Tuesday.
The Nats needed to clear out 40-man roster space in order to finalize their one-year agreements with both Nick Senzel and Dylan Floro. Downs ranked as a top-100 prospect a few years ago, but he's slashed just .182/.260/.273 in 50 career plate appearances at the major-league level and posted an underwhelming .236/.358/.379 batting line across 51 games last season with Triple-A Rochester.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Nationals optioned Downs to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Downs was brought up from the minors Thursday to immediately fill Stone Garrett's (lower leg) roster spot, but he'll head back down in favor of Jacob Young, who was selected from Triple-A on Saturday. Downs hasn't performed well in the minors this season, and he figures to only return to Washington if the team needs an extra depth piece.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Back in big leagues
Rotowire
Downs was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Thursday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Downs was just sent down Sunday but is back in the big leagues to take Stone Garrett's (fibula) spot on the roster. The 25-year-old infielder will bring some versatility off the bench.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Sent back to Triple-A
Rotowire
Downs was optioned to Triple-A Rochester following Sunday's win over the Phillies, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Downs was called up by the Nationals in early August, but he played in just five games over the past few weeks and went 2-for-4 with four runs, two stolen bases and three walks. He should see more consistent playing time in the minors, and his demotion signals that Carter Kieboom should remain with the big-league club.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Crosses plate three times
Rotowire
Downs went 1-for-1 with two walks, three runs and a stolen base in Thursday's win over the Red Sox.
Getting a rare start at shortstop and batting ninth, Downs was able to flip the lineup and come around to score every time he came to the plate. The 25-year-old has started only two games since getting promoted after the trade deadline, and while he isn't going to displace CJ Abrams at shortstop, Downs could begin to get more opportunities at second base or third base if he keeps producing when given the chance.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Gets start at shortstop
Rotowire
Downs is starting at shortstop and batting ninth Thursday against the Red Sox.
This is just the second start of any kind for Downs since the Nationals called him up from Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 3. The 25-year-old had struggled in the minors prior to that promotion and will have to take advantage of these limited opportunities in order to carve out more of a regular role for the stretch run.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Recalled from Rochester
Rotowire
Washington recalled Downs from Triple-A Rochester on Thursday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Downs could get regular playing time on the Nationals' infield following Wednesday's demotion of Luis Garcia, but the 25-year-old former top prospect doesn't offer much immediate fantasy appeal given how poorly he's performed this summer in the minors. In his 45 games (166 plate appearances) between the rookie-level Florida Complex League, High-A Wilmington and Triple-A Rochester this season, Downs was slashing just .165/.319/.308 with three home runs and eight stolen bases. Per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post, Michael Chavis and Ildemaro Vargas will also be in the mix for starts at the keystone.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Promotion incoming
Rotowire
Downs is expected to be called up from Triple-A Rochester ahead of Friday's series opener against the Reds, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
The 25-year-old hasn't exactly put his best foot forward for Rochester this season with a .175/.301/.333 slash line in 36 games, but that won't prevent him from getting a look in the majors. Downs was up with the big club for a few weeks early in the season and saw action in just one contest, but he'll likely see the field more this time around after the Nationals demoted Luis Garcia, who has operated as the primary second baseman all season.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Back in action at Triple-A
Rotowire
Downs (undisclosed) has gone 6-for-32 (.188 average) with a 7:14 BB:K, five runs, three RBI and a stolen base in 10 games since being reinstated from Triple-A Rochester's 7-day injured list June 28.
Downs had been out of commission at Triple-A since mid-May due to the unspecified injury, but he was cleared to rejoin the Nationals' top affiliate in late June after completing a nine-game rehab assignment between the rookie-level Florida Complex League and High-A Wilmington. The 24-year-old second baseman hasn't experienced any reported setbacks with the injury since being activated, but his season-long struggles at Rochester have persisted nonetheless. He's compiled a .169/.330/.268 slash line over 88 plate appearances and will likely need to find sustained success over an extended period of time before he gets another look from the Nationals.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Starts up rehab assignment
Rotowire
Downs (undisclosed) began a rehab assignment Thursday with the Nationals' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate and has gone 0-for-2 with three walks and a run over two games.
Downs has been on the shelf at Triple-A Rochester for nearly a month due to an unspecified injury, but he looks as though he's on the mend. Prior to being deactivated, the 24-year-old infielder hit .154 with no home runs and three stolen bases over 49 plate appearances in the International League.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Sidelined with injury
Rotowire
Triple-A Rochester placed Downs on its 7-day injured list May 14 with an unspecified injury.
After Washington optioned him back to the minors May 3, Downs appeared in just seven games for Rochester before going down with an injury that has now sidelined him for two weeks. The infielder will likely need to get healthy and turn in a productive stretch at Rochester before he gets another call-up to the big leagues.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Heads back to Rochester
Rotowire
The Nationals optioned Downs to Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday.
Utility man Ildemaro Vargas (shoulder) was activated from the 10-day injured list in the corresponding transaction. Though he had been up with the big club since April 11, Downs appeared in just one game during his time with the Nationals and logged two plate appearances. He'll get a chance to play regularly again once he's back with Rochester.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Downs was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Downs didn't make much of a case for a roster spot this spring, slashing .162/.225/.216 over 18 games. He's yet to produce even an average batting line in two seasons at the Triple-A level, so it's tough to envision a sudden breakout.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: To come off bench Friday
Rotowire
Downs (hand) is expected to come off the bench in the Nationals' Grapefruit League game Friday night against the Cardinals, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Downs has been held out of exhibition action for much of this week after suffering a left hand contusion on a hit-by-pitch, but he can now continue his charge toward the final spot on the bench in Washington. X-rays turned up negative for any fractures.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Held out with hand contusion
Rotowire
Downs was held out of the Nationals' Grapefruit League lineup Thursday due to a contusion on his left hand, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Downs suffered the injury when he was struck by a pitch earlier this week, but he should be fine within the next day or two after X-rays came back negative for any fractures. The former Red Sox prospect is fighting for the final spot on Washington's bench.
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Nationals' Jeter Downs: Claimed by Nationals
Rotowire
Downs (ankle) was claimed off waivers by the Nationals on Thursday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
The former top prospect has found a new home after being designated for assignment by the Red Sox last week. Downs has seen his star fade after managing just a .661 OPS at the Triple-A level the last two seasons. He's only 24, though, and lands in a good situation on the rebuilding Nationals.
