2026 Transactions: Yankees, Astros, Braves Make 2026 Spring Cuts

MLB teams made more cuts to their 2026 Spring Training rosters on March 5. Five teams optioned and reassigned players to Minor League camp, including the Yankees, Rays, and Astros. Houston demoted Colton Gordon as part of the team’s cuts.

Yankees trim down spring roster

The Yankees optioned pitcher Chase Hampton to Double-A Somerset. Hampton spent all of 2025 on the injured list.

Travis MacGregor and Drake Fellows were reassigned to Minor League camp.

Rays cut six

Tampa Bay demoted infielder Jadher Areinamo to Double-A Montgomery. Additionally, Brody Hopkins was reassigned to Minor League camp, along with Logan Driscoll, T.J. Nichols, John Rooney, and Austin Vernon.

Areinamo was acquired by the Rays for Danny Jansen last season. He was added to the 40-man roster after a strong year between High-A and Double-A.

Hopkins, one of the best pitchers in the Tampa farm system, struck out two and walked three over two innings in Grapefruit League action. Nichols, who had a breakout season in High-A, struck out four over 3.2 innings.

Rooney underwent elbow surgery late last year and will likely miss all of 2026.

Gordon & Ullola among Astros’ cuts

The Astros optioned two pitchers to Triple-A Sugar Land. Those two were Colton Gordon and Miguel Ullola.

Gordon made his MLB debut last season with the Astros and logged a considerable amount of time with the big club in 2025. The left-hander logged 14 starts and 20 total appearances for Houston, although the results were not great. Gordon conceded 21 home runs over 86 innings last season and had a 18% Whiff% at the MLB level.

For reference, his Whiff% was over 26% in Triple-A before his promotion.

Ullola is one of the better pitching prospects in the Astros’ system and held his own in a daunting Pacific Coast League last season. However, the command wasn’t that great. It proved to be a problem in Grapefruit League action.

The right-hander gave up three home runs and walked six over 5.1 IP before the demotion.

Padres cut nine

San Diego optioned pitcher Miguel Mendez to Double-A San Antonio. Additionally, pitchers Sean Boyle, Evan Fitterer, Francis Pena, and Ethan Routzahn, plus position players Brendan Durfee, Clay Dungan, Marcos Castanon, and Romeo Sanabria, were reassigned to Minor League camp.

Mendez is arguably the most notable of the bunch. The right-hander, added to the Padres’ 40-man roster in November, had an explosive season in 2025, as he was one of the best swing-and-miss pitchers in the Midwest League. However, command remains a concern.

He conceded four walks and gave up six earned runs over two frames in the Cactus League.

Braves demote Lara

Hard-throwing reliever Jhancarlos Lara was optioned to Triple-A by the Braves on March 5.

Pitcher Austin Pope, as well as infielders Alex Lodise, Jim Jarvis, and Luke Waddell, were reassigned to Minor League camp.