The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired minor league right-handed pitcher Kelly Austin and international signing bonus pool money from the Houston Astros in exchange for left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson.
Austin, 23, has combined to go 3-0 with three saves and a 2.21 ERA (36.2IP, 30H, 12R/9ER, 7BB, 46K, 5HR) in 26 relief appearances with Single-A Fayetteville (8G) and High-A Asheville (18G) this season. Over two minor league seasons in the Astros organization (2023-24), he has gone 3-0 with three saves and a 2.95 ERA (36.2IP, 31H, 15R/12ER, 9BB, 46K, 5HR) in 27 relief appearances. The Pasadena, Calif., native was originally signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent on July 19, 2023.
Ferguson, 28, has gone 1-3 with one save and a 5.13 ERA (33.1IP, 34H, 24R/19ER, 16BB, 41K, 5HR) in 42 relief appearances with the Yankees in 2024. Over parts of six Major League seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2018-20, ‘22-23) and Yankees (2024), he has gone 19-12 with six saves and a 3.66 ERA (240.2IP, 219H, 117R/98ER, 98BB, 288K, 29HR) in 243 career games (14 starts). The left-handed pitcher was acquired by the Yankees from the Dodgers in exchange for LHP Matt Gage and RHP Christian Zazueta on February 5, 2024. The Columbus, Ohio, native was originally selected by Los Angeles-NL in the 38th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft.
