New York, NY – The New York Yankees have claimed outfielder Bryan De La Cruz off waivers from the Atlanta Braves and have optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the club announced today.
De La Cruz’s 2025 Season So Far
The 28-year-old has struggled offensively in 2025, batting .191 (9-for-47) with one run, one double, three walks, and one stolen base across 16 games for Atlanta. He was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on April 17, where he hit .200 (8-for-40) with one run, one double, one RBI, and three walks over 11 games.
MLB Career and Defensive Versatility
Across five Major League seasons, De La Cruz has played for the Miami Marlins (2021-24), Pittsburgh Pirates (2024), and Atlanta Braves (2025). The right-handed hitter owns a career batting average of .251 (436-for-1,738) with 177 runs, 85 doubles, two triples, 58 home runs, 208 RBIs, 109 walks, and 15 stolen bases in 491 MLB games.
Defensively, De La Cruz has proven to be versatile, appearing in left field (265 games, 227 starts), right field (127 games, 102 starts), and center field (73 games, 61 starts). In 2024, he set career highs with 21 home runs and 61 runs scored, splitting time between Miami (105 games) and Pittsburgh (44 games).
Transaction History
- Signed by the Houston Astros as a non-drafted free agent on September 24, 2013.
- Acquired by the Miami Marlins (July 28, 2021) in a trade for RHP Yimi García.
- Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates (July 30, 2024) for INF Garret Forrester and RHP Jun-Seok Shim.
- Non-tendered by Pittsburgh (November 22, 2024) and signed with Atlanta on January 3, 2025.
Corresponding Move
To make space on the 40-man roster, the Yankees have transferred DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton to the 60-day injured list.
