Yankees Claim Kaleb Ort off Waivers

New York brings in their first external addition with MLB experience this offseason

The New York Yankees announced Friday that the team has claimed right-handed reliever Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Houston Astros.

Ort is a right-handed power reliever whose pitching profile is defined by a high-velocity four-seam fastball and a sharp slider. Standing 6’4”, he utilizes a three-quarters arm slot and a high-effort delivery that generates significant life on his heater, which consistently averages between 96 and 98 mph and has been clocked as high as 99.4 mph.

In 2024, his fastball velocity ranked in the 94th percentile of all Major League pitchers. While his raw stuff has the ability to overpower hitters and generate high swing-and-miss rates, his primary challenge has been inconsistent command and a high walk rate, which has at times prevented him from securing a permanent late-inning role.

Beyond his primary power-fastball approach, Ort relies on an 84 mph slider that features exceptional depth and sweeping horizontal movement. He rounds out his four-pitch mix with a 90 mph cutter and a hard changeup that shows natural sinking action.

Despite possessing elite physical tools, his statistical performance has fluctuated between dominant stretches — such as his 2.55 ERA with the Houston Astros in 2024 — and high-ERA periods where he has been susceptible to home runs and nuclear innings.

The Yankees have not been willing to sign big-time relievers in Free Agency in recent years, so while frustrating, hitting on the fringe candidates like Ort is essential. Ort will have a solid chance of making the Yankees roster out of spring training, and perhaps with the help of the Yankees pitching lab, they can unlock his true potential.