The New York Yankees are currently taking on the Seattle Mariners in a 3-game set this week.
On Tuesday, the Yankees opened up the series with a 4-1 victory over Seattle.
The Yankees, much like all other 29 MLB teams, are no stranger to roster transactions at this time of year, and during their series with the Mariners, New York has made plenty so far. One under-the-radar move the Yanks made was promoting a promising 26-year-old pitcher to Triple-A.
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Yankees Promote Hayden Merda
GettyTORONTO, ONTARIO – OCTOBER 05: (L-R) Brian Cashman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the New York Yankees, and Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees speak before game two of the American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on October 05, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
According to his transactions tracker on August 11, 26 y/o pitcher Hayden Merda is headed to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“RHP Hayden Merda assigned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders from Somerset Patriots.”
The Yankees drafted Hayden Merda in the 17th round of the 2022 MLB draft, and he’s starting to make a name for himself.
In 2026, purely at AA Somerset, Merda holds a 3.67 ERA over 41.2 IP, and 67 strikeouts.
He’s a tall 6-6, 245-pound right-handed reliever, but those strikeout numbers are extremely strong for the minor leagues.
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Taking a Glance at Hayden Merda’s MLB Career
Hayden Merda could be an emerging talent in the Yankees organization with a chance to make the Majors as early as 2027, depending on how well he performs in AAA, which will be a bigger test for the 26-year-old out of Ladera Ranch, California.
Across 191.1 IP in the minors, Merda has 227 strikeouts.
In 2025, Merda posted a flat 4.00 ERA over 54 innings, and he certainly profiles as a reliever.
In 2023, with Single-A Tampa, Merda came up as a starter but didn’t perform as well in his 20 starts, so he transitioned to a bullpen role; his strikeout numbers have flourished ever since.
It will be interesting to see how he performs in AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and when/if the Yankees give him a call to the show.
New York Yankees Quietly Announce Promotion of 26-Year-Old Pitcher During Mariners Series