PHILADELPHIA — There won’t be another Jeter in The Bronx.
The Yankees announced Tuesday that they had released infielder Jeter Downs from his minor league contract and that he had signed with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan.
The 26-year-old Downs signed with the Yankees in the offseason and hit well with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, finishing with an OPS of .858 in 274 plate appearances, but he wasn’t able to get back to the majors.
He played in six games with the Nationals last season and 14 in 2022 with Boston.
At Triple-A with the Yankees this season, Downs split most of his time between shortstop and third base and the Yankees never turned to him despite their issues at third, where DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera have struggled.
Downs’ release comes two days after the Yankees traded for Jazz Chisholm Jr., who made his pro debut at third base in Monday’s win over the Phillies.
Chisholm played well at the position and showed the pop in his bat that made him an All-Star with the Marlins.
He hit a pair of homers Monday, including one off catcher Garrett Stubbs, using Aaron Judge’s bat.
“I felt really comfortable at third,” Chisholm said after Monday’s 14-4 win, the Yankees third victory in the past four games.
“Back in the infield felt great. That’s where I feel I deserve to be.”