Jeter Downs is going to Japan.
The former Los Angeles Dodgers prospect, once traded to the Boston Red Sox for Mookie Betts, was released by the New York Yankees on Tuesday and he has signed with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the Yankees confirmed with a post on X (formerly Twitter).
After signing with the Yankees in the offseason, the 26-year-old hit well with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, finishing with an OPS of .858 in 274 plate appearances. He just wasn’t able to find his way back to the big leagues despite the struggles of DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera at third base and shortstop.