NEW YORK (AP) — Duke Ellis was brought back to the Yankees for their last pre-postseason workout. The 26-year-old outfielder did running drills and was told by manager Aaron Boone that he was on New York’s AL Division Series roster against Kansas City.
“Big smile on my face of course and very excited,” said Ellis, who has played 11 major league games. “All I can say is I was very appreciative.”
The son of former big league pitcher Robert Ellis, Duke had 57 stolen bases in 61 tries at Triple-A this year in a season in which he was designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox, New York Mets and Seattle Mariners.
Ellis has 145 steals in 163 attempts in four professional seasons. He played just three games for the Yankees, who claimed him off waivers from the Mariners on Aug. 26. His presence on the roster allows an extra pinch runner, especially with Oswaldo Cabrera, Ben Rice and Jon Berti as first base possibilities while Anthony Rizzo recovers from fractured fingers.
“It allows you to be a little more aggressive with that spot knowing you’ve got an extra man on the bench to plug in wherever you need it,” Boone said Saturday.
Growing up in Texas, Ellis quickly discovered possessing good speed and struggling at soccer did not go together for constantly running up and down the field.
Instead, he turned to baseball and with the help of his father.
“A little bit comes from being born with it, a little bit comes from being really bad at soccer,” Ellis said. “Me playing defense and being bad at soccer, you got to chase people constantly.
“So I think that helped out and of course my pops. He has written a speed program for as long as I can remember and everything that he has done for me has gotten me to this point.”
The elder Ellis was a reliever for the Los Angeles Angels, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers, going 7-7 with a 6.03 ERA in 29 games from 1996 to 2003. Upon retiring from baseball following the 2005 season, Robert Ellis developed a program for his son that included band-resistant drills, sprints and any explosive work in the weight room.
Selected by San Diego in the 20th round of the 2017 amateur draft, Duke Ellis did not sign and transferred from Panola Community College to the University of Texas. He went undrafted in 2020 and signed with the White Sox after stealing 40 bases, including 32 in a row, during two college seasons.
After stealing 80 bases in his first two pro seasons, he was limited to 16 games in 2023 because of a stained left hamstring and a strained left knee. He began this season with the White Sox and stole 34 bases for Double-A Birmingham, but was designated for assignment in June.
The Mets briefly claimed him and designated him for assignment on June 30 following two games with Double-A Binghamton. Claimed by Seattle, he swiped 17 bases in 32 games for Triple-A Tacoma before the Mariners designated him for assignment Aug. 23.
Ellis was claimed off waivers by the Yankees on Aug. 26, and was 6 for 6 in steal attempts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He got his only stolen base with the Yankees as a pinch runner for Rizzo on Sept. 8 at Wrigley Field.
“If they needed me, I feel like I would be the guy to be called to go do it,” Ellis said. ”I have no fear of going to do it. I don’t have any second guesses going to do it. They’ve talked me through it, they’ve helped me through it, every situation. I think I’ll be prepared.”
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