The Yankees finally got a bit of good news on Dax Kilby, and for a prospect whose season has been stuck in neutral, that matters.
On Friday, Single-A Tampa broadcaster Nick Flammia reported that the Yankees sent Kilby on a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League. YES Network’s Conor Foley added that Kilby logged three innings at shortstop in his FCL return, finished 0-for-1 at the plate, and also drew a walk and scored a run.
That’s a small step, but it’s the first real sign in a while that Kilby is moving forward again. The infielder has been dealing with a hamstring injury all season, and after a delayed start to the year, he had been building through rehab before a setback in June sent him back to the injured list. Since then, there hadn’t been much clarity on when he might get back on the field.
For Yankees fans, the silence had started to feel ominous. Hamstring injuries can linger, and the last thing New York needed was to push him too fast and end up right back where it started. Now, at least, the update points in the right direction.
Kilby’s return to rehab is especially notable because of where he sits in the organization. MLB Pipeline has him ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Yankees system, and there’s real intrigue around what he could become if he can stay healthy. He was the 39th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, and his first taste of pro ball last season gave the Yankees plenty to like.
In 19 games with Single-A Tampa, Kilby hit .353/.457/.441 over 68 at-bats. He drove in nine runs, stole 16 bases, drew 13 walks, and added two doubles and two triples.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound shortstop also showed a sharp eye at the plate, posting a 12.7% chase rate and a 15.0% whiff rate, marks that ranked in the 97th and 94th percentiles, according to Prospect Savant. He also earned a perfect PS score of 100.
That kind of performance is why the Yankees are being careful here. Kilby won’t turn 20 until Nov. 17, so there’s no reason to force the timeline. He still has to prove the hamstring is behind him before anyone starts talking seriously about the big-league picture.
Even so, there could be a path for him to keep climbing later this season. Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is set to lose Jonathan Ornelas to a contract opt-out, and George Lombard Jr. is a possible second-half call-up candidate, which could open up an end-of-season opportunity for Kilby with the RailRiders.
For now, though, the Yankees just needed to see him back on the field. That part has finally happened, and the next stretch will be all about whether he can keep stacking healthy days.
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