Former top NY Mets prospect DFA'd for the third time since his 2025 MLB debut

A familiar name from the New York Mets prospect pipeline showed up on the transaction log today. Dom Hamel was designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers, bringing another short stay with an organization to an end. Once seen as a potnetial top level arm for the Mets, Hamel has instead spent much of his early pro career bouncing between teams as roster decisions continue to reshape his path.

The move came after Texas finalized a one-year deal with reliever Jakob Junis as they continue to reshape their bullpen for the upcoming season. Hamel once again found himself caught in the numbers game as teams prioritize immediate bullpen depth. His stint with the organization was brief, ending before he had much of an opportunity to establish himself.

A former top Mets prospect, Hamel now faces his third DFA since his debut

Drafted by the Amazins in the 3rd round of the 2021 draft, Hamel wasted no time bursting onto the scene. He led the Mets farm in strikeouts in 2022 with 145, then topped it again in 2023 with 160 while pitching for Double-A Binghamton. That performance landed him 9th on the organization's top prospects list and made him look like a legitimate upper-level impact arm.

That momentum came to a halt once he reached Triple-A. Across 124.2 innings in 2024, Hamel posted a 6.79 ERA and issued 77 walks. The results remained uneven in 2025, when he logged a 5.32 ERA over 67.2 innings. That year, the Mets tried to find something that worked by moving him between roles, starting 11 games while also using him out of the bullpen 20 times.

Hamel made his major league debut on September 17, but his stay was short. He threw one inning, allowed three hits and a hit batter, and was designated for assignment the next day. Baltimore claimed him and cut ties five days later. Texas picked him up on September 27, only to make the same decision on Tuesday after their free-agent signing.

For a pitcher who once sat inside the Mets’ top 10 prospects, it’s a sharp turn. In a span of a few months, Hamel has now been designated for assignment three times, a reminder of how quickly a promising track can narrow once players reach the roster edge.