As Brian Cashman discussed Gleyber Torres’ free agency earlier this week, the general manager went over a few of the Yankees’ options at second base in the seemingly likely event the veteran signs elsewhere.
Cashman mentioned that the Yankees could obviously add a new second baseman via trade or free agency. He also said that the team could import a third baseman and move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second, his original position.
Those aren’t the Yankees’ only choices though.
“We can promote from within with a guy like Caleb Durbin,” Cashman added at the GM Meetings, referring to the Yankees’ 24-year-old prospect.
While the Yankees have other farmhands and experienced major leaguers who could compete for the job, including Oswaldo Cabrera, Jon Berti, Jorbit Vivas, Oswald Peraza and DJ LeMahieu, it’s notable that Durbin was the first name to roll off of Cashman’s tongue.
It’s also unsurprising.
Durbin, who has been tearing it up in the Arizona Fall League as he chases the league’s stolen base record, has backers throughout the Yankees’ organization. A product of Division III Washington University in St. Louis, he impressed multiple members of the big league coaching staff during spring training last year.
“I think he’s gonna be a player for a long time,” Aaron Boone said at the time, echoing similar sentiments shared by bench coach Brad Ausmus. “I feel like he’s a winning player. Whether we see him at some point this year, I don’t know, but I do feel like he’s got a bright, big league future.”
Kevin Reese, the Yankees’ vice president of player development, agreed last July, noting that Durbin “has the potential to be an everyday player at second base in the big leagues when the time comes.”
Durbin, who has also played shortstop, third base and the outfield, did not end up debuting last year, as multiple hit-by-pitches led to a wrist fracture. That injury didn’t require surgery, but it limited him to 90 games, 82 of which were played at Triple-A.
Despite the shortened season, Durbin set career-highs with 25 doubles, 10 home runs and a .451 slugging percentage, adding some pop to a .275 average, .388 on-base percentage, 60 RBI, 31 steals and a 9.9 K%.
Durbin’s strong contact and strikeout rates have been his calling card since the Yankees acquired him and Indigo Diaz from the Braves for Lucas Luetge in December 2022, but hitting for a little more power became a focal point last season.
According to RailRiders hitting coach Trevor Amicone, Durbin accomplished that by being more mechanically efficient and gaining more control over his body, which allowed him to make better swing decisions. He also became a smarter hitter, hunting pitches in his preferred parts of the zone while understanding that not every strike is necessarily a good one to hit.
“He’s been gifted with a superpower of not ever swinging and missing, and with that power comes great responsibility, as they say,” Amicone told the Daily News. “When he swings, he’s going to make contact, so he has got to be very selectively aggressive at the pitches that he swings at.
“The best hitters in the big leagues are the guys who understand that not all strikes are created equal. You’ve got to be able to take pitches that might be strikes to get pitches that you can do a little bit more damage with.”
While the Yankees often rave about Durbin’s skills at the plate — Amicone and Reese also praised his work ethic — financial factors could also help him claim the team’s second base job next year.
Team owner Hal Steinbrenner has said that he’d like to re-sign right fielder Juan Soto. He’s also said that maintaining a payroll over $300 million is not sustainable.
If the Yankees are to retain Soto — who is expected to fetch at least half-a-billion dollars — and trim their budget, they may want to lean on cheaper and/or younger players at other positions. With Durbin a possibility at second base, the Yankees could also treat left field and first base the same way.
Of course, it’s no guarantee Soto stays. If he signs elsewhere, the Yankees will have a lot of money to play with if they wish. Some of that could theoretically be used on a second baseman.
No matter what happens with Soto, Durbin isn’t a lock for second. However, with supporters behind him and an opening in front of him, the infielder is poised for an opportunity with the way the Yankees’ roster currently stands.
“He’s awesome and would be great up there,” Amicone said. “He’s a special talent, that’s for sure.”
