On The Michael Kay Show, Jack Curry discussed various Yankees’ topics ranging from their standing on Juan Soto to other free-agent targets they could look at, but one of the players brought up was infielder Caleb Durbin. After dominating the Arizona Fall League, the 24-year-old infielder was added to the 40-man roster, making him eligible to be promoted to their active roster. When speaking about Durbin, Curry mentioned that he heard that the floor for him was the 26th man on the roster while the ceiling was him being a starting infielder on the team.
If the Yankees bring back Juan Soto, they’ll need to take some cost-effective measures in other areas, and perhaps starting Caleb Durbin is one way they can be most efficient with their spending.
Caleb Durbin Might Have an Inside Track To Making the Yankees’ Roster
Caleb Durbin has a great season in Triple-A with a 129 wRC+ and 10 home runs in 82 games, showing off his signature base-stealing skills with high contact rates. There are concerns about how his bat translates at the highest level of pro ball, especially considering his lackluster power and how much he relies on pulling the ball to generate damage contact.
With a .396 OBP and 29 steals in 32 attempts, the Yankees are hoping these high-contact rates and blazing speed can round out the bottom of their order and provide them with a cheap option at second base. Things got better in the Arizona Fall League where he had a .976 OPS with 29 steals in 24 games, setting the single-season record for the AFL.
The Yankees are in an interesting position as they await the news on Juan Soto, who could make his decision any day now it seems. If they don’t sign the star outfielder their rumored interest in Willy Adames could turn into an aggressive bid to land the infielder, which would block Durbin from earning a starting job on the team. His route to starting in 2025 seems to depend on whether they sign Soto back or not, as if he’s here they’d feel more inclined to take some risks.
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It’s no secret that the Yankees really want Juan Soto back, but there’s no telling where they stand in negotiations right now. Scott Boras has done an excellent job keeping quiet in regard to who Soto favors, and so has the star outfielder. He is a tough person to crack, and his discipline in media availability sessions has made for an impossibly nerve-wracking situation.
The Mets are all-in, as are the Red Sox, and while the Blue Jays and Dodgers are seen as having outside chances, they are still firmly in this race. Whether the Yankees are able to outbid the field or not remains to be seen, and whether they’ll get the final say in these sweepstakes.