Brian Cashman mentioned the idea of importing a player onto the Yankees roster that either fills the hole at second base or moves Jazz Chisholm from third base to second base. While they have some internal options whether it’s veteran Jon Berti, the versatile Oswaldo Cabrera, or surging prospect Caleb Durbin, the Yankees could benefit from acquiring a more stable option. Their pursuit of Juan Soto may limit the budget and hinder what Brian Cashman can do in free agency, which raises the question of whether the trade market is their most realistic way to add an infielder.
Just as they added Jazz Chisholm from the Miami Marlins at the deadline, the Yankees could look to try and add another infielder to their roster and deepen their lineup.
Yankees Could Re-Visit Versatile Trade Target This Winter
Unlike previous conversations with the St. Louis Cardinals regarding utilityman Brendan Donovan, the Yankees have cost-controlled pitching of value to offer. Luis Gil or Clarke Schmidt could appeal to a Cardinals’ team that’s looking to shed some payroll and build up their pitching depth, and Chaim Bloom looks as if he’ll be groomed for the eventual promotion to President of Baseball Operations.
Donovan is one of the better infield bats in the game, posting a 115 wRC+ and .342 OBP across 153 games last season while playing four different positions. At second base he posted +5 Outs Above Average and +3 Fielding Run Value, and I think it’s the position he would perform best at in the field. While third base is a position he was excellent at in the past, Jazz Chisholm’s superior arm makes him a more ideal option at the hot corner.
Baseball Savant’s Expected Home Run Metric also believes that Brendan Donovan would have hit 19 home runs compared to the 14 he posted in 2024. It’s a significant boost that could see the left-handed bat reach new highs if traded to the Yankees, and New York could potentially entice the storied National League organization with two arms that bring plenty of swing-and-miss to the table.
Clayton Beeter and Luis Gil would provide the Cardinals with two pitchers who have at least five years of club control remaining, and they could help their rotation or bullpen. Gil is a contender for AL Rookie of the Year as he struck out 171 batters across 151.2 innings pitched with a 3.50 ERA in his first full season as a big-league starter. His immense upside and mechanical inconsistencies make him a difficult pitcher to project, but he is an above-average starter.
As for Clayton Beeter, he posted a 2.08 ERA across 39 MiLB innings, striking out 56 batters and excelling in a bullpen role with the Scranton RailRiders down the stretch. He’s likely a reliever at the Major League level, but perhaps he can develop into a starting pitcher and become a backend guy in St. Louis’ rotation.
This Infielder Might Benefit From a Change of Scenery
The Philadelphia Phillies have placed infielder Alec Bohm on the trade block after a difficult postseason that saw him get benched during the NLDS. While the 28-year-old was the third overall pick back in 2018, he hasn’t taken the leap to become a legitimate star player, and his time might have run out in the City of Brotherly Love. His 2024 campaign wasn’t a bad one by any means, posting a 115 wRC+ with +3 OAA at third base and +2 OAA at first base.
Bohm cut down on his chase rate from seasons past and still did damage on contact, which allowed him to post a 115 wRC+ and be a solid bat in the Phillies’ offense. The Yankees could potentially scoop him up in a deal if the desire to move on at third base is serious, and his projected $8.1 million Luxury Tax hit wouldn’t be too detrimental either. He isn’t a great player, but he’s become someone who can provide a solid glove while coming up with some big hits.
The leadoff spot may not be his bread-and-butter, but perhaps as a sixth hitter, he could lengthen the lineup and split up Jazz Chisholm and Austin Wells in a projected lineup. With a 123 wRC+ against LHP last season, Alec Bohm would help a Yankees’ offense that struggled to do much damage against southpaws as well.
There’s less certainty here about his bat since last year was his best offensive season since 2020, but the Yankees should at least check in on what it would take to acquire him this winter.
This Second Baseman Strikes Eerily Similarities to Gleyber Torres
The Yankees pushed to acquire Jonathan India last trade deadline but the Reds decided to hold onto the 27-year-old infielder. Perhaps the winter has brought Cincinnati closer to trading him, and after posting a solid 108 wRC+ and .357 OBP, he could be the exact kind of hitter the team is looking for to replace Gleyber Torres. A patient bat who worked 80 walks in 151 games, India ranked in the 73rd Percentile in SEAGER and in the 97th Percentile in Chase Rate.
He made a change to his load in late May against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and from that point forward he hit 13 homers in 108 games with a 122 wRC+. Perhaps the change to a toe tap was exactly what he needed to time up his swing better, and if the Yankees can get something closer resembling that new stance’s production, they can live with what’s likely a below-average glove.
Grading in the 68th Percentile in Sprint Speed with 13 steals in 15 attempts, Jonathan India can also bring some element of speed to the table. His .354 xwOBA was the highest of his career, his plate discipline is brilliant, and the new changes to his mechanics made him a noticeably better hitter, especially when it comes to his power output, but the question remains whether the Reds would deal him or not.
India could find himself in new threads this winter, and the Yankees’ interest in him was very real. Perhaps the work they got done on him at the deadline could allow talks to rekindle with a better understanding of what it will take to get a trade done. Set to make just $5 million next season, any team that acquires Jonathan India is getting a low-cost player who will likely be an above-average hitter in 2025.