The Yankees have a void at second base that they’ll have to fill externally or internally, and while there are plenty of trade and free-agent targets, there’s also an in-house option who could fight for starting reps. Caleb Durbin, who is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League, had another strong season at the Minor League level and could find himself as the Yankees starting second baseman in 2025. Aaron Boone mentioned to the media in a Zoom availability session that the speedy prospect will have a “big role” this upcoming season.
After swiping 31 bases with 10 home runs across 90 MiLB games last season, Durbin continued to build up favor in the organization following a strong 2023 campaign, as his power and defensive versatility improved.
Caleb Durbin To Play a Big Role on the Yankees in 2025
This season has boosted Caleb Durbin’s standing in the organization a ton, playing well during Spring Training and seeing that extend to a strong Minor League campaign. Over the weekend, Durbin played in the AFL Fall Stars game where he picked up two hits, two RBIs, and a walk in the contest. He racked up 25 doubles, 10 home runs, and two triples across 90 games, and in Triple-A he had a 129 wRC+ with a .396 OBP.
Caleb Durbin’s excellent bat-to-ball skills have always been part of his skill set, but the speedy infielder has brought some more power to his game. His ISO and SLG% were above the Triple-A average, and while he didn’t rack up a ton of home runs at the start of the season, Durbin hit seven over his final 35 games after returning from an injured hand in early August.
In the AFL, Durbin has four home runs and 23 stolen bases in 21 games, and the Yankees could view him as a steady bottom-of-the-lineup presence in their infield. With Gleyber Torres an unrestricted free agency, the Yankees will have to find a way to replace his production on their roster.
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While Torres is clearly a better hitter than Durbin, the defense and baserunning gap between the two might allow the Yankees to get similar WAR value in 2025. The organization views him as a plus defensive infielder, as he’s a capable defender at shortstop, third base, and second base, with his arm and range playing best at second. On the basepaths, Caleb Durbin is widely considered one of if not the very best baserunning threat in the Yankees’ organization.
Over two years and 159 games, Caleb Durbin has swiped 62 bases while succeeding on over 84% of stolen base attempts as well. The Yankees were one of the worst baserunning teams in baseball according to FanGraphs’ BsR metric and Baseball Savant’s Baserunning Run Value metric as well. They were impossibly slow, and Gleyber Torres certainly didn’t aid that issue with his below-average sprint speeds and questionable baserunning decisions.
Still, starting a rookie is always a massive risk, and while Caleb Durbin could be a starter in 2025, the Yankees could also use him as another utilityman. He’s played centerfield and multiple infield spots and is an excellent pinch-running option as well. The Yankees will continue to monitor the infield market, but Caleb Durbin is held in high regard internally.