The Yankees’ offseason continues to be in its infancy. Trades and free company can result in change. Not each incumbent participant on the roster will survive the winter.
Take into account these caveats relevant to all the pieces you’ll learn under, as Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman shared a number of ideas on the Yankees’ present gamers throughout their postmortem press convention at Yankee Stadium on Thursday.
Anthony Volpe, his surgically repaired left shoulder, and his standing because the staff’s beginning shortstop hogged the vast majority of the hour-plus presser. Boone and Cashman stay believers within the 24-year-old regardless of three seasons of subpar offensive efficiency, however they supplied some caveats of their very own when discussing the shortstop place.
“I think so,” Cashman mentioned when requested if Volpe will probably be his starter as soon as wholesome. “I believe in the player still. I think we believe in the player. It doesn’t mean that we don’t play with, on any level, all aspects of roster assessments.”
With Volpe not anticipated again till April or Might, José Caballero is the in-house favourite to fill in at quick. Volpe’s harm may additionally open a roster spot for the 26-year-old Oswaldo Cabrera.
Volpe wasn’t the one Yankees teenager who got here up throughout Thursday’s press convention, although. Right here’s a take a look at what Boone and Cashman needed to say about a number of others and the staff’s current positional outlook.
JASSON DOMINGUEZ
Domínguez, 22, is coming off a quiet first full season within the large leagues. He not often began by yr’s finish, as Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham and Aaron Decide dominated the out there enjoying time within the outfield. Nevertheless, Domínguez adjusted properly to his bench function regardless of his standing as a hyped-up prospect, enhancing as a base-stealer and impressing Boone as a teammate.
Requested if he sees Domínguez as an on a regular basis participant in 2026, Boone mentioned he expects him to be “right in that mix” and “a regular player for us.” In fact, if the Yankees re-sign Bellinger — Cashman mentioned he’d “love” to have him again however expects him to decide out — or Grisham or add one other outfielder, Domínguez may develop into expendable.
For now, Boone mentioned the group’s hope is that Domínguez performs winter ball within the Dominican Republic, the place he may get extra reps in left subject and from the proper aspect of the plate. The supervisor added that he sees The Martian as a left fielder, though he’s struggled there and is a pure heart fielder.
That signifies the Yankees don’t belief Domínguez in the midst of the outfield with two succesful heart fielders set without spending a dime company.
SPENCER JONES
Maybe Spencer Jones will probably be an possibility for the Yankees in heart, as Cashman mentioned the top-100 prospect has “put himself in the conversation” for the Opening Day roster.
“He’s earned, without a doubt, the look in the competition, but again, it all depends on how many opportunities exist based on the decisions that come out of this winter,” the final supervisor continued. “But he’s put himself in a position to be considered a potential everyday major leaguer in 2026.”
Jones is coming off a stellar season, because the 24-year-old crushed 35 dwelling runs whereas hitting .274 with a .932 OPS, 80 RBI and 29 stolen bases. He started the season at Double-A — he repeated the extent after a disappointing 2024 marketing campaign — earlier than incomes a promotion to Triple-A.
Regardless of some spectacular stats, counting on Jones so quickly would include dangers. He nonetheless struck out an excessive amount of in 2025, doing so at 35.4% clip. His 72% zone contact charge would have been the worst within the majors.
BEN RICE
Ben Rice, 26, crammed a singular utility function in 2025, primarily DH’ing whereas often enjoying first base initially of the season. By the tip of the yr, he was catching significant video games down the stretch.
Introduced up as a backstop, the hard-hitting Rice is well-positioned to be the Yankees’ first baseman of the long run. Boone mentioned he sees him because the membership’s first baseman subsequent yr, however that doesn’t imply Rice will abandon catching behind Austin Wells and, doubtlessly, one other backup.
“Does he become our first baseman and our third catcher? Is he our second catcher? I don’t know yet,” Boone mentioned, “however I do know we really feel like we’ve acquired a real middle-of-the-order dangerous that’s additionally able to catching.
“That flexibility is important and helpful and of value.”
The Yankees did carry three catchers at instances in 2025, with J.C. Escarra becoming a member of Wells and Rice. The issue was all three hit from the left aspect.
Additionally, don’t be shocked if the Yankees usher in a defensively sound, right-handed veteran as an alternative choice to Rice at first. That they had one in Paul Goldschmidt this previous season, however the ageing, former MVP is slated without spending a dime company.
RYAN MCMAHON
Ryan McMahon isn’t a teenager at 30 — not in a baseball sense, anyway — however he was additionally talked about throughout Cashman’s portion of the presser.
Requested if the Yankees are set on the scorching nook or if he would relatively have a platoon on the place, Cashman known as McMahon “our everyday third baseman.” Nevertheless, Cashman added that he needs to supply Boone with choices that permit him to combine and match, an method that labored out properly for the division-winning Blue Jays.
A defensive wizard and a poor hitter, the lefty-swinging McMahon was acquired midseason. So was Amed Rosario, a right-handed hitter who can play third however is a subpar defender.
Rosario will probably be a free agent, too. The Yankees tried to amass him previous to efficiently doing so this season, so it wouldn’t be a shock if they create him again given the match.
THE ROTATION
Volpe’s harm wasn’t the one one mentioned Thursday, as Boone revealed that southpaw Carlos Rodón underwent a left elbow scope on Wednesday. The process eliminated some free our bodies and can drive Rodón to overlook the primary few weeks of the 2026 season.
Cashman mentioned he didn’t know but if Rodón’s harm will immediate him so as to add an exterior pitcher, however he did be aware, “I have to make sure there’s room on that roster when he” returns. That remark may level to an optionable, inner pitcher, akin to top-100 prospect Elmer-Rodriguez Cruz, although the 22-year-old has solely made one begin at Triple-A.
Nevertheless, Will Warren is already an optionable member of the staff’s rotation, so the Yankees would have selections in the event that they discovered an exterior fill-in for Rodón. More durable selections may come later within the season with Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt anticipated again from Tommy John surgical procedure, however as Cashman all the time says — and repeated on Thursday — you may by no means have sufficient pitching.
Initially Revealed: October 17, 2025 at 9:17 AM EDT
