The Yankees made a notable transfer on Tuesday, including prospect Caleb Durbin to their 40-man roster.
The transaction protects Durbin from being scooped up by one other crew within the Rule 5 Draft subsequent month. Tuesday was the deadline for such protections.
The 24-year-old Durbin was a lock to be added, as he’s a candidate to be the Yankees’ beginning second baseman subsequent season. On the very least, he’s anticipated to make an impression within the Bronx.
“I think he’s a stud, frankly,” Aaron Boone just lately stated. “Nice bat-to-ball, elite means on the bases as a base-stealer, good defender in the midst of the diamond at second base. He’s actually began over the past year-plus to create some place flexibility. He’s performed some brief, he’s performed some third. We launched him to some outfield this yr, all with the thoughts that this man goes to be an enormous league participant.
“He’s going to play a big role for us this upcoming season.”
Boone’s rave overview got here just a few days after Brian Cashman talked about Durbin as an choice at second. The Yankees at present have a gap there, as Gleyber Torres is a free agent.
Durbin has been turning heads all yr, beginning with a spring coaching displaying that impressed quite a few coaches on the Yankees’ large league workers. A product of Division III Washington College in St. Louis, Durbin has additionally gained help within the entrance workplace since being acquired from the Braves for Lucas Luetge in December 2022.
Final July, Kevin Reese, the Yankees’ vp of participant growth, stated that Durbin “has the potential to be an everyday player at second base in the big leagues when the time comes.”
A wrist fracture restricted Durbin to 90 video games, 82 of which have been performed at Triple-A, final season. Regardless of the shortened season, he set career-highs with 25 doubles, 10 dwelling runs and a .451 slugging proportion, including some pop to a .275 common, .388 on-base proportion, 60 RBI, 31 steals and a 9.9 Okay%.
Durbin then went on to hit .312/.427/.548 with 5 dwelling runs and 21 RBI in 24 Arizona Fall League video games. His 29 stolen bases set the league’s report, and he received the AFL’s Breakout Prospect of the Yr Award.
In 2,392 plate appearances for the reason that begin of his faculty profession, Durbin has struck out simply 153 instances.
“He’s been gifted with a superpower of not ever swinging and missing, and with that power comes great responsibility, as they say,” Triple-A hitting coach Trevor Amicone just lately informed the Every day Information whereas detailing Durbin’s concentrate on hitting for extra energy final yr. “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.”
Durbin was not the one Yankees prospect added to the 40-man roster on Tuesday, as Jesús Rodríguez additionally acquired a spot. He’s not fairly prepared for the majors, as he performed his first 23 video games at Double-A final season.
Whereas the 22-year-old is listed as a catcher on the crew’s web site, Rodríguez has performed each place besides shortstop. Nonetheless, the Yankees technically have 5 catchers on their 40-man roster proper now. That doesn’t embrace Ben Rice, who spent a number of time at first base in 2024, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Bombers proceed buying and selling from that depth after dealing Kyle Higashioka, Ben Rortvedt, Luis Torrens and Agustín Ramírez over the previous yr.
Offensively, Rodríguez has proven a knack for making contact over 5 minor league seasons. He struggled a bit at Double-Some time battling accidents final season, however the Venezuelan is a .311/.397/.477 hitter with 25 dwelling runs, 167 RBI and 49 stolen bases over 282 minor league video games.
Between Excessive-A and Double-A, Rodríguez slashed .302/.375/.481 with 10 homers, 47 RBI and a 14.7 Okay% final yr.
Lastly, the Yankees introduced that they acquired right-handed pitcher Carson Coleman as a Rule 5 Draft returnee from the Rangers.
Coleman has not pitched in two seasons on account of accidents. Nonetheless, the reliever appeared electrical within the Yankees’ system in 2022 previous to Tommy John surgical procedure, recording a 2.13 ERA whereas placing out 95 batters over 63.1 innings.
