Awaiting the prognosis of Jazz Chisholm’s UCL injury, the New York Yankees face pivotal decisions regarding their infield lineup. Presently, Oswaldo Cabrera and DJ LeMahieu stand as immediate replacements, but the team might benefit from elevating talent from Triple-A. Caleb Durbin, who impressed during Spring Training, emerges as a prime candidate due to his proficient batting and commendable defensive skills.
Durbin’s versatility, combined with his agility and speed, positions him as a potential catalyst for a Yankees team eager to excel in August. After delivering solid performances in Double-A the previous year, Durbin began the 2024 season with the Triple-A Scranton RailRiders.
Despite a pitch-induced injury limiting him to 53 games, his statistics are noteworthy: a .301 batting average, .421 on-base percentage, .480 slugging percentage, and a 139 wRC+. His minimal 9.5% strikeout rate and 16% whiff rate underscore his exceptional contact abilities. Additionally, Durbin has enhanced his power by refining his hitting approach.
Isolated Power (ISO), calculated by subtracting batting average from slugging percentage, gauges a player’s raw power. With the International League averaging .166, Durbin’s .179 indicates above-average potency.
This surge results from his shift from merely making contact to elevating the ball more frequently and pulling it 57.6% of the time. Ranking in the 89th percentile for Pulled Flyball Rate, Durbin maximizes his contact quality despite modest exit velocities.
Physically resembling a running back, Durbin possesses the strength to send balls out of the park when he connects well. While expecting a 20-home-run season might be ambitious, achieving double-digit homers seems plausible.
His disciplined approach at the plate suggests a propensity for drawing walks at the major league level. Some have likened him to Jose Altuve, but a more fitting comparison might be Nico Hoerner—a contact-oriented infielder with stellar defense and respectable on-base skills. Both players share similar exit velocities and raw power metrics, and Hoerner’s success indicates Durbin’s potential trajectory.
Beyond batting, Durbin’s value is amplified by his defense and speed. He’s adept across the infield, handling shortstop, third base, and even centerfield. While second base might be his long-term position, his versatility is invaluable.
On the basepaths, Durbin is a menace, having stolen 20 bases out of 22 attempts this season. Projected over 150 games, that’s 56 steals at a 91% success rate. While replicating these numbers in the majors is uncertain, he could feasibly be a 20-30 steal contributor, infusing the Yankees with much-needed speed.
While options like Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas exist, Durbin’s performance makes him a compelling choice. His defensive prowess across multiple positions could provide the Yankees with flexibility, especially if they consider giving Anthony Volpe rest. Predicting a prospect’s trajectory is always challenging, but Durbin’s consistent excellence suggests he’s poised for an opportunity.
