Caleb Durbin entered the Arizona Fall League with the goal of elevating his status as a prospect, aiming to demonstrate his abilities and secure a spot on the Yankees’ 40-man roster.
Mission accomplished. After an impressive performance in the Fall League, where he was named an AFL “Fall Star” and recognized as the AFL’s Breakout Prospect of the Year, the 24-year-old infielder earned a spot on the Yankees’ 40-man roster on Tuesday. 22-year-old catcher Jesus Rodriguez was also added.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone have both praised Durbin this offseason, seeing him as a strong contender to break into the 2025 infield.
“I think he’s a stud, frankly,” Boone said last week. “He has great bat-to-ball skills, elite speed on the bases as a stolen base threat, and he’s a solid defender at second base. Over the past year, he’s developed some position flexibility as well. … He’s incredibly competitive, tough, and hard-nosed. I’m really excited for him and think he’ll play a big role for us next season.”
During his time in the Fall League, Durbin posted a .312/.427/.548 line, hitting five home runs in 24 games. His 29 stolen bases broke the previous record of 24 set by Rick Holifield in 1994, when the AFL’s schedule was nearly twice as long.
“He’s definitely put himself in a position to earn serious big league consideration,” Boone said. “What role that will be, we’ll see.”
This past season, Durbin hit .275/.388/.451 in 90 combined games across Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Double-A Somerset, and Single-A Tampa, with 61 runs, 25 doubles, 10 homers, 60 RBIs, 53 walks, and 31 stolen bases. He ranked fifth in steals, eighth in on-base percentage, and tenth in batting average and RBIs among Yankees minor leaguers.
Durbin told MLB.com’s Jesse Borek earlier this month that he was “100 percent” focused on impressing the big league staff in the AFL.
“I mean, that’s why you play the game, to help a big league team at the highest level,” Durbin said. “That’s been my goal since I got into pro ball. Now that it’s getting closer, it’s definitely exciting to think about. But I want to go out here and put on a show and showcase my skills.”
Durbin, originally drafted by the Braves in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, was acquired by the Yankees along with right-hander Indigo Díaz in December 2022 in exchange for left-hander Lucas Luetge.
Rodríguez, 22, hit .302/.375/.481 across High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset last season, with 48 runs, 15 doubles, 10 homers, and 47 RBIs. Additionally, the Yankees received right-hander Carson Coleman as a Rule 5 Draft return from the Rangers.
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