Those holding out hope for a Gleyber Torres reunion with the New York Yankees were hit with a harsh dose of reality from general manager Brian Cashman on Monday.
Speaking at the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings, Cashman said prospect Caleb Durbin is the current favorite to play second base for the Yankees next year, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Cashman also mentioned Jorbit Vivas and Oswald Peraza as candidates who “could surprise” and win the job.
It’s not hard to read between the lines here. Cashman didn’t mention Torres as a possibility for next year, meaning the current free agent who became an instrumental part of the Yankees’ lineup in the 2024 postseason is probably headed elsewhere.
2024 was a tale of two seasons for Torres. The two-time All-Star struggled through the first half of the season, only hitting .231 by the end of July. But that’s around the time manager Aaron Boone moved him to the leadoff position, and Torres took off. He hit .306 with a .793 OPS the rest of the season, leading off in 42 of the 50 games he started.
He was even more valuable in the playoffs, drawing 10 walks and compiling 14 hits as he became a tone-setter for Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hitting behind him.
Torres hits free agency after making $14.2 million in 2024.
Caleb Durbin may have forced his way onto the Yankees’ roster
Though a relatively unheralded prospect, Durbin spent most of the 2024 season in Triple-A, then ran through the Arizona Fall League with 21 stolen bases.
He played 82 games in Scranton in 2024, hitting .287 with 10 home runs and 29 stolen bases. He stole 29 more in the Arizona Fall League to set the all-time single-season AFL record. Between 2023 and 2024, he also become the all-time AFL stolen base leader.
“I think it’s a testament to my preparation and picking my spots,” Durbin told Jim Callis of MLB.com. “I think a lot more of base-running is more instincts than it really is speed. I think if you have enough speed, it helps, and I feel like I have enough speed.”
Durbin swung a hot bat as well, hitting .312 with a .976 OPS in 24 games. His possible future manager was among the multitudes who Durbin impressed with his performance.
“I think he’s a stud, frankly,” Boone said. “Great bat-to-ball, elite ability on the bases as a basestealer, good defender in the middle of the diamond at second base. … Really competitive, a hard-nosed, tough player. I’m excited about him and I think he’s going to play a big role for us this upcoming season.”
