By Greg Corcoran

Now that the Yankees have finally moved on from the Josh Donaldson fiasco, we can finally take a deep breath of fresh air and watch third basemen who don’t admire their non-homeruns and proceed to get thrown out at second base. Glad that’s off my chest. Read on as we discuss the third base depth in New York for 2024.

Aaron Boone has made it quite clear that DJ LeMahiue will be the opening day third baseman for the New York Yankees. LeMahiue is apparently healthier than he has been in years and has arrived to camp with a chip on his shoulder. Among others, he is pissed off about last year’s results. If he can bring back some of the magic from his first few seasons with the Yankees it will go a long way towards lengthening an already dangerous lineup. Defensively, “Le Machine” has handled the hot corner admirably over the years, and there’s no reason that should change in 2024.

Behind DJ, Jose Rojas, Jordan Groshans, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera will compete in Spring Training for the backup role. Oswald and Oswaldo likely have a leg up in the competition, as they can play shortstop and second base as well. This would allow Aaron Boone to give rest days to the whole infield and play with matchups, which we know he likes to do. Cabrera can also play outfield and is out of options, so he is the most likely to make the roster out of the bunch.

Peraza struggled in his first taste of the majors last year. If he can learn to replicate his minor league success against major league pitching he could earn a spot on the roster and compete for playing time. Defensively, Peraza is a whiz. He might be the best shortstop on the roster and is just as good at third and second base.

Jose Rojas has been around for a while. Rojas brings two seasons of success in limited major league action with him followed by a successful season in the KBO, Korea’s professional baseball league. Though he does not play shortstop, he does bring defensive versatility to the table. He can also play second, first, and corner outfield. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the major leagues at some point during the season. He’s an excellent depth piece to stash in Triple-A in case of injury.

Jordan Groshans is the perfect project for the Yankees hitting development team. He was drafted 12^th 2018 draft, and scouts always felt he would develop power. As of yet, this is the one piece of his game that has not come around. If the Yankees can pull that out of him, Groshans could sneak onto the roster at some point this season.

Jeter Downs and Kevin Smith, both shortstops by trade, are dark horse candidates to make the roster out of spring training. It is more likely they both start in Triple-A as depth for the major league roster, but both are quality players to have around in case of injuries.

Further down in Double-A, the Yankees have Tyler Hardman. Though not considered a plus defensive third baseman, Hardman played there most of last season. He hit 26 homeruns in 77 games and had a .237/.332/.558/.891 quad slash. Hardman has work to do in cutting down on strikeouts and improving his average. The power is tantalizing though, and that could end up being his ticket to the Bronx someday.

Beau Brewer will compete for a spot at third base in High-A. We recently highlighted him in an interview with NYYU. Brewer is a quality contact hitter working to improve his power numbers. If so, we could hear a lot more about him in the coming years.

The future of third base may be sitting in Low-A this year. The Yankees have 4-5 middle infielders at the level who could find their home at third base long term. Roderick Arias, George Lombard Jr., Keiner Delgado, Enmanuel Tejeda, and Hans Montero all have the skills to play third. They also have a strong track record in the hitting department. With good development, some injury luck, age, and maturity any of these guys could find their way to New York in a couple of years.

This is perhaps the most exciting part about the third base depth in the Yankees’ organization. The depth at shortstop is added to the mix at third base, and the Yankees have done a great job of bringing in middle infield prospects recently.

The Yankees also have an exciting two-way player in the rookie leagues this year. Josh Tiedemann was drafted as both a pitcher and a third baseman in 2023. He has big power from the right side and could play his way up the ladder. He is of course a few years away from competing for a major league job, but the sky is the limit for this high school draftee.

The Yankees will get a fresh start at third base in 2024. The team has to be excited to move on from what was one of the most disputed trades of the last 20 years. With LeMahiue and the depth behind him, there will be no shortage of solid options for the next few years in the Bronx.

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By Greg Corcoran

Up the middle talent is at a premium in minor league baseball. This is because of the role flexibility these players provide. A first baseman, for example, will never be able to switch positions if there is a star player ahead of them on the depth chart. Conversely, if a shortstop has another star player ahead of them, there is a high likelihood they would be able to transition to second base, third base, or even the outfield.

Of all positions on the field, the Yankees’ depth at shortstop might be their strongest. At the top of that chart is Gold Glove winner Anthony Volpe. There were many ups and downs in his first season. The defense never wavered, which carries a lot of weight at the most important position on the diamond. Volpe showed promise offensively. He hit 21 homeruns and stole 24 bases. His average was disappointing, and he struck out at a high rate, but he was a 22-year-old rookie who should only improve from here.

Behind Volpe on the depth chart is Oswald Peraza. Peraza is a wizard defensively. He makes all the routine plays and has the athleticism to make some spectacular ones too. Oswald also struggled with the bat in 2023. He couldn’t get above the Mendoza line and did not hit for power. Peraza is a top prospect in his own right and has years of minor league success under his belt. He is still young and has a ton of potential.

A recent post on social media showed that Peraza has put on a ton of muscle in the offseason. He is clearly stronger and more cut up. This could lead to a drastic improvement in his performance at the plate. Peraza still has options, so he may start the season in Triple-A and could be ready to take over at shortstop or second base if there is an injury. He could also serve as a utility man for the major league team, as he is capable of playing second or third base as well.

The Yankees have a third player on the major league roster who can play shortstop, Oswaldo Cabrera. Cabrera is coming off a down year at the plate where he perhaps suffered due to some inconsistent advice. Cabrera has impressive versatility and the ability to hit for power when he’s right. He took the offseason seriously and appears significantly bigger and stronger than he was in 2023. If given the opportunity, Oswaldo could surprise and redeem himself after the sophomore slump.

The Yankees will also have Kevin Smith and Jeter Downs in Triple-A in case of injury in 2024. Smith has struggled in limited major league action thus far in his career but has been good at the minor league level. He even hit 16 homeruns in just 42 games in Triple-A last year. It’s been a few years since Downs had a successful season, even in the minors, but perhaps the Yankees can recapture some of the magic.

Down in High-A, the Yankees have an infielder named Jared Serna. Serna is known as a second baseman, but last year he played 26 games at shortstop and the Yankees were impressed with him.  In addition to defensive versatility, Serna can really hit. He had 19 homeruns and a .284 average in 122 games last season. Even more, he had a .350 OBP while striking out just 90 times. He then went to the Mexican Winter League and won the rookie of the year there. Jared is emerging as a top prospect and a great piece of depth for the Yankees.

Just below Serna in Low-A is where the real excitement begins. The Yankees have four players capable of playing shortstop at the level. Two of them have the potential to be world class prospects. The other two are no slouches themselves.

Roderick Arias has all the talent in the world. He is a 5-tool shortstop. Defensively, he’s one of the best the MILB has to offer. Offensively, he is blessed with power, speed, and the ability to barrel the ball.

George Lombard Jr. was the Yankees’ first round pick in 2023. He is another 5-tool shortstop. A tremendous athlete, Lombard has the potential to become an elite prospect if things break right. He was impressive with a short cup of coffee at Low-A last year.

Keiner Delgado is a special prospect in his own right. He’s on the smaller side, but this switch-hitter packs a punch. He had eight homeruns in 49 games in the FCL last year. He also had more walks than strikeouts at the level, an impressive feat. Delgado has positional versatility and has the polish to move quickly through the Yankees’ system.

Hans Montero was a higher profile signing who took a bit longer to come out of his shell. In his third year with the Yankees, Montero finally broke through with five homeruns and an .823 OPS in the FCL. He should see time in Low-A this year.

In the rookie leagues, the Yankees should have a few shortstops coming over from the DSL, though the draft may impact who we see there. The most likely candidate to be the starter for the FCL this year is Santiago Gomez, who is 19 and hit .284/.467/.403/.870 with two homeruns, 10 doubles, and 20 SB in 41 games in the DSL last year. He had 31 walks and 33 strikeouts.

As far as international free agents go, they are the favorites to sign a kid named Wandy Asigen in 2025, who is likely the best unsigned international shortstop in the world at the moment. They signed Dexter Peralta as part of the 2024 class, a switch-hitter with good contact skills and hard contact. Peralta could also factor into the long term shortstop picture.

The future is bright for the New York Yankees at shortstop. They have multiple options in the major leagues, several high-end prospects in the lower minors, and a pipeline of talent that appears to be continuing at least until 2025. Before long some of these prospects should begin to pay dividends in one way (helping the Yankees) or another (via trade).

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