New York Yankees’ prospect Caleb Durbin won’t physically stand out at 5-foot-6, but his play this season has been turning heads.
Durbin can do it all with six home runs, 48 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in 264 at-bats this season with the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton RailRiders. Durbin’s slash line this season is .277/.401/.423.
Durbin has also played five positions for the RailRiders: second base, shortstop, third baseman, left field, and center field. Durbin spoke to World Baseball Network about his versatility and the Yankees experience.
“I am a ballplayer, an athlete, and I’ll play anywhere. I just want to help the team win. That mindset has helped me adapt to any position pretty easily,” Durbin told World Baseball Network.
Durbin is not on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Yankees prospects, but he has been on the Yankees radar these past two years and was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training in 2024.
“Being able to be around the guys in that clubhouse was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Everyone in the clubhouse was awesome helping to acclimate the new guys,” Durbin said.
Durbin also mentioned that he had the opportunity to speak to Aaron Judge and several other Yankees about what makes them excel on the field.
“I think it’s knowing what my strengths are as a baseball player and what I do well at the plate,” Durbin said, “Once the game starts I stick to putting the ball in play, running hard on the bases, and playing good defense anywhere.”
Durbin has only made six errors this season, with none coming at second base or in the outfield.
The personal highlight for Durbin this season was his first career walk-off home run against the Mets Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Mets, on May 22. Durbin also hit a go-ahead home run against the Minnesota Twins Triple-A affiliate, the St. Paul Saints, on August 24. He missed two months this season with a hand injury from May 24 to July 23.
Drafted out of Washington University in St. Louis, MO. in the 2021 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves, Durbin was traded to the Yankees before the 2023 season for left-handed reliever Lucas Luetge.
Durbin was assigned to the Yankees’ High-A affiliate, the Hudson Valley Renegades. He was quickly promoted to their Double-A affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, on May 8, 2023.
He finished the 2023 season with the Somerset Patriots and then played in the Arizona Fall League with the Mesa Solar Sox in 2023. Durbin led the AFL with 21 stolen bases in 25 games.
Durbin’s career numbers in four MiLB seasons are 18 home runs, 141 RBI, 104 stolen bases, and a slash line of .269/.376/.399.
Durbin is putting himself in position for an MLB opportunity next season and could compete to be the Yankees starting second baseman in 2025.
“You gotta be where your feet are, so every day, I’m just trying to get better here. Baseball is the type of sport where there’s always something to improve upon,” Durbin said. “I just want to win here with this team, and when the opportunity presents itself, I’ll be ready to go up there.”
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WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: Caleb Durbin #87 of the New York Yankees warms up prior to a spring training game against the Miami Marlinsat Roger Dean Stadium on March 04, 2024 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
