The New York Yankees are making a variety of adjustments ahead of the 2025 MLB season, with notable changes expected in the infield. After the departure of Gleyber Torres, the second base position remains vacant, but the good news is the team has three internal candidates ready to compete.
According to general manager Brian Cashman, the Yankees remain active in the market for an infielder but could turn to internal options, including Oswaldo Cabrera, DJ LeMahieu, and Oswald Peraza, particularly for the second base role.
Cashman emphasized the need to strengthen the roster despite the challenges to find the right guys saying “We need to get a strong defense, a quality offense, and all that stuff, but it isn’t that easy to find guys around.”
Following Torres’ departure and Durbin Feltman’s trade to the Brewers, there has been speculation about shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base and seeking another player to cover third base, where Chisholm has primarily played with the Yankees.
The Internal Candidates Experience
Oswaldo Cabrera, a 25-year-old Venezuelan, has been with the Yankees since 2023. In the 2024 season, he appeared in 108 games, delivering 47 runs, 74 hits, 8 home runs, and 36 RBIs across 299 at-bats—his most productive season to date despite fewer games compared to 2023, when he played in 115.
Veteran DJ LeMahieu, a 36-year-old California native, joined the Yankees in 2019. He was limited during the 2024 season due to a right hip injury but had averaged over 121 games per season with the team prior to his injury. From 2019 to 2023, LeMahieu consistently hit 10 or more home runs per season.
Oswald Peraza, another Venezuelan and the youngest candidate at 24, faced a sub-scapular strain that limited him in 2024. Initially expected to be a bench player last season, he instead saw minimal action. In 2023, Peraza played in 52 games, recording 15 runs, 33 hits, and 2 home runs.