DALLAS — Jazz Chisholm Jr. found himself ready and willing to play a new position when the Yankees acquired him from the Marlins last season. Now there’s a chance he returns to an old one.
After learning the hot corner on the fly last summer, Chisholm could return to second base this coming season. While Aaron Boone doesn’t think third base is a hole because of the personable speedster, the Yankees could acquire someone more familiar with the position this offseason. That would allow Chisholm to play second, the position he’s most experienced at.
“We were very surprised how he took to a very difficult position, and it certainly wasn’t perfect because it was new to him, but golly he at least made you realize that it’s possible that you might already have your third baseman,” Brian Cashman said at the Winter Meetings. “I think middle infield is probably easier, because it’s something that he’s done. Third still is something he’ll finish off, if that’s where he stays, but I don’t know, it just depends on the directions, the opportunities.”
Longtime Astro Alex Bregman is the top free agent third baseman. Other options on a limited open market include Yoán Moncada and former Yankee Gio Urshela.
The Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado is an elite defender whose name has been connected to the Yankees. On Tuesday, the 10-time Gold Glover’s agent, Joel Wolfe, said Arenado is open to waiving his no-trade clause for a winning team and that geography is not a consideration.
Arenado is also open to playing first base, another position of need for the Yankees.
As Cashman mentioned, Chisholm had some growing pains at third last season, but two defensive metrics rated him well. Chisholm’s eight Outs Above Average ranked fourth among qualified third basemen — he finished one spot behind Arenado — and he also had a Fielding Run Value of five at the position.
“I felt like he really did well there,” Boone said. “He’s still learning the position in a lot of ways, but on balance, he did a really good job for us.”
One position the Yankees don’t plan on having Chisholm play is center field. He did so with the Marlins, but Cashman said Chisholm is better off playing the infield. Boone agreed with that.
“My preference is to keep him on the dirt,” the skipper said.
A FAVORITE AT 2B?
While the Yankees could move Chisholm back to second, Cashman called infield prospect Caleb Durbin the “odds-on favorite” for the job with the way the Yankees’ roster is presently constructed.
Cashman also mentioned Jorbit Vivas and Oswald Peraza as candidates for Gleyber Torres’ old job — the veteran is a free agent — but Durbin is well-liked by the Yankees’ front office and major league coaching staff.
“How much he’s in the mix right away depends on what we do this winter,” Boone said. “I do like the player a lot. I know our organization likes him a lot. But then again, I haven’t seen him play in person a whole lot or been around him on a daily basis to really get a true sense. But if you’re asking just from my scouting lens, I think he’s got a chance to be a really good player, and I think he’s at the point in his development and minor league career where he’s knocking on the door of an opportunity. So we’ll see how it all shakes out.”
SOTO STOPPED YANKS FROM OFFERING SNELL
The Yankees missed out on more than just Juan Soto by pursuing the Mets’ new slugger, as his sweepstakes prevented the team from making an offer to Blake Snell.
The Yankees Zoomed with Snell the day he signed with the Dodgers. Scott Boras, who represents Snell and Soto, then asked Cashman if the Yankees were going to make an offer before L.A. reached a five-year, $182 million agreement with the southpaw.
“I told him I can’t make an offer until I know what’s going on with Soto first because I couldn’t do both at that level,” Cashman said. “I woke up the next morning and [Snell] was gone.”
Cashman also spoke highly of Willy Adames, who agreed to a seven-year, $182 million contract with the Giants before Soto settled on Queens.
NO EXTENSION TALKS FOR BOONE YET
Boone said that he still has not had any extension talks with the Yankees after getting his club option picked up for 2025 earlier this offseason. Hal Steinbrenner previously raised the possibility of having that discussion after Boone led the Yankees to a pennant and the World Series in 2024.
“There’s obviously been a lot to attend to this last month,” Boone said. “We’ll see where that goes.”
EYES ON HILL
A source told the Daily News that the Yankees have remained in touch with left-handed reliever Tim Hill, who turned his season around in the Bronx last season after a poor start with the White Sox. However, Hill is getting interest from other contenders, including an NL West club.
