Caleb Durbin’s record-setting AFL run earns Yankees prospect top honor

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Yankees prospect Caleb Durbin has been named the Arizona Fall League’s “Breakout Prospect of the Year,” capping a historic performance in the developmental league’s 2024 season. 

Durbin shattered the AFL’s single-season stolen base record with 29 steals in just 24 games, surpassing Rick Holifield’s 1994 mark of 24 steals, set during a much longer schedule. The 24-year-old infielder also became the second player in league history to record multiple four-steal games. Over his AFL career, Durbin has swiped 48 bases in 52 attempts across 45 games, setting another record for successful steals in 28 different contests. 

Despite his standout performance, Durbin has yet to crack MLB.com’s top 30 Yankees prospect rankings. However, Yankees manager Aaron Boone recently praised Durbin’s potential, calling him a “game-changer” and hinting at his readiness to compete for a second base role at the major league level next season. Boone noted Durbin’s speed, versatility, and instincts as assets that could bolster the Yankees’ roster. 

Durbin split time across three minor league levels in 2024, posting a .275 average with 10 home runs, 60 RBIs, and 31 steals in 90 games. His emergence is timely for the Yankees, who are evaluating options at second base following Gleyber Torres’ first foray into free agency.

The Yankees are coming off a World Series appearance, where they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. With Durbin’s impressive AFL showing, the organization may have found a dynamic piece to help sustain their championship aspirations.

Yankees should bring Durbin, avoid Walker

The Yankees continue to evaluate options to fill their first base vacancy, but the frequently discussed pursuit of Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Christian Walker warrants a cautious approach rather than an aggressive push.

Walker’s resume includes impressive power numbers—36 home runs in 2022, 33 in 2023, and 26 over 479 at-bats last season—and elite defense, highlighted by three consecutive Gold Glove Awards. However, a closer look at his offensive profile raises questions about his fit for the Yankees. His career slash line of .250/.330/.463, paired with a career OPS+ of 114, offers only a slight edge over Gleyber Torres’ offensive output. Walker’s 133 strikeouts in 130 games during the 2024 season also stand in stark contrast to Anthony Rizzo’s more disciplined 65 strikeouts in 92 games.

Age and contract demands are additional considerations. Walker, who turns 34 in March, reportedly seeks a three-year deal, which would lock the Yankees into a commitment through his age-36 season—a potentially risky proposition given the natural decline in performance often seen in a player’s mid-30s.

With a shallow free-agent market at first base headlined by Pete Alonso, the Yankees may explore alternative solutions. Promoting internal talent such as Ben Rice or targeting international prospects like Kazuma Okamoto, a 28-year-old Japanese slugger with significant power potential, could present more sustainable and cost-effective paths. Such moves might align better with the Yankees’ long-term vision than investing in Walker’s later career.

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