ARLINGTON, Texas — Paul DeJong signed with the New York Yankees in January knowing exactly what he was getting. A minor-league contract. A spring training invite. A chance to compete for a utility infield role.
He did not make the big-league club out of camp. The shortstop went to Triple-A Scranton. He has been there for nearly a month now, waiting.
On Monday, DeJong stopped waiting quietly. He sent the Yankees a message. Promote me by April 30 or I am gone.
The Yankees are almost certainly going to let him go.
The ultimatum and what triggered it
New York Post insider Jon Heyman broke the news on April 27. He reported that DeJong had formally notified the Yankees of his plans.
“Paul DeJong gave the Yankees notice he’s planning to opt out at the end of the month if not promoted,” Heyman wrote.
That left the Yankees four days to decide. The clock runs out on April 30.
DeJong signed his minor-league deal with an opt-out clause built into the contract. The arrangement is standard for experienced veterans who agree to spend time in the minors without a guaranteed roster spot. The team can keep the player at Triple-A as long as the organization sees fit. The player has a specific calendar date at which he can walk away and pursue a major-league opening elsewhere.
DeJong has now exercised that leverage. The problem is that the Yankees hold most of the cards.
No path to the roster, no case to be made
There are three shortstops ahead of DeJong on the Yankees’ depth chart. Anthony Volpe is nearing his return from a shoulder rehab assignment and is expected back imminently. Jose Caballero has been one of the hottest hitters in the American League. Jazz Chisholm Jr. plays second base and can cover short when needed.
Caballero’s numbers have made this a non-debate. Since April 11, the 29-year-old is slashing .357/.390/.589 with three home runs, 10 RBI and six stolen bases. The Yankees went 10-5 in those 15 games. He led the major leagues with 44 stolen bases in 2024 and is one of the most dynamic baserunners in the game. You do not bench a player producing at that level to make room for a Triple-A utility man on the final days of his minor-league contract.
DeJong is also not making the statistical case for himself convincingly. In 22 games at Scranton this season, he is batting .213 with a .900 OPS built largely by six home runs and a .359 on-base percentage. The power has shown up in stretches, but the contact has not been consistent. Over his last five games, he was 2-for-13 at the plate. For a player trying to convince a front office to create a roster spot, that recent form does not help his argument.
The probability of DeJong receiving the promotion as close to zero. Anyone currently on the Yankees’ active roster, the report noted, offers more short-term upside than DeJong would bring.
DeJong’s career and what brought him to New York
DeJong, who will turn 33 in August, spent the first seven seasons of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals after they drafted him in the fourth round out of Illinois State University in 2015. He earned his only All-Star selection in 2019 when he launched 30 home runs and drove in 78 runs, establishing himself briefly as one of the better power shortstops in the National League. In nine major-league seasons, he has accumulated 146 home runs, 423 RBI and a 13.1 career WAR.
His numbers have declined significantly since that 2019 peak. Since leaving St. Louis after the 2022 season, he has played for the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals. He appeared in 57 games for the Nationals in 2025. His career batting average stands at .229.
The Yankees brought him in on a minor-league deal worth $1 million if added to the 40-man roster. The organization viewed him as depth insurance during Volpe’s absence. With Volpe now close to returning, that need has expired.
What comes next for DeJong and the Yankees
If DeJong opts out on April 30, he becomes a free agent and can sign with any club immediately. At 32 and with a career batting average of .229, he is unlikely to receive multiple offers for everyday starting time. But a team with an infield opening and a need for right-handed power off the bench could find value in a veteran who has played shortstop, second base and third base at the major-league level.
Prospect George Lombard Jr., just 20 years old, is slashing .324/.414/.595 at Double-A with four home runs and 10 RBI. He is a shortstop representing the Yankees’ future at the position — another reason the organization has no motivation to create a spot for an aging veteran with a limited ceiling.
The Yankees entered Tuesday at 19-10 and lead the AL East by 1.5 games over the Tampa Bay Rays. Their infield is crowded, effective and about to get healthier with Volpe’s return. There is no room and no pressing reason to act.
DeJong’s deadline will almost certainly pass without a promotion call. The separation, when it comes at month’s end, will be mutual.
What do you think. Should the Yankees let him go?
