TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees signed former All-Star infielder Paul DeJong to a minor league deal back in January, and few people noticed. It was a quiet move for a club that had bigger fish to fry. Cody Bellinger’s five-year, $162.5 million contract was still being finalized. Anthony Volpe’s timeline to return from shoulder surgery remained unclear. DeJong was just another name on the non-roster invite list.
But three months later, the 32-year-old veteran has reached a contract crossroads that carries real significance for the Yankees’ infield depth heading into Opening Day.
A quiet signing that suddenly matters
AP Photo/Nick Wass
DeJong agreed to a minor league contract with a spring training invitation in early January. The deal included a $1 million salary if he made the big league roster. As a veteran free agent who signed a minor league deal, DeJong holds the right to opt out at a designated point during spring training.
That date arrives Thursday, March 20. DeJong can walk away from the Yankees and re-enter free agency. Given his roster odds, it would not be a shocking choice.
The 2019 NL All-Star has bounced through six organizations since leaving the St. Louis Cardinals. He spent 2025 with the Washington Nationals, where he slashed .228/.269/.373 with a .642 OPS and six home runs in 57 games. A fractured nose from a Mitch Keller fastball in April cost him 10 weeks. His strikeout rate ballooned to 33.7 percent, a career high.
This spring with the Yankees has not been much better at the plate. Paul DeJong is hitting .194 with two home runs, three RBI and 11 strikeouts in 31 at-bats through Yankees spring training. His .757 OPS is respectable, but the contact issues remain.
DeJong’s surprising decision revealed
Despite the long odds, DeJong is not going anywhere. According to New York Post reporter Joel Sherman, the veteran does not plan to exercise his opt-out clause on Thursday.
“Source: Paul DeJong does not plan to opt out of his minor league deal with the Yankees tomorrow (Thursday) as is his right as XX(b) free agent,” Sherman wrote on X on Wednesday. “His plan is to try to make the team and, if not, at least begin the season at AAA.”
Source: Paul DeJong does not plan to opt out of his minor league deal with the Yankees tomorrow (Thursday) as is his right as XX(b) free agent. His plan is to try to make the team and, if not, at least begin the season at AAA.
That decision tells you two things. First, DeJong sees a path to the Bronx, even if it is a narrow one. Second, he values what the Yankees’ organization can offer, even at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, over testing a barren free agent market in late March.
Why the Yankees’ infield picture gives DeJong hope
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Volpe underwent left shoulder surgery in October and is not expected to return until at least May. His absence reshuffles the entire Yankees infield. Jose Caballero will start at shortstop on Opening Day when the club opens the 2026 season March 25 in San Francisco.
The Yankees also have Amed Rosario, who signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal to provide right-handed depth and is expected to platoon with Ryan McMahon at third base. Manager Aaron Boone has said he is comfortable with McMahon taking reps at shortstop in an emergency.
The club also acquired Max Schuemann via trade to add another utility option. With Oswaldo Cabrera returning from a season-ending knee injury suffered last May, the Yankees have several infielders competing for a handful of bench spots.
MLB Trade Rumors noted this week that there does not appear to be a strong chance for DeJong to crack the Opening Day roster, barring injuries. Rosario’s ability to hit left-handed pitching gives him an edge over DeJong for a bench spot.
But DeJong can play all four infield positions. He still has pop from the right side, having slugged .446 against lefties in 2025. And he is just one season removed from hitting 24 home runs between the White Sox and Royals in 2024.
A career in search of one more chapter
DeJong’s best days feel distant. His All-Star campaign in St. Louis produced 30 home runs, 31 doubles and a 5.2 bWAR. He led NL shortstops in fielding percentage, assists, putouts and double plays that year. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2017 after slugging 25 home runs in 108 games.
Since leaving the Cardinals, the production has dropped. He has played for the Blue Jays, Giants, White Sox, Royals, Nationals and now the Yankees. That is seven organizations in 10 MLB seasons. Staying put in the Bronx, even on a Yankees minor league deal, signals that DeJong is betting on the organization’s situation more than his own market value.
With Volpe sidelined and the Yankees’ bench still taking shape, an early-season injury to Caballero or McMahon could thrust DeJong into a meaningful role with the Yankees. That is the gamble he is making. For a player trying to extend his career, the Yankees’ infield uncertainty is not a roadblock. It is an opportunity.
