Yankees prospect Caleb Durbin has carved out a unique place in Arizona Fall League history with his exceptional baserunning prowess. On Saturday at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Durbin helped lead Salt River to an 8-3 win over Mesa, swiping three more bases to push his season total to 22 steals in just 18 games. This performance places him second on the league’s all-time single-season steals list.
Durbin’s feat surpassed his own previous mark, as he stands as the league’s career leader in stolen bases with 43 and counting. Only Rick Holifield’s 24 steals from 1994 remain ahead of him—a record set before Durbin was born.
While Durbin noted that setting records wasn’t a primary goal, he admitted to becoming more aware of the milestone mid-season, especially after nearly matching the mark last year with 21 steals.
Durbin has made his mark in multiple ways on the Fall League’s baserunning records. On October 25, he tied the single-game steals record with four swipes, contributing to Salt River’s team achievement of 10 steals in one game—a feat that hasn’t been replicated in Major League Baseball since the Marlins did so on May 18, 2000.
What sets Durbin apart is his efficiency, being caught only once in 23 steal attempts this fall. He has highlighted how his aggressive baserunning impacts the game, forcing pitchers to split their focus and creating better opportunities for hitters at the plate.
Caleb Durbin’s impact on the basepaths was clear from the first inning of Saturday’s game. After drawing a leadoff walk against Rays prospect Jackson Lancaster, the pressure Durbin applied led to a wild pitch that sailed to the backstop. Durbin advanced to second and promptly stole third on the next pitch. His aggressive baserunning set the stage for D-backs No. 5 prospect Tommy Troy, who capitalized with a two-run homer just three pitches into his at-bat.
Durbin’s participation in the Fall League follows a disrupted 2024 season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where an injury on May 23 halted his momentum. During the second game of a doubleheader, he was hit by a fastball on his right wrist. Although he initially stayed on to run, he was soon pulled from the game, and later diagnosed with a fracture that kept him sidelined for two months.
The Fall League offered Durbin a chance to regain game experience and accumulate at-bats ahead of the offseason. The Yankees face an important decision as they consider adding the 24-year-old to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings in Dallas this December.
Since being drafted by the Braves in the 14th round out of Washington University in St. Louis in 2021, Durbin has consistently showcased elite base-stealing skills. The Yankees acquired him in December 2022 in a trade for left-hander Lucas Luetge. This fall, he has expanded his versatility, starting at second base, third base, shortstop, and in both left and center field.
Caleb Durbin has showcased standout base-stealing skills during his Fall League stint, contrasting with his more restrained approach in the Yankees’ minor league system. Even with a strategic mindset at Triple-A, Durbin has consistently notched at least 30 steals each season, including 31 across three levels this year.
Durbin described the difference in tactics, explaining that his Triple-A approach was more selective and methodical, while his current Fall League play embraces a freer, more daring style, adding an element of enjoyment to his game.
His speed on the bases is increasingly valuable in MLB’s evolving environment, where new pickoff rules have opened up more opportunities for steals. This skill could be crucial for the Yankees, who lagged in the American League with only 88 stolen bases in 2024 and haven’t had a 30-steal player since Jacoby Ellsbury in 2014.
Beyond stealing bases, Durbin shows a strong grasp of the mechanics behind outpacing catchers’ throw times and the broader strategic elements of roster construction ahead of this winter. He acknowledged that part of his motivation in the Fall League is to catch the attention of major league decision-makers, noting that reaching the majors has been his ultimate goal since starting his professional career. As that goal potentially draws closer, Durbin expressed excitement, emphasizing his commitment to showcasing his skills on the field.
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Durbin’s only problem is staying healthy. But this last year, he got hurt with a HBP, like Judge did in 2018. Durbin would make a great 2B and leadoff replacement for Torres. I had him pegged as Torres replacement already last off season.