It is no mystery that the big question for the New York Yankees positionally is third base. The 2024 season saw a combination of Jon Berti, DJ LeMahieu, and Oswaldo Cabrera take the field at third before a trade for Jazz Chisholm had him secure the hot corner.
Some similar names will be in the mix for the position in 2025, along with a potential trade that might shake up the conversation even more.
As pitchers and catchers reported, DJ LeMahieu is suspected to be the favorite to earn the starting spot. Aaron Boone is already quoted as saying, “I’m not going to put anything past a healthy DJ.”
When healthy, LeMahieu was one of the best contact hitters in the league, as shown by his lifetime .289 batting average. However, over the last four seasons, his batting average has been heading in the wrong direction, and he slashed just .204/.269/.259 in 67 games in 2024.
At this point in his career, LeMahieu is most likely better suited for a utility role off the bench, but if he can man the position at an average level, it can buy the Yankees time to make a move at the trade deadline.
Cabrera would be the Yankees’ super-utility man in a perfect world, playing all four infield positions and the corner outfield spots in a pinch. However, his current situation allows him to compete and earn a starting role at third. In 108 games last season, he had a slash line of .247/.296/.365, along with 8 HR, 36 RBI, 19.3 K%, 6.4 BB%, and 88 wRC+.
His defensive versatility is vital for the Yankees, but his bat needs to take another step to be considered a starter on the opening-day roster. He needs to show incredible patience and improve his bat-to-ball skills to continue decreasing his chase rate and swing percentage.
Peraza is most likely the in-house option with the most unknown. Not long ago, Peraza was an impressive prospect battling Anthony Volpe for the shortstop position. With Volpe locked in at that position, Peraza must move to third for any hope of regular playing time as a Yankee.
Peraza did see a 52-game run at third in 2023, taking over for an injured Josh Donaldson. Perhaps being played out of position at third interfered with his performance at the plate because he managed a paltry .191/.267/.272 triple slash line and 51 wRC+ in 191 plate appearances.
Arenado has been the subject of trade rumors since last season, but they picked up steam this winter. The St. Louis Cardinals had a deal to send him to the Astros, but Arenado used his no-trade clause to block it, which has confused a few people to this day. The third baseman has since lobbied to join either the Red Sox or the Yankees, but after Boston’s deal to sign Alex Bregman, it leaves just the Bronx Bombers in the mix.
Even with his power numbers taking a step back the last few years, Arenado has remained, at worst, a barely above-league-average hitter. When taking into consideration his elite work defensively, he is more than a valuable player to have.
The Yankees did many good things in the offseason as they began their adventure to return to the World Series and potentially win it all. They solidified their outfield and other infield positions, bolstered their starting rotation and bullpen, and now enter spring training with fewer questions than they did in the past.
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