About the Off-Season: Youth?

About the Off-season: Is a Youth Movement Underway? 

By Tim Kabel

November 14, 2024

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The New York Yankees could be on the cusp of an honest to goodness full-fledged youth movement. That is something we haven't seen in quite some time. Not only that, but the Yankees may also be able to pull off being both young and good at the same time.

Frequently, teams that are young are not very good, because they are developing. They can gradually progress to being good but often like children or puppies, they go through awkward phases. The Yankees could potentially avoid that. Let's take a closer look. 

Austin Wells should be the starting catcher next year.  He is one of the finalists for Rookie of the Year this season. He is 25 years old. He will have one year and an appearance in the World Series under his belt going into 2025.

Anthony Volpe will be the starting shortstop. He will be entering his third year in the Major Leagues. He won the Gold Glove in 2023. He raised his batting average 34 points in 2024 from the preceding year. He also now has experience playing in the World Series and hit a game Grand Slam in game four against the Dodgers. He also had a double and two stolen bases in that game. He is 23 years old.

Jazz Chisholm, Jr. hit 24 home runs and stole 40 bases in 2024. At this point, he is the third baseman. He could potentially shift back to second base but for now, he's the third baseman.  He is a solid left-handed hitter with a flair for the dramatic. He may not be a star but, he's a solid player and just a tier below the star level. Playing a full season in Yankee Stadium with a loaded lineup may raise his game to a higher level. He is 26 years old and also has experience playing in the World Series now.

Jasson Dominguez is projected to be the starter in either centerfield or leftfield, depending on where Aaron Judge plays. I think it also depends on whether Juan Soto returns or not. Although Dominguez was used sparingly in the postseason, he did get the experience of being there, much like Derek Jeter did in 1995. The Yankees, and many others have a very high opinion of Dominguez and expect that his combination of speed and power will translate very well to the Major Leagues. He is only 21 years old. 

The Yankees very well may re-sign Juan Soto. He is a finalist for the MVP in 2024. He is one of the best players in baseball. He paired with Aaron Judge to form one of the most dynamic duos in the history in the major leagues. He has a World Series ring and has played in two World Series. He just turned 26 years old. 

At this point, the Yankees do not have a first baseman or a second baseman. They have options, but they do not have an assigned player for either position. If they do not add anyone via free agency or trade, and stick strictly with people in the organization, it would seem likely that Caleb Durbin would be the front runner for second base. He hits for a high average, is a very good fielder, and is an excellent base runner and base stealer. He is the prototypical leadoff hitter. He is setting records in the Arizona Fall League and had a tremendous Fall Star game. He has been praised by Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone. Caleb Durbin is 24 years old.

Ben Rice showed some flashes of true ability and potential in his debut in 2024. He could develop into a solid left-handed hitting first baseman with power. He is 25 years old.

The Yankees could make changes to their roster. They could make a trade or sign a free agent to play first base or second base or both. It is also possible that even if they do that, the additions could also be younger players.

The point is that other than Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, most of the Yankees starters next season will be under 30 years old. In some cases, they will be well under 30 years old. That is a shift in the right direction.

Anthony Rizzo will not be on the team next year. It is highly likely that DJ LeMahieu will not be on the roster next year. The Yankees will be younger, more athletic, and faster. Volpe, Chisholm, Dominguez, and Durbin are all excellent base runners, who can steal bases. That will be an added dimension to the team that could help them in many ways, particularly in that they won't be so reliant on the home run.

There is one thing to keep in mind amid all this excitement over the Yankees getting younger. For the most part, Aaron Boone has not shown an interest in or an ability to develop young players. He seems to only do it when it is thrust upon him. He favors veterans, even when they are on a steep decline, over younger players. He also does not come across as the nurturing and supportive type of manager. He seems more inclined to joke around, blow bubbles, and talk about himself whenever possible. Have you ever noticed that when he does talk about young players, the conversation always goes back to him? The fact that Boone did not get an extension may exacerbate this situation. Because he is essentially singing for his supper, he may be even less inclined to develop young players than he already is. It will be interesting to see. If that turns out to be the case, it may backfire on Boone and may be the thing that costs him his job. 2024 is a very exciting year and the prospect of having multiple young, athletic, and exciting ball players on the team next season may make it an even more exciting year and lead to that elusive World Series victory. 

I would like to take a moment for a personal note. As many of you who have read my articles know, I have written a great deal about my young cat, Nut. I wrote about how I enjoyed feeding him various tidbits and how he would avoid being held or petted excessively, but he was always very close to me. He would sit on the chair next to me at the table when I ate meals. He would sit next to the table frequently and stand up and tap the corner with his front paws, asking for food. He would follow me around regularly. 

It is with a heavy heart that I write that Nut passed away on Tuesday night very unexpectedly of FIP, which is essentially an equivalent of coronavirus in cats. There was nothing that could be done for him and as was his wont, he walked into my bedroom around midnight, looked me in the eye and then went under the bed. Sometime in the middle of the night, he passed away directly beneath me; “close, but not too close” seemed to be his motto. I will miss him. 

Mark Twain owned 19 cats and sometimes as many as 32. When he traveled, he would rent cats so that he would have something to pet while he was staying away from home. He once wrote, “when a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction.” He also wrote, “if animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering, outspoken fellow; but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much.” Farewell, my little friend.