The Yankees are set to add a veteran to their infield depth, agreeing to a Minor League deal with Paul DeJong, according to a report by MLB Network Insider Jon Heyman on Sunday morning. The club has not confirmed the news.
DeJong, 32, saw time at first base, second, third and short last season with the Nationals, playing the hot corner primarily. He hit .228 with a .642 OPS but was limited to just 57 games due to a fractured nose he sustained when he was hit by a Mitch Keller fastball in April.
As a right-handed-hitting utility infielder, DeJong’s profile overlaps quite a bit with that of Amed Rosario, who finalized a one-year deal with New York on Dec. 30. However, with Anthony Volpe expected to be out until May after undergoing left shoulder surgery, it makes sense that the Yankees would want to have additional infield options with shortstop experience in camp. As it stands, José Caballero is the favorite to be New York’s Opening Day shortstop, with Oswaldo Cabrera also a possibility.
While he hit 24 of his 146 career homers in 2024, DeJong is known more for his glove than his bat. He had perhaps his best defensive season in 2023, placing in the 95th percentile in the Majors with eight outs above average.
The former fourth-round pick has accumulated 13.2 bWAR across nine seasons, the first seven of which he spent with the Cardinals.
