The Yankees intend to find out Ryan McMahon others are working as a shortstop this spring, manager Aaron Boone tells Greg Joyce of the New York Post and other reporters. They will test whether they feel comfortable using him as a potential backup option early in the regular season. Anthony Volpe starts the season on the injured list after having postseason labrum surgery. That pulls the utilityman José Caballero in the lineup at shortstop and leave them without a clear backup at the position.
Amed Rosario he has the shortest experience of any of their deep interior players. He was an everyday shortstop in Cleveland early in his career but struggled defensively and was thrown out of position a lot. Rosario started 11 games there in 2024 and pitched every two innings in the spot last year. He’s a solid second/third baseman at this stage of his career, though his biggest appeal off the bench is his ability to hit lefty pitches. Max Schuemann again Oswaldo Cabrera can cover shortstop but is a better fit at second or third base, while outfielders are options Jorbit Vivas he never started a professional game at short.
McMahon’s experience at shortstop consists of three innings for the 2020 Rockies. He didn’t play there at all in the junior teams. Listed at 6’2″, 217 pounds and a below average runner, he is best suited for the third base job. McMahon is an elite defender at the hot corner, ranking second in Defensive Runs Saved (behind It’s Bryan Hayes) and third in Outs Above Average (behind Hayes and Michael Garcia) over the past three seasons. His range will be extended at shortstop, but he should have the hands and arm strength to make a regular play.
That may be all the Yankees will need to consider him in a short-term backup role. He would see most of his time at third base. If they feel that McMahon is a better fill-in at shortstop than Rosario, they can elevate Caballero to hit in key spots and provide better protection in the event of an injury.
That can also help the flexibility of the program. Cabrera and Schuemann still have options left. They have three bench jobs done between Rosario, Paul Goldschmidt and a backup handler (perhaps JC Escarra). Not needing to carry another stop would mean they could find a Vivas camp or consider keeping it Jason Domínguez up as a fourth baseman. If they want a true shortstop off the bench, they’ll need to pick an undrafted rookie Braden Shewmake, Zack Short or Paul DeJong on the 40-man roster.
Ideally, all of that will be a temporary arrangement. Volpe could return early in the season, pushing Caballero into a self-made backup role. The 24-year-old discussed his adjustment with MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, noting that he has started hitting but is not in a position to risk himself for ground balls. Volpe indicated he is not closing the door on him making his season debut before April rolls around, though Hoch added that GM Brian Cashman has suggested he return in May.
Volpe has been a hitter in his first three seasons in the big leagues. He showed 20-20 power but with a subpar batting average and on-base percentage. He was off to a good start last year before suffering a shoulder injury in early May. Even though offensive rebounds were coming no matter what, injuries proved to be devastating on the other side of the ball. The 2023 Golden Glove winner had a surprisingly bad season on defense. Caballero was a better player when he was healthy, but the Yankees hope Volpe will get a strong start when he’s healthy.
