Should the Yankees Trade For This Switch-Hitting Infielder?

The Yankees are running out of infield options to consider, but this one could be a good fit.

Sep 26, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins second base Willi Castro (50) throws to first base after fielding a ball hit by Miami Marlins second base Otto Lopez (61) at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Time is running out for the New York Yankees to make an infield upgrade.

Due to the departure of second baseman Gleyber Torres back in December, incumbent third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. is expected to move back to his natural position. However, this creates a new hole at third that the Bronx Bombers (as currently constructed) would fill with DJ LeMahieu or Oswaldo Cabrera, neither of whom are reliable options as full-time starters (especially given LeMahieu's rapid decline in 2024).

As for infield options on the market, there aren't many. The Yankees aren't interested in trading for Nolan Arenado or signing Alex Bregman due to financial constraints, while other targets such as Ha-Seong Kim and Jorge Polanco have signed this week with the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners, respectively.

But if New York looks over at the Minnesota Twins, they can find an ideal candidate: 27-year-old Willi Castro.

Castro, a switch-hitting utility man, has developed into a jack-of-all-trades player that can address multiple needs for the Yankees. Last season, Castro played in 158 games and posted a career-best 3.1 fWAR; he hit .247/.331/.385 with 12 home runs and a 108 wRC+, along with a cumulative Statcast Fielding Run Value of +3 while playing second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield.

While Castro's offensive numbers are only modest with average to below-average Baseball Savant peripherals, putting him in Yankee Stadium's homer-friendly environment should benefit him when batting from the left side; if he can hit more fly balls to the pull-side more consistently, Castro can surely take advantage of the Short Porch or the short left-field corner.

Defensively, Castro has accumulated 458 total innings at third, which does pale in comparison to his time at other positions; however, his 89.7 MPH arm strength and great fielding range in general should allow him to comfortably assume the position full-time. The versatility at other positions is also highly beneficial, as it gives the Yankees much-needed depth in case of an injury to a key player. Granted, Cabrera and LeMahieu are strong defenders too, but they don't have the offensive upside to be everyday players (or in the case of LeMahieu, he no longer has that upside).

Finally, Castro can be a great weapon on the basepaths if deployed properly. He actually had a poor baserunning season last year, being worth -0.6 baserunning runs due to only stealing 14 bases while being caught nine times. But in 2023, in just 124 games, the utility player swiped 33 bags in 38 attempts and was worth 5.1 baserunning runs. If Castro can recapture what made him such a threat on the bases, then he can provide a massive jolt to a Yankees club that was notoriously awful on the bases last year.

It is worth mentioning that if the Bronx Bombers were to inquire about Castro's trade availability, he would be a rental and hit free agency during the ensuing offseason. But given the Twins' lack of activity this offseason and ownership looking to slash payroll, it shouldn't be difficult for the Yankees to give Minnesota a fair return.

Would Castro be the be-all, end-all solution for the Yankees at third base? No. But given what the Yankees would be trotting out at the position if the season began today, he'd be a significant upgrade.

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