New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman will be the first to tell you his team needs an infielder.
Whether that acquisition is a third baseman or a second baseman remains to be seen, but it’s clear the Yankees need some sort of upgrade.
The team has reportedly tried to push for the best third baseman on the market such as Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado, but there is a Gold Glove second baseman who could fill what the Yankees are looking for in the infield.
Brendan Rodgers hit .267 with 13 home runs and 54 RBI in 2024 with the Colorado Rockies. That was the second-highest batting average of his career, 17 points lower than his personal best of .284 in 2021.
He won a Gold Glove at second base with the Rockies in 2021 for his defensive work. Rodgers is more likely to be considered a defense-first player, but he can put the ball in play when necessary.
Baseball Savant shows his expected home runs in 2024 was 12.7, which indicates that any home run he hit was more than deserving of getting out based on launch angle and exit velocity.
Rodgers is projected to sign a five-year deal worth just over $56 million. There’s a chance he could get up to $60 million which would push the average annual value up to $12 million.
The Yankees signing Rodgers makes a lot of sense as they get a stalwart defender at second base. If Rodgers can continue to hit north of .250 and slightly increase the number of RBI he records, his contract would pay for itself.
