The Yankees called up infielder Jorbit Vivas last week for a brief stint as a big-leaguer when Trent Grisham went on the paternity list, but he was quickly optioned back to Triple-A without ever seeing the field. Given how well Vivas has performed in the minor leagues this April, there’s a real chance that the next time his number is called, it won’t be a formality; he could actually get a chance to prove himself as a pro.

Vivas was acquired in a 2-for-1 swap with the Dodgers in December 2023, when the Yankees shipped former first-round shortstop Trey Sweeney to Los Angeles to acquire the young infielder, as well as left-handed reliever Victor Gonzalez. (The Dodgers then used Sweeney as a trade piece of their own, packaging him with Thayron Liranzo at the deadline to acquire Jack Flaherty for their 2024 World Series run.)

Vivas had a mediocre first season with the organization offensively in 2024, with a .225/.347/.366 slash line, nine home runs, and 20 steals in 93 games in Triple-A Scranton. He recorded a 93 wRC+, meaning his offensive output was 7% below average for a hitter at the level. His well-rounded approach at the plate never faltered though, and Vivas walked almost as much as he struck out (13.7 BB% vs 16.6 K%).

The young 2025 season has seen a sizable step up for the now-24-year-old Vivas. His slash line sits at .322/.430/.448, his walk rate is almost identical to last year’s at 13.9%, and his strikeout rate has dropped all the way to just 6.5%. Vivas has recorded a 144 wRC+ in his first 24 games, and he’s been the RailRiders’ most consistent hitter.

Vivas’ underlying metrics back up the increased production as well. His average exit velocity has ticked up from 83.9 to 85.9 mph, and his hard-hit rate has jumped from 26.3% to 34.9%. The biggest difference though has been Vivas’ ability to make contact consistently. He’s always had a strong hit tool, but this year has been something special thus far. His contact rate has jumped from 77.8% to 89.2%, zone contact is up from 88.3% to 95.1%, and he’s even hitting pitches out of the zone 75.9% of the time, up from 58.1% in 2024. He’s swinging at more pitches in the strike zone, few pitches outside of it, and making contact with almost everything he swings at. He’s been squaring up the ball, to all parts of the field, while stealing bases consistently. These are all the traits you look for in a leadoff hitter.

These improvements raise the question of how the Yankees can best utilize Vivas to improve their chances of winning in 2025. Could he be a dark horse contender for the third base job?

The position has been a carousel for the Yankees the past few years, and unless the rehabbing DJ LeMahieu can defy the odds and return to his old ways at the plate, it seems this is likely to continue. Oswaldo Cabrera has held down the starting role in LeMahieu’s absence, and has actually been a bit better than league average at the plate during the month of April. Cabrera doesn’t provide much pop and his defense and baserunning leave a lot to be desired, but he’s been able to make enough contact to hold his own at the plate and be a decent 9-hole hitter. Oswald Peraza has played in 12 games as well this season, though he hasn’t impressed at the plate at all and seems to be nothing more than a bench player at this point in his career. The job appears to be LeMahieu’s upon return, but he was such a liability last season that he’ll have to make significant gains offensively to avoid third base continuing to be seen as the lineup’s biggest weak spot.

Though Vivas has to leapfrog quite a few players on the depth chart at third, it should be noted that Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s injury also could open up another lane. Though it’s unclear if the “right flank injury” that forced Chisholm out of last night’s win is serious enough to necessitate an IL stint, if Chisholm does miss time, Vivas could get another call-up, though Peraza will likely get the first shot at starting during any potential absence from Chisholm.

But if the Yankees stick with what they’ve got at third and Chisholm ultimately finds himself healthy and back at second, how can they capitalize on the gains Vivas is making offensively?

The most likely option at this point might just be via trade. Vivas has a similar skillset to Caleb Durbin, another infielder with strong contact skills, plus speed, and limited power, who the Yankees dealt to the Brewers last December in the Devin Williams trade. Durbin saw his value inflate during the 2024 season, but the Yankees didn’t see him as a long-term option, and they capitalized on it when the time was right. It’s fair to assume that they don’t see Vivas as the long-term answer either, so if these improvements at the plate remain consistent in Triple-A, there’s a good chance they attempt a similar maneuver here. Given the need for starting pitching created by the injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil and the need for a starting third baseman, there are a number of options they could pursue if they do look to trade Vivas. It could look similar to what the Dodgers did with Trey Sweeney, the player Vivas was originally traded for back in 2023.

Vivas is a player worth monitoring as he looks to maintain the gains he’s showed thus far in Triple-A in 2025. He appears to have unlocked something real, and it could lead to his number being called in the big leagues soon, whether that’s for the Yankees or another team that chooses to trade a veteran at a position of need.