Yankees prospect is doing his best to make New York forget all about Gleyber Torres

Re-signing Juan Soto is the New York Yankees' top priority in free agency but it isn't the only item on GM Brian Cashman's to-do list. Finding a second baseman to replace Gleyber Torres in the starting lineup is also essential for New York.

Torres was a popular player during most of his tenure with the Yankees, but the higher-ups in the franchise tired of his erratic fielding. That, combined with some significant slippage with the bat caused the team's front office to let him hit free agency.

If the Yankees are able to re-sign Soto it will cost them a small fortune. Finding cost-effective options to fill out the roster will be one of Cashman's great challenges. That's why prospect Caleb Durbin might get a chance to take over for Torres next season.

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Caleb Durbin has a strong case to replace Gleyber Torres

The former 14th-round pick flashed several of his intriguing skills during the Arizona Fall League. He made an outstanding defensive play during the Falls Star game when deployed as a third baseman. Perhaps more importantly, Durbin also showcased solid plate discipline while going 2-for-3 with one walk at the plate.

Adding Durbin to the major league roster would also give the Yankees another aggressive base-stealer to put pressure on opponents. Manager Aaron Boone classified him as an "elite" base stealer based on what he's been able to do in the minors. Pairing Durbin with shortstop Anthony Volpe could help New York produce more runs without leveraging the home run next year.

It still would be a significant risk for the Yankees to trust a relatively unheralded prospect with a starting spot in a season where they fully expect to be World Series contenders. The safer strategy would be to allow Durbin to get some more minor league at-bats before he's called up to the Bronx.

That may not be a luxury the Yankees can afford in 2025. In a season where cost-controlled talent would be a premium it's possible that Durbin could seize the second base spot for his own. He's just the sort of athlete New York wants to add to the mix in future seasons.