The Yankees made a pair of additions ahead of Tuesday evening’s Rule 5 Draft protection deadline, adding infielder Caleb Durbin and catcher/utility Jesus Rodriguez to the 40-man roster.
Additionally, the Yankees received RHP Carson Coleman as a Rule 5 Draft return from Texas. With the two above moves, the Yankees’ 40-man roster stands at 37 players.
Durbin, 24, was one of two players acquired in December 2022 from the Braves for Lucas Luetge, and he blossomed this season across three levels, slashing .275/.388/.451 with 10 home runs, 60 RBI, 31 steals, 53 walks, 25 doubles, and 61 runs in 90 combined games.
He was also an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” and maned Breakout Prospect of the Year after slashing .312/.427/.548 with five homers, 21 RBI, 26 runs, 17 walks, and an AzFL single-season record 29 steals in 24 games for the league champion Salt River Rafters.
Durbin has been discussed already this offseason as a potential option to take over second base in the Bronx this season, but for now, the 2021 14th-round pick is on the 40-man roster.
Rodriguez, 22, was an international free agent signing in 2018, and would have become a minor-league free agent this winter. He played 79 games between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset, slashing .302/.375/.481 with 10 homers, 47 RBI, 48 runs, 15 doubles, 33 walks, and nine steals.
He is a catcher by trade – now one of six players on the Yankees’ 40-man roster who is experienced behind the plate – but he also played 23 games at third base and 13 in left field this past season.
Coleman, 26, was selected by Texas in last winter’s Rule 5 Draft, but has not pitched since 2022. He had Tommy John surgery in 2023 before being selected by the Rangers with the hopes he might be ready for the second half of the season, but a setback in his recovery timeline kept him out for a second consecutive full year, and the Rangers – who already had him accrue a year of service time while on the 60-day MLB IL – decided not to keep him.