Yankees Interested in Asdrubal Cabrera to Play 2B

With the MLB Winter Meetings officially underway, much of the news has been dominated by the recent Los Angeles Dodgers acquisition of Aroldis Chapman.

However, there is some news on the New York Yankees front.

According to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, the Yankees are interested in free agent veteran Asdrubal Cabrera to play second base, but they continue to report that they have a tight budget to work with this winter.

Adding the 30-year old Asdrubal Cabrera would be very interesting from the Yankees perspective. Not only does it alter their plan of having Rob Refsnyder and Dustin Ackley platoon at second base in 2016, but it would potentially give them another trade chip in Rob Refsnyder to dangle during the MLB Winter Meetings in their quest for young starting pitching.

Last season, Cabrera slashed .265/.315/.430 with a .744 OPS in 143 games played with the Tampa Bay Rays. One advantage he gives the Yankees over both Ackley and Refsnyder is that he’s a switch-hitter and and can bat against both lefties and righties. Over the course of the past three seasons, Cabrera has slashed .254/.288/.396 against righties and .247/.315/.410 off southpaws. If Cabrera mans second base from both sides of the plate, it would ultimately give the Yankees an option to use a roster position to platoon at a different position other than second base.

The one unknown is how well Asdrubal Cabrera can play second base in Yankees stadium. Aside from 28 games in 2014 with the Washington Nationals, the last time Cabrera played second base semi-regularly was in 2009 with the Cleveland Indians, and even than he wasn’t a full-time second baseman.

MLB Trade Rumors predicts Asdrubal Cabrera to sign a two-year deal in the range of $18 MM, but with a limited second base market that only includes Ben Zobrist, Howie Kendrick and Daniel Murphy amongst a few others, Cabrera’s price tag could sky-rocket pending the market trend, especially with Ben Zobrist reportedly starting negotiations at 4 years in the $60 MM ball park.

In my opinion, the Yankees are unlikely to sign Cabrera, but this is certainly a developing story to keep and eye on.

What do yo think Yankee fans? Let us know in the comments below.

More from Yanks Go Yard

• Should Yankees toss short-term extension at Harrison Bader before 2023?
• Yankees chose worst possible player to ring in New Year on 2023 team calendar
• Yankees State of the Farm System Review: Josh Breaux
• Yankees make upside play, sign former Rangers top prospect outfielder
• MLB insider claims favorite emerging in Bryan Reynolds rumors (not Yankees)