New York Yankees: All-time best second basemen in franchise history

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New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano #24 of the New York Yankees – (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

5. player. 43. . 2005-2013. New York Yankees. Robinson Cano

New York Yankees all-time best second basemen – No. 5: Robinson Cano

35.8 WAR

Robinson Cano hit the scene in 2005 by finishing second on the Rookie of the Year balloting. He hit .297 with 14 home runs, 62 runs batted in, and 78 runs.

He didn’t slow down from there. In his nine seasons with the Yankees, he made five trips to the All-Star game, earned five Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves, and he finished in the top six of the MVP voting four times.

He enjoyed one five-year stretch, from 2009 through 2013 that was incredible. In those seasons, he averaged 28 home runs, 103 RBI, and 99 runs scored. He also hit .314 with an OPS of .899.

From 2007 through 2013, he played in at least 159 games every year. Can you imagine the luxury it was to run a second baseman with those offensive skills onto the field every day?

He took his glove with him when he took the field too. He led the league with a Defensive WAR of 2.8 in 2007 and was in the top ten two other seasons.

Since leaving the New York Yankees after 2013, he has remained a very productive player, though not on the level of his Yankee campaigns. He also has a chance at 3,000 hits; he’s just 430 away.

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