Yankees trade acquisition still facing questionable fit on 2026 Opening Day roster

When the New York Yankees traded for Athletics' utility man Max Schuemann last month, the question on the minds of many was why. The 28-year-old was a 20th-round pick who took six years to reach the majors and was coming off a season in which he hit .197/.295/.273. While he's versatile and good defensively, it was hard to see why he was worth trading for.

The Eastern Michigan product entered the spring looking to make his mark and earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. Unfortunately, he was going to have an uphill battle.

The Yankees already have two utility types who are locks in Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario. Caballero will serve as the starting shortstop until Anthony Volpe returns from shoulder surgery. That opens a spot temporarily, but it's still hard to see how Schuemann makes the cut.

That's because other bench spots will be held by Paul Goldschmidt and a backup catcher, likely J.C. Escarra. New York would also like to carry a right-handed-hitting outfielder, with Randal Grichuk fitting the bill. That will complete the squeeze and force Schuemann out of the equation.

Yankees trade acquisition Max Schuemann is a long shot to make the Opening Day roster

For his part, Schuemann has done what he needs to do to make this as difficult a decision as possible. Through seven spring games, he's hitting a face-melting .417/.632/.500. It's impressive, but it doesn't exactly erase 234 big league games with a .212/.306/.297 line.

The Yankees' baffling decision to experiment with Ryan McMahon as the backup shortstop shows they aren't taking Schuemann seriously as a bench option. The former Athletic actually has experience at short, with the bulk coming via 788 1/3 innings in 2024, and has shown he can be an above-average defender there. McMahon's showing has been a trainwreck, but it doesn't matter. If there was any inclination to consider Schuemann for a bench role, those reps would be his and not go to a guy who has never played the position as a pro.

Lastly, there's a convenience factor working against the multi-positional maven. He has all three of his minor league options remaining, whereas some other contenders for roster spots don't. The Yankees can easily stash him in Scranton until he's needed or another player they carry proves he doesn't belong, while trying to do the same with some other guys would likely result in them electing free agency and pursuing opportunities elsewhere.

Ultimately, the Yankees didn't give up much to get him. Luis Burgos, a 20-year-old right-handed pitcher, went to the Athletics, and after spending two straight years in the DSL, he wasn't on any prospect radars. Still, it's unfortunate to give up any sort of asset for a guy who has no pathway to real playing time. You'd prefer your Triple-A depth to come via minor league free agent signings, but alas, it looks like that will be Schuemann's role at the start of the 2026 regular season.