The state of second base around Major League Baseball as a whole is not particularly strong entering 2026. The number of stars at the position is as low as it’s been in recent memory, making the few players
who do fit that description coveted assets and a major advantage for their respective teams. The Yankees have one of those players in Jazz Chisholm Jr, who needed just 130 games to post a 30/30 season (31 HR and 31 SB) in 2025.
Chisholm’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors this offseason as he enters the final year of his contract, but it seems unlikely that the Yankees would actually move him. They would be wise to look into extending his contract this season or retaining him once he hits free agency. There is a dearth of stars at the position, and the rest of the Yankees’ infield depth at the major league level consists of quality backups and second-division starters, in the form of Jose Caballero, Amed Rosario, and Oswaldo Cabrera. And just as important is a lack of great prospects at second base on the Yankee farm right now.
None of the Yankees’ most promising prospects are primary second basemen, and given the amount of middle-infield depth on the roster it’d be surprising to see the minor leaguers knock on the door of the Bronx this season. The only player who could plausibly be in the mix for a depth bench role is Jorbit Vivas, who played 29 games at the big-league level in 2025. Vivas looked like an excellent contact-first hitter in Triple-A last year with a 13.9/9.8 BB/K% and rock-solid contact rates, but his production fell apart once he went up against MLB pitching. In 66 plate appearances, he slashed .161/.266/.250 with one home run and a 52 wRC+. It wasn’t the biggest sample size, but Vivas will have to perform far better than that to avoid being labeled a perennial “Quad-A” player. He will almost certainly begin the 2026 season in Triple-A.
Behind Vivas in the system are Owen Cobb and Enmanuel Tejeda, who were active this offseason in Winter Ball and the Arizona Fall League, respectively. Cobb was acquired as a free agent in 2024 and spent most of his age-24 season in Low-A, before getting bumped up to High-A at the end of the season. He looked good in the Australian Winter League with a .305 batting average, .842 OPS, and four home runs, but he’s well behind age-to-level expectations and does not currently project to reach the highest level.
Tejeda, who turned 21-years-old on Christmas Day, was acquired in international free agency back in 2022. He is a well-rounded infielder with a mature approach and impressive plate discipline, but he also has fallen behind expectations by still being in Low-A at the end of the 2025 season. Tejeda missed some games due to injury this year, which resulted in his stint in the AFL where he slashed .254/.412/.358 with 16 walks and 19 strikeouts in 69 plate appearances. The highlight of his season was an explosive performance on November 4th, when he went 5-for-5 with three stolen bases and three RBI. Tejeda will likely open the season with High-A Hudson Valley, which will be an important step in his development.
Rounding out the second base depth in the organization is a trio of players expected to start the year either in High-A or Low-A: Connor McGinnis, Santiago Gomez, and Gabriel Terrero. McGinnis was drafted out of Houston in the 10th round of the 2025 MLB Draft. He hit .343 in his final year of college, but stumbled out of the gate in his pro debut with Hudson Valley and will likely start the season there as he tries to find his footing. Gomez made his stateside debut in 2025 after spending almost four years between the Dominican Summer League and the Complex, which in itself is a huge red flag for a player’s development. Terrero is in a similar spot, having spent all of 2023 in the DSL and the last two seasons in the Complex League. He will likely begin 2026 in Tampa, but it seems unlikely for him to reach much higher than that anytime soon.
The prospect pipeline at second base is not exactly about to burst, but the amount of major-league depth at the position makes this a secondary concern. As long as Jazz Chisholm Jr. stays healthy, the Yankees are in a great spot at the position in 2026 and perhaps even beyond.
