GLENDALE, Ariz. — In his first year in the Yankees system, Caleb Durbin has established himself as a contact bat with solid speed on the bases, showcasing both skill sets throughout his 2023 campaign.
Those same qualities have been prevalent thus far in the Arizona Fall League, but the 23-year-old infielder has also harnessed some power at the plate.
Durbin wasted no time showing some punch from the right side Friday night at Camelback Ranch, belting a leadoff homer on the second pitch of the game in Mesa. Defeat 11-4 in Glendale. The Yankees farmhand extended his hitting streak to five games, in which he hit .500 (9 for 18) with five extra-base hits, including four doubles, and six RBIs.
“I feel good,” Durbin said. “I think the most important thing is that I feel really healthy right now. I had a few obstacles throughout the season that I had to overcome, but overall I feel like I’ve slowed my pace and I’m just happy to be here.
Facing Mets right-hander Jordan Geber to open the game, Durbin flipped a 93 mph fastball to left field for his second homer of the fall to give the Solar Sox a first-inning lead. His drive started at 100 mph and traveled 411 feet, landing in the bullpen. Durbin also added two walks and a single to his line to increase his OPS to 1.192.
The Braves’ 2021 14th-round pick out of Division III out of Washington University in St. Louis has quietly been one of the best hitters on the Fall League circuit, hitting .366/.509/.683 with six stolen goals. Durbin also walked more than he struck out – his BB/K ratio of 2.2 ranked second among all AFL hitters.
His ability to consistently put the ball in play – reflected in his organization-best 6.2 K% rate (among players with at least 250 plate appearances) – continues to be an area of focus. interest, but Durbin focused on trying to lift the ball more to maximize his power. He started to see it pay off over the course of 12 games.
“I was hitting the ball well this year, but I wasn’t putting it in the air enough,” Durbin said. “That was the most important thing for me. I had weeks during the season where I was coming up for air and getting quite a few extra base hits. It’s going well now, I’m in that rhythm of throwing the ball pretty consistently, that’s the key for me. Don’t do it a few times a week, but do it two, three, four times a game.
Acquired from the Braves in an offseason trade, Durbin entered the Yankees system after his first full season of pro ball in 2022, when he split 105 games between two minor league levels. An injury kept him out for nearly two months this year, but Durbin still managed to hit .304 with an .822 OPS in 69 games between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset.
“I worked really hard this last offseason,” Durbin said. “I’ve seen success this season. The Yankees helped me a lot. It’s just about trying to keep going, which is the most important thing in Fall League.
In an effort to earn additional reps after his stellar summer, Durbin took full advantage of the Fall League, headlining a group of eight Yankees prospects. His fellow Bronx Bomber and Mesa teammate, Benjamin Cowles, also stood out on Friday, following Durbin’s leadoff homer with his own 422-footer that hit 108 mph right off the bat. Cowles is hitting .333/.439/.576 in 10 games this fall.
Even though Durbin and Cowles have gone unnoticed thus far in their professional careers, their performance in baseball’s inaugural fall circuit has been hard to ignore.
“I think you can kind of understand the culture of the Yankees,” Durbin said. “Pretty regularly they come here and perform pretty well from what I understand. Obviously me, Ben and (Nelson) Medina are trying to do our thing here, but it’s definitely just the culture as a whole of the Yankees.
Kevin Parada (Food n°5/MLB No. 89) had four RBIs with his second homer and a three-run double, leading Glendale’s offensive push alongside Bryan Ramos (SCF No. 7), who went 4 for 5 with a homer and three singles.
