The New York Yankees acquired Starlin Castro from the Chicago Cubs earlier in the offseason to fill their void at second base. However, general manager Brian Cashman believes Castro's athleticism can translate to another infield position.
If third baseman Chase Headley suffers an injury or continues to play poorly on offense or defense, it's possible Castro fills in for the veteran at some point next season. It appears as if Cashman is viewing Castro as Headley's backup.
"We'll see," general manager Brian Cashman told Chad Jennings of The LoHud Yankees Blog when asked if the team was going to acquire another corner infielder before spring training. "We might do some non-roster invites, but we also think Castro can swing over (to third base) and plug a hole there."
Castro, who had been the subject of trade rumors since last offseason, was moved from shortstop to second base last year when he was with the Cubs. The emergence of rookie Addison Russell forced manager Joe Maddon to make the switch, which ended up working out nicely since Castro's range better translates to second.
But will he be able to handle third base? He's not exactly the greatest fielder and it's been a while since he's logged a game at the position.
"Although Castro has not played third base since rookie ball - and even then, he played only a handful of games at third - the Yankees believe his athleticism and experience on the left side of the diamond will let him handle third base without a problem," writes Jennings. "Cashman was clear in saying Castro was acquired primarily to play second base, but the Yankees see him as a versatile infielder who's capable of handling shortstop and third base whenever Didi Gregorius and Chase Headley need a break."
Headley did not have a good season in 2015, which has raised many questions in terms of the team's future at third. The 31-year-old is under contract for three more seasons and after hitting just .259/.324/.369 with 74 runs scored, 11 home runs and 62 RBI (in addition to 23 errors in the field and a dWAR of -0.4) last year, there probably won't long be a long leash for the veteran if his struggles carry over into 2016.
"The Yankees need better play at third base, but unlike short and second, they won't be getting an upgrade from the outside," George A. King III of the New York Post wrote last month. "What they hope to get is Chase Headley putting a poor fielding season behind him and helping a rotation that needs all the help it can get."
With Gregorius (25) at short, Castro (25) at second and Greg Bird (23) slated to take over for Mark Teixeira full-time at first after the 2016 season, it doesn't appear as if Headley fits in with the youthful and athletic infield. The team also has emerging middle infield prospects such as Rob Refsnyder, Jorge Matteo and Tyler Wade, so it may not be too long Headley is unseated at the hot corner.
There was some talk about Castro moving over to third when he was a member of the Cubs, so it's possible he sees a decent amount of time there in 2016 depending on how Headley performs.
