The New York Yankees have been linked to several big-name free agent shortstops this MLB offseason, such as Carlos Correa and Corey Seager. Recent reports have even suggested that New York may want to go with a veteran stopgap at shortstop until top prospects Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe are ready for the majors.
However, there's one solution to the Yankees shortstop problem that no one is talking about.
Adalberto Mondesi
The Yankees should try to acquire shortstop Adalberto Mondesi from the Kansas City Royals. Mondesi isn't a free agent, but he could be available for the right price, as the Royals learned this past MLB season that fellow infielder Nicky Lopez can play shortstop in a pinch- plus they also have top shortstop prospect Bobby Witt Jr. waiting in the wings.
Mondesi, 26, might not factor into the Royals long-term plans. But he could certainly be the perfect shortstop for the Yankees. Blindingly fast and slick with the glove, Mondesi would add two elements to the Yankees that were missing last season.
The Royals shortstop ranks among the top-ten in the MLB at his position in the Statcast statistic Outs Above Average, which basically shows how well a defender performs compared to a merely league average player at his position. So the Yankees could potentially acquire one of the best defensive shortstops in the league, allowing Gleyber Torres to remain at second base, where he was far better in the field and at the dish.
Aside from defense, Mondesi also offers one very underrated skill. He is blazing fast. When healthy, Mondesi has ranked in the 98th percentile in sprint speed for three straight seasons in his career. The speedy shortstop has stolen as many as 43 bases in a single season. That would be a game-changing addition to the Yankees lineup, which has too many sluggers and not enough speedsters. Mondesi would also add balance to the lineup, as he is a switch-hitter.
There are certainly downsides to acquiring a player like Mondesi. Once one of the top shortstop prospects in baseball, injuries and inconsistency have caused his value to plummet considerably. However, this is a player with untapped potential, particularly at the plate, where he flashed the ability to be a .300 hitter in the minors. And the Yankees could have team control of him through the 2024 season.
The Yankees have taken chances on players such as this before- think Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hicks. Why not pull the trigger on a trade with the rebuilding Royals?
It might just be the unlikely solution to the Yankees shortstop problem.
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