Grading the Yankees for 2025: Positional groups, bench and bullpen

BULLPEN

With rare exceptions, a strong bullpen has been a hallmark of the Yankees since the mid-1990s, and this season should be no different. Devin Williams, a two-time All-Star in six standout seasons with the Brewers, takes over for Clay Holmes as the closer and various effective arms, with different looks, will precede him to the mound. There’s the versatile Luke Weaver, who was effective after taking over for Holmes in early September as the closer — which continued in the postseason — as well as lefty side-armer Tim Hill, splitter specialist Fernando Cruz, Mark Leiter Jr. and Ian Hamilton, among others.

GRADE: A

MIDDLE INFIELDERS

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back to his more comfortable position of second base — after doing well playing third for the first time in his career after being obtained from the Marlins last season — and Anthony Volpe is entrenched at shortstop. They are two of the most athletic players on the field for the Yankees and, while the outgoing Chisholm’s bold spring training proclamation that the pair will be “the best” second base-shortstop combination in baseball prompted some smiles and some head-shaking, the potential for something special is there. Chisholm isn’t always the best with strike zone discipline but provides some pop and speed on the bases. Volpe has shown the ability to provide the same but needs to do so with more consistency than he showed in his first two seasons.

GRADE: B

CORNER INFIELDERS

Paul Goldschmidt is coming off the worst season of an otherwise distinguished career, and the Yankees are banking on the 37-year-old bouncing back. Signs in spring training pointed in that direction, but those questions will trail the seven-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner well into the season. After yet another injury to DJ LeMahieu — and with the Yankees unable to secure another option on the market (that effort continued through the end of spring training) — everyday third base duties fall to switch-hitting utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera, who has demonstrated an ability to play multiple positions but hasn’t yet proved that he can hit consistently at this level. That chance is now.

GRADE: C+

OUTFIELD

After Juan Soto’s defection to the Mets, two-time AL MVP Aaron Judge moves back to rightfield. No issues there, obviously. Cody Bellinger, who has been a mostly terrific defender in the outfield and also at first base, takes over in centerfield. Bellinger, whose lefthanded swing seems a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium, won the 2019 National League MVP award with the Dodgers, but four of his five seasons since then have been subpar by his standards. Jasson Dominguez spent spring training trying to learn leftfield and, though results were shaky at times, showed improvement. While that remains a question, just about everyone expects him to hit.

GRADE: B

CATCHING

Austin Wells grabbed the starting job from Jose Trevino in the season’s first half in 2024 and never let it go. Known throughout his minor-league development as an offense-first catcher, Wells, through relentless work, has turned himself into an above-average defender. The next step in his development is showing he can handle a full season, both offensively — he struggled at the plate late in the season and into the playoffs — and behind the plate. Grinds out at-bats to the degree that he got plenty of opportunities in spring training in the leadoff spot.

GRADE: B+

DH/BENCH

With Giancarlo Stanton starting the year on the injured list, with no timetable for his return, the Yankees have significant questions at DH. To conserve Judge in the early going, he’ll get some games there, but the primary DH duties likely will fall to the lefty-swinging Ben Rice (late in camp, the Yankees were looking for a righthanded-hitting option). Reserve outfielder Trent Grisham is a solid defender and J.C. Escarra, though he hasn’t played in the majors, had a standout spring training and looks like a sleeper.

GRADE: C+