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Jorge Castillo
The New York Yankees and infielder Paul DeJong have agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, a source confirmed to ESPN on Sunday.
DeJong, 32, would earn $1 million if he makes the team.
A nine-year veteran, DeJong broke into the majors as the St. Louis Cardinals‘ every-day shortstop in 2017 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting. He was an All-Star two years later when he finished with 30 home runs and 5.2 bWAR, but he has since been unable to replicate that production.
He batted .228 with six home runs and a .642 OPS in 57 games with the Washington Nationals last season. He started 32 games at third base, 11 at second base, seven at shortstop and one at first base.
DeJong’s addition comes shortly after the Yankees re-signed Amed Rosario, another veteran right-handed-hitting utility man, to a one-year, $2.5 million major league deal to seemingly platoon with the left-handed-hitting Ryan McMahon at third base.
The Yankees are expected to be without shortstop Anthony Volpe for the start of the season after he underwent shoulder surgery in October. Other infield options include Jose Caballero and Oswaldo Cabrera, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last May.
The Yankees’ deal with DeJong was first reported by The New York Post.
