Yankees Third Base Options for 2027 | The Decision Room

Who’s Playing Third in the Bronx?

The Decision Room | 2026–27 Offseason | New York Yankees

The Dilemma: The Bronx Has a Problem

The New York Yankees have championship expectations.

They also have a third-base problem that refuses to go away.

Who’s playing third in the Bronx?

In 2026, Yankees third basemen combined for a 75 OPS+ and -8 Defensive Runs Saved. They weren’t just struggling to produce offense. They weren’t providing the defensive stability you’d expect from a position that’s supposed to be a cornerstone of the infield.

And this isn’t some rebuilding club trying to figure out what it has.

This is the New York Yankees.

A franchise with Aaron Judge, championship aspirations, and a roster built to win now. Yet somehow, third base has become a revolving door of temporary solutions, disappointing performances, and questions that never seem to get answered.

Brian Cashman has options. He can trust the players already wearing pinstripes, explore free agency, or trade from an organization that can’t afford to keep surrendering prospects without getting meaningful production in return.

But there’s a difference between filling a position and fixing a problem.

And the Yankees have spent enough time doing the former.

Six candidates. One position. No more placeholders.

Welcome to The Decision Room.

The Candidates

Internal Options

1. RYAN McMAHON

The Glove That Has to Return

2026: .213 AVG | .279 OBP | .357 SLG | .636 OPS | 11 HR | 41 RBI | 3 SB | 0.0 bWAR

2027 Contract: $16M | Final guaranteed season

The Yankees knew they were sacrificing offense when they acquired Ryan McMahon. They weren’t supposed to be sacrificing defense, too.

McMahon’s glove was supposed to justify his place in the lineup. Instead, his defense declined in 2026 while his bat continued to offer little reason for optimism. A defensive rebound is possible, but expecting him to return to elite form feels optimistic.

And even if the glove improves, what exactly are the Yankees getting offensively?

His .668 OPS against right-handed pitching was underwhelming. Against lefties, he was practically unplayable, hovering around a .500 OPS. The power hasn’t compensated for the strikeouts, and his approach offers little evidence of a meaningful turnaround. Even a platoon role is difficult to justify.

Trading McMahon won’t be easy. New York would likely need to absorb salary or accept a minimal return to create roster flexibility, but that’s a conversation worth having.

THE TAKEAWAY: The Yankees can’t let a contract dictate who plays third base.

2. ANTHONY VOLPE

The Prince Who Lost His Crown

2026: .245 AVG | .321 OBP | .336 SLG | .657 OPS | 2 HR | 28 RBI | 12 SB | 1.2 bWAR

2027 Contract: Arbitration 2 | $4M projected

Anthony Volpe was the prince that was promised in the Bronx. The Yankees handed him the keys to shortstop, expecting their next homegrown star.

Four years later, it’s time to take the crown away.

Actually, it’s been time.

Volpe’s OPS has barely moved in three seasons: .657, .663, and .657. The Yankees have experimented with swing changes and different approaches, but the results haven’t followed.

His 2025 barrel rate jumped from 3.9% to 10.5%, yet his batting average fell to .212. That’s the problem with trying to turn every hitter into a power threat.

Volpe doesn’t need to become a slugger. He needs to shorten his swing, use the entire field, and become the pesky, athletic hitter his tools suggest he can be.

His range and arm remain assets, and his labrum surgery adds context to the defensive inconsistency. But potential shouldn’t guarantee another starting job.

Give Volpe an opportunity to compete at third base and for a utility role. Make him prove his glove and offensive adjustments deserve regular playing time.

THE TAKEAWAY: The Yankees shouldn’t hand Volpe another crown. Make him earn it.

Free-Agent Options

3. ALEC BOHM

The Upgrade That Isn’t

2026: .249 AVG | .315 OBP | .383 SLG | .698 OPS | 15 HR | 88 RBI | 2 SB | -0.2 bWAR | 87 OPS+

2027 Projected Contract: 1 year, $10M — FanGraphs

Alec Bohm looks appealing until you start asking what problem he actually solves.

There’s value in a hitter who makes contact. Bohm doesn’t strike out much, handles pitches in the zone, and has demonstrated the ability to hit for average. But contact without impact only gets you so far.

His 2026 season produced a .698 OPS and 87 OPS+. His average exit velocity has hovered around 90–91 mph for three consecutive seasons, offering little evidence of another offensive gear.

Defensively, his -11 Outs Above Average reinforces the concern that New York would be acquiring another third baseman whose glove needs protecting.

Bohm’s strongest argument is his .816 OPS against left-handed pitching. That could make him useful in a platoon, but useful isn’t the same as necessary.

At a projected $10 million, Bohm is an expensive platoon option whose glove needs protecting and whose bat doesn’t provide enough impact to justify it. Even at a discount, he isn’t the upgrade New York needs.

THE TAKEAWAY: The Yankees don’t need another third baseman. They need an upgrade. Bohm isn’t it.

Trade Options

4. ISAAC PAREDES

The Right-Handed Answer

2026: .262 AVG | .360 OBP | .447 SLG | .807 OPS | 25 HR | 94 RBI | 0 SB | 4.1 bWAR | 127 OPS+

2027 Contract: $13.35M club option

The Yankees learned something uncomfortable in 2026.

Without Aaron Judge, who’s their right-handed threat?

When Anthony Volpe or José Caballero is hitting fifth because the lineup lacks better alternatives, that’s a roster-construction problem. Isaac Paredes helps fix that.

He’s not going to impress anyone with eye-popping exit velocities. His value comes from knowing exactly what kind of hitter he is.

Paredes pulls the baseball in the air, controls the strike zone, and takes advantage of pitches he can drive. His 25 home runs, .360 on-base percentage, and 127 OPS+ are exactly the type of production New York needs behind Judge.

His right-handed pull power looks awfully attractive in Yankee Stadium.

The glove is the compromise. Paredes isn’t an above-average defensive third baseman, but his bat makes that trade-off worthwhile. A hitter capable of 25–30 home runs with strong on-base skills belongs in the fifth or sixth spot of this lineup.

Trade Cost: I’d start with a package built around mid-tier prospects, but I’m willing to discuss a more significant return. Paredes is a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter, not a marginal upgrade. His remaining contractual control matters, but so does the opportunity to add a bat this lineup has been missing.

Houston isn’t going to give him away, and I wouldn’t expect them to.

THE TAKEAWAY: Paredes is exactly the kind of hitter New York should be willing to pay for. Don’t let prospect anxiety cost you a legitimate offensive upgrade.

5. JOSH JUNG

The Best Ability Is Availability

2026: .299 AVG | .365 OBP | .462 SLG | .827 OPS | 12 HR | 42 RBI | 1 SB | 2.3 bWAR | 139 OPS+

2027 Contract: Arbitration 2 | $5.2M projected

If you could guarantee Josh Jung 125 healthy games, he’d be my first call. The problem is nobody can make that guarantee.

Jung hit .299 with an .827 OPS and 139 OPS+ in 2026. More encouraging was his improved approach. His strikeout rate dropped from 25.2% in 2025 to 18.0%, while he collected 27 doubles in just 104 games.

That’s the hitter I believe in.

Not necessarily a 30-home-run slugger, but a right-handed bat capable of hitting .280 or better, driving balls into the gaps, and giving the Yankees another legitimate threat behind Aaron Judge.

Defensively, Jung doesn’t need to win a Gold Glove. League-average defense at third would be perfectly acceptable with that offensive production.

But the medical history is impossible to ignore.

Jung played just 46 games in 2024 and 104 in 2026, with his latest season ending after a fractured right hand. New York would need a plan to protect him, perhaps targeting 110–120 games with scheduled rest and reliable infield depth.

Trade Cost: With two years of affordable control, I’d put two organizational top-15 prospects on the table, provided Jung’s medical evaluation checks out.

Jung might be the best all-around fit. His contact ability, gap power, and potential for adequate defense make him an attractive solution, but the Yankees need confidence that they’re acquiring an everyday player rather than another injury question.

THE TAKEAWAY: Jung’s talent makes him my first call. His medical evaluation determines whether I make the deal.

6. JEREMY PEÑA

The Wrong Bidding War

2026: .277 AVG | .325 OBP | .477 SLG | .802 OPS | 22 HR | 56 RBI | 12 SB | 3.7 bWAR | 124 OPS+

2027 Contract: Arbitration 3 | $13.1M projected

Jeremy Peña is exactly the kind of player the Yankees should want. Unfortunately, he’s also exactly the kind of player half the league could be calling Houston about.

Peña brings a dependable right-handed bat, legitimate defensive ability, and the athleticism to make a transition from shortstop to third base.

A .280 hitter with 15–20 home runs and above-average defense at third would be a substantial improvement over New York’s current options. His 22 home runs in 2026 suggest even more power is possible.

While moving him to third would require an adjustment period, his range and arm provide reason to believe he could succeed.

But there’s a problem that has nothing to do with his talent.

The free-agent shortstop market is thin, and several teams need an everyday answer at the position. If Houston makes Peña available, those clubs would have every reason to enter the bidding.

New York would be competing against teams looking for a starting shortstop while planning to move Peña away from the position that makes him especially valuable.

Trade Cost: I’d consider two organizational top-15 prospects for Peña, but wouldn’t chase a bidding war beyond that.

With one season of control remaining and a projected $13.1 million salary, the Yankees would be taking on considerable acquisition cost for a player who isn’t even their first choice.

Peña would make New York better. There’s no question about that. But the acquisition price has to reflect the role he’d actually play in the Bronx.

THE TAKEAWAY: Don’t pay a premium shortstop price to solve a third-base problem.

The Big League Take

An Upgrade, Not Another Placeholder

My first call is Texas.

If Josh Jung’s medicals suggest he can handle 125-plus games, I’m willing to move two organizational top-15 prospects to bring him to the Bronx. His contact ability, gap power, and affordable control make him my preferred option.

If the health concerns are too significant, I’m calling Houston about Isaac Paredes. His on-base ability and right-handed power fit this lineup, and I’d be willing to pay a meaningful prospect price to acquire him. He’s too valuable a hitter to dismiss simply because the first offer isn’t enough.

Jeremy Peña would improve this team, but not at the price a shortstop-starved market could demand.

And if the asking prices don’t make sense, I’m staying internal. Let Volpe compete, explore moving McMahon, and revisit the position at the trade deadline. There’s no reason to sacrifice future flexibility for a player who doesn’t materially improve the roster.

Cashman doesn’t need to win the offseason. He needs to stop losing third base.

The Yankees need an upgrade, not another placeholder.

Own Your Take

Jung, Paredes, Peña, or someone already in pinstripes? Maybe there’s another name Brian Cashman should be calling about.

You’re running the Yankees. Who’s your third baseman in 2027?

Drop your choice in the comments and own your take.