Jose Caballero -- General News

José Caballero is a 28-year-old shortstop for the New York Yankees who bats and throws right-handed. Standing 5'10" and weighing 190 pounds, he was born August 30, 1996 in Las Tablas, Panama. The New York Yankees' #72 was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 (Round 7, Pick 202) after attending Chipola Junior College in Florida, where he won a NJCAA National Championship in 2017 with a .401 batting average and was one of 13 players drafted from that team.

Caballero made his MLB debut on April 15, 2023. Through his career, he has accumulated 917 at-bats with a .226 batting average, 15 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 107 stolen bases. In the 2025 regular season, he has appeared in games with a .229 batting average across 245 at-bats, 2 home runs, 27 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases.

Notably, Caballero overcame significant physical challenges to reach the major leagues, requiring surgeries on all four limbs at different points in his career. These included a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg from a collision at age 16, hand fractures in 2019 from a hit-by-pitch and stolen base attempt, a torn right ACL during winter ball in 2020, and additional hand injuries in 2022. Despite these setbacks, Caballero stated that learning English was the most difficult aspect of his journey to the majors, which he accomplished largely through self-study and watching English-language films.

José Caballero realized his dream of becoming a professional baseball player at age 7 while playing on a Panamanian state team. Growing up in Las Tablas, Panama, Caballero faced significant obstacles despite his early determination. At age 16, while attempting to field a fly ball at shortstop, he collided with the center fielder and broke both the tibia and fibula in his left leg. This injury required immediate surgery followed by two additional procedures, and scouts who had shown interest were deterred by his injury history.

Despite traveling to the United States, Mexico, and Guatemala for tryouts and performing well in an under-18 tournament in Mexico, Caballero struggled to secure a professional contract due to his medical record. His breakthrough came when Lauren Flores, who had coached him at the Mexican tournament, called Jeff Johnson, the head coach at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida. Johnson's program has produced more than a dozen major leaguers including José Bautista, Russell Martin, and Adam Duvall.

At 27 years old, Caballero has achieved his childhood dream. After breaking into Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners last year, he has overcome surgeries on literally every limb to earn the opportunity to be the Tampa Bay Rays' starting shortstop for the upcoming season. His journey demonstrates perseverance in the face of repeated injury setbacks and the importance of mentorship in reaching professional sports at the highest level.

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The New York Yankees optioned Gold Glove shortstop Anthony Volpe to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday following the conclusion of his 20-day minor league injury rehabilitation assignment. Volpe underwent surgery on October 14 to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. His replacement, José Caballero—a former Seattle Mariner—has assumed the starting shortstop role and is performing well for the Yankees' AL-best 13-2 team. Caballero has started at shortstop in 34 of his last 35 games, hitting .259 with four homers, 12 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases (tied for the AL lead). Over his last 21 games, he is batting .316 with seven defensive runs saved, ranking third in baseball.

Volpe struggled during his rehabilitation assignment, hitting .250 with one home run and six RBIs across 13 games while extending a 1-for-11 slump. The 25-year-old has battled offensive challenges throughout his tenure as the Yankees' starting shortstop since 2023, posting a .222 career average and a .212 mark last season (144th among 145 qualified hitters) before his shoulder injury on May 3. Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged Volpe's difficult position but expressed confidence in his work ethic and professionalism. Captain Aaron Judge, who called Volpe immediately after the decision, emphasized that the move reflects the team's current momentum and Volpe's importance to the clubhouse regardless of role.