Three inexpensive infielders the Yankees should strongly consider

The New York Yankees are facing a surplus of question marks this offseason, but no uncertainty is more consequential than the infield. In its current condition, the Yankee infield appears incomplete. At the corners, Ben Rice and Ryan McMahon pack power against righties, but struggle to hit against southpaws. At shortstop, Anthony Volpe, who will miss Opening Day after undergoing shoulder surgery, and Jose Caballero both posted replacement-level numbers last season. The same can be said of catcher Austin Wells.

If the Yankees are going to effectively build an offense around Aaron Judge and, ideally, avoid a postseason pounding like the last one, the batting order will need to change drastically. However, owner Hal Steinbrenner's goal to drop the annual salary below $300 million complicates matters. This vastly limits what general manager Brian Cashman can do.

Still, the Yankees have at least talked to Kyle Tucker. If they are going to make a splash this offseason, New York will need to get creative. With cash constraints in mind, here are three inexpensive infielders the Yankees should consider.

1B/2B/3B Song Sung-mun 

On Friday, news surfaced that Sung-mun, who possesses a skillset much like Hyeseong Kim’s, is being posted by the Kiwoom Heroes of South Korea’s KBO. This past season, he was voted best hitter in the KBO, hitting .315/.387/.530 with 26 home runs. His speed also played a role for the Heroes, nabbing 25 bases in 27 attempts. This comes after a season where he stole 21 bases in as many attempts.

Sung-mun rose to prominence last year, when he hit for a batting average of .340, a stat that should have the Yankees’ attention. And with his left-handed bat in Yankee Stadium, he may have surprising power, though this will depend on how he adjusts to Major League pitching. He will likely sign a contract in the range of Kim’s three-year, $12.5 million deal.

2B/3B/OF Brendan Donovan 

Donovan might not be the power-hitting lefty Yankee fans dream of, but he is a Swiss Army Knife in nearly every other aspect. Currently with the St. Louis Cardinals, Donovan has been a versatile, one-time Gold Glove utilityman. At the plate, he is a high-contact hitter, rarely whiffing or striking out, a skillset that could work to offset the Yankees’ current bat-to-ball problem.

Last season, Donovan hit .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs. If the Yankees were to trade for him, he would likely spend most of his time at second base, moving Jazz Chisholm Jr. to shortstop. He is estimated to earn $5.75 million in arbitration next year, according to Spotrac. 

1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto 

With contract estimates reaching above $60 million for four years, the recently posted Okamoto will undoubtedly be the most expensive player on this list. However, he comes with transformative potential that makes this price tag a compelling bargain. Okamoto led Japan’s NPB in home runs three times and won a total of three Golden Gloves at both corners of the infield, offering power potential and defensive stability.

Last season, Okamoto hit .327/.417/.598 (1.014 OPS) with 15 home runs during an injury-shortened season with the Yomiuri Giants. For the Yankees, Okamoto could platoon with Rice at first and McMahon at third – if he doesn’t win a starting job. Given his ability to hit for contact and power, there is an outsized chance he will become an everyday player.