New York Yankees' Top Prospect Will Have to Change Positions

For all of the talk about George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones and all of the New York Yankees' young pitchers, their most intriguing prospect may be a name that only hardcore Yankees fans have heard: shortstop Dax Kilby.

Kilby recently broke into MLB.com's top 100 prospects list, coming in at No. 97 for 2026 (Jones was nowhere to be seen, by the way). And while Keith Law of The Athletic did not have Kilby in his own top 100, he had him just missing the cut at No. 101.

There is a whole lot to like about Kilby, who slashed .353/.457/.441 over 81 plate appearances at Single-A Tampa in 2025. That was right after the 19-year-old was selected by New York in the first round of the MLB Draft.

However, while Kilby has flashed incredible offensive talent, he may not be quite as adept defensively, and Law feels that will result in a position change.

"He’s a fringe-average runner and his arm probably moves him off shortstop regardless, with second base the obvious spot for him," Law wrote. "If this small pro sample is any indication, he can play any position he likes and still be an above-average big leaguer."

Considering the Yankees likely view Lombard as their shortstop of the future, that's perfectly fine.

Of course, the jury is still very much out on Kilby. He barely has any minor-league experience, and he is only a teenager. We have seen plenty of hotshots fizzle out before even hitting the majors, and Kilby could ultimately follow that path.

But it's also possible that the Newnan, Ga. native develops into an absolute stud, which is why New York is surely being very cautious when it comes to potentially extending All-Star second baseman Jazz Chisholm.

Chisholm is slated to hit free agency after next season, but the Yanks may be reluctant to hand him a long-term deal with both Lombard and Kilby on the horizon. Chisholm also might demand around $200 million.

There is no question the Yankees are envisioning a future with Lombard and Kilby as their middle infielders, which is also why they aren't too eager to replace Anthony Volpe. What's the point of finding a replacement if New York feels it has its answer waiting in the minors?

Anyway, there is serious buzz surrounding Kilby heading into 2026. It will be very interesting to see how the youngster performs now that the lights are brighter.

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