Dax Kilby’s stay in the Arizona Fall League is doing exactly what the Yankees hoped it would do: remind everyone why he was their top pick in 2025.
The 19-year-old entered this year with plenty of buzz after a pro debut that showed off loud exit velocities and a calmness that stood out right away. But hamstring problems kept interrupting his 2026 season, and he wound up appearing in only 32 games, all at the same level in Tampa. Even with the stop-and-start year, he still produced a strong .883 OPS, hitting .261 with a .448 on-base percentage.
He never got the chance to move up to High-A Hudson Valley, which would have given him a bigger stage, but the Fall League has given him that spotlight instead. And so far, he’s making the most of it.
Kilby has put up a .290 average, a .613 slugging percentage and a .964 OPS against a field full of prospects needing extra reps. He’s also collected seven extra-base hits and struck out only four times.
A big reason for the surge is a revamped swing. Kilby has been showing off a new setup designed to make his transition to pro ball smoother and cut down on ground balls.
He starts a bit narrower and a bit more open than he did in 2025, a change meant to help him recognize pitches better and get the bat moving faster into the right path. The production from either version of his swing has been impressive, but this new look seems to have unlocked another level, and he’s still only 19.
That matters for the Yankees because second base remains a clear long-term question. The club still doesn’t have an established answer there to pair with George Lombard Jr., even as hopes remain that Anthony Volpe keeps taking steps forward in 2027 and beyond and that Lombard Jr. fully claims the job. Kilby could end up fitting into that picture, and if he does, he’d bring the kind of on-base skills the Yankees have badly missed in recent seasons.
New York finished 24th in on-base percentage this year, and while Aaron Judge’s absence played a part, the overall point is hard to ignore: the Yankees need more hitters who can reach base. Kilby has already shown that trait throughout his young career, and this Fall League run is another sign that his bat may be ready to move quickly.
In Other News...
Yankees Are Suddenly Eyeing An Astros Infield Fix After October Failure
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If Pena proves too difficult to pry loose, Isaac Paredes offers a more practical fallback for a club that could still use help at third base. Christian Walker is also part of the conversation, but the fit is much shakier because of his age, salary and recent performance, which makes him a far less appealing swing for a Yankees team that needs a cleaner solution than another big gamble. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Suddenly Have A Dream Trade Target Fans Can't Ignore
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For Yankees fans, the appeal is obvious. New York never stops looking for ways to reshape the roster, and De La Cruz would instantly become the sort of dynamic talent that changes a lineup and a defense overnight. The question is not whether the Yankees would be interested in a player with that ceiling, but whether Cincinnati would ever seriously entertain a trade of a player whose value could be as much about the future as the present. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Finally Have A Real Answer At Third Base
Third base has been a sore spot for the Yankees this season, and that alone makes Isaac Paredes a name worth monitoring. His situation with the Astros is at least part of the reason the conversation has started: Houston has a reported $13.35 million club option for 2027 on the table, and while the expectation is that the Astros will exercise it, their crowded infield could complicate the picture.
For the Yankees, the fit is obvious enough to at least imagine what it would look like if Houston ever decided to move in a different direction. There have been no reported negotiations between the clubs, and any real movement would hinge on roster strategy and contract math, but Paredes stands out as the kind of player who could change the equation at a position where New York has not gotten enough offense. [Read more 🡒]