On Monday morning in Fort Myers, Fla., the Boston Red Sox completed a significant six-player trade to enhance their infield roster, acquiring Caleb Durbin, a National League Rookie of the Year finalist, from the Milwaukee Brewers. The move, confirmed by sources to MassLive, involved the Red Sox sending Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan to Milwaukee, while obtaining Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler, and a competitive balance draft pick in return.
This trade was finalized as the Red Sox opened spring training at their Fenway South facility, representing a clear attempt to inject versatility and youth into their infield options ahead of the 2026 Major League Baseball season.
Durbin’s Versatility and Fit Highlighted by Red Sox Leadership
Craig Breslow, the Red Sox chief baseball officer, expressed optimism about adding Durbin to the team during a Zoom call with reporters.
“We really like a lot of what Caleb brings to the table,”
Breslow said.
“Strong defender, strong bat-to-ball skills a really versatile right-handed hitter and also feel like he’s a good fit for our park. Just given the profile of hitting the ball in the air to the pull side — I think it was like a 20% air pull metric last year — we feel like that will play well at Fenway. (There’s) versatility in terms of where he can play and still feel like his best days are ahead of him, just given the age and control and we’re excited to get him into our organization.”
Durbin, who recently turned 25, had been linked to the Red Sox as a potential infield addition in the weeks leading to the trade. With established players like Willson Contreras at first base and Trevor Story at shortstop, and the recent signing of free agent Isiah Kiner-Falefa, the team now has multiple options at second and third base with Durbin, Marcelo Mayer, and Kiner-Falefa competing for playing time as spring training ramps up.
Red Sox Emphasize Durbin’s Potential Role and Flexibility
Regarding Durbin’s positioning in the lineup, Breslow stated,
“I think at this point we’re just excited about getting a really good player into the organization and we’ll figure out where he fits best. Just doesn’t feel like it makes sense to commit to anything right now. He’s got experience at third base in the big leagues, some experience at second coming up. He’s played a little bit of shortstop. And I think that versatility is something that helps us out, but we’ll figure that out as we get into camp and get underway.”
Durbin primarily played third base last season, logging 1,060.2 innings at that position during his rookie year in 2025, but his ability to cover second base and some shortstop provides the Red Sox with valuable flexibility. His defensive skills and batting profile—characterized by solid contact and a high rate of balls pulled in the air—are expected to suit Fenway Park’s unique dimensions.
Performance Overview of Caleb Durbin and New Acquisitions
Last season, Durbin appeared in 136 games with the Brewers, posting a .256 batting average, 11 home runs, 25 doubles, and driving in 53 runs. He stole 18 bases successfully out of 24 attempts and maintained an impressive strikeout rate of just 9.9%, ranking among the best in Major League Baseball. Additionally, Durbin led the National League by being hit by 24 pitches, demonstrating his ability to get on base consistently.
Defensively, Durbin contributed five defensive runs saved at third base and showed a tendency to pull the ball in the air, a quality Breslow emphasized as well suited to Fenway’s playing field. Statcast data noted that while Durbin did not regularly hit the ball with elite power, his contact skills reduce strikeouts significantly, an asset for the lineup.
Alongside Durbin, the Red Sox added 28-year-old utility player Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler, a younger infielder who appeared in 25 games following his 2025 debut. Monasterio featured in five positions last season, primarily shortstop, and maintained a .755 OPS over 68 games with Milwaukee. Seigler, a former minor league free agent, is expected to contribute as a versatile backup option.
Red Sox Maintain Depth Despite Trading Multiple Pitchers
To acquire the three infielders, Boston parted ways with Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan, all of whom were part of the club’s 40-man roster. Harrison, 24, was the centerpiece of the outgoing group, having been obtained by Boston in the Rafael Devers trade last June. He pitched only 12 innings with the Red Sox and was slated for rotation depth in 2026. Drohan, a 27-year-old former fifth-round pick, impressed last year with a 2.27 ERA in 47 ⅔ innings for Boston’s Triple-A affiliate WooSox and held the No. 15 prospect ranking in the organization.
Despite this outflow, the Red Sox’s starting pitching staff remains deep, with veteran arms Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, Brayan Bello, and Johan Oviedo leading the rotation. Left-handed rookies Connelly Early and Payton Tolle, both rumored in trade talks during the offseason, are expected to remain firmly in the Boston pitching mix. Other familiar names like Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval also continue to bolster the team’s pitching base.
David Hamilton and Draft Pick Add Strategical Assets for Milwaukee
The speedy infielder David Hamilton returns to Milwaukee, a team that originally drafted him in 2019. Hamilton appeared in 204 games over the past three seasons for Boston and was central to the outfield and infield depth. The deal also included a competitive balance draft pick projected to be the 67th overall in the upcoming July draft, which compensates somewhat for the Red Sox losing several high draft picks related to previous signings such as Suárez.
This pick will allow Boston to pick twice in the draft’s first two rounds — first at No. 20 and then with Milwaukee’s acquired selection — as they look to replenish their farm system for future seasons.
Impact on Red Sox Roster and Plans for Opening Camp
All six players involved in the transaction occupy spots on the 40-man major league roster. With Durbin, Monasterio, and Seigler joining Boston, the team’s infield depth is expected to improve, particularly given their minor league options which allow flexible movement between Triple-A and the major league squad. Nick Sogard, Nate Eaton, Romy Gonzalez, and recent waiver claim Tsung-Che Cheng remain available as additional infield backups behind these new acquisitions as well as Mayer and Kiner-Falefa.
The Red Sox expect to have a full 40-man roster once camp opens, pending the official addition of Isiah Kiner-Falefa who is still finalizing his deal. To accommodate roster needs, injured right-hander Tanner Houck could be moved to the 60-day injured list, freeing a spot for the new players.
Full trade: Red Sox get Durbin, Monasterio, Seigler and a Comp B pick for Harrison, Hamilton and Drohan, per sources.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) February 9, 2026
