Infielder Caleb Durbin, recently acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Milwaukee Brewers, spoke about the frequent inquiries regarding his 5-foot-7 stature during his first day with the team in Fort Myers, Florida. The 25-year-old, who finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season, expressed confidence in his abilities despite the comparisons to Dustin Pedroia. Red Sox officials see him as a potential everyday player.
In Fort Myers, Florida, Caleb Durbin joined the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday following his trade from the Milwaukee Brewers two days earlier. At 5-foot-7, Durbin has faced questions about his size throughout his career, much like former Red Sox star Dustin Pedroia. "I mean, I hear questions about it every time I do a press conference," Durbin said. "It’s always going to be there. It’s not really something I worry too much about when I'm playing, but I’ve been the smallest guy on the field at every level, so it's nothing new to me."
Durbin, a 25-year-old right-handed hitter and 14th-round pick in the 2021 Draft, had a solid rookie season in 2025 with the Brewers, batting .256/.334/.387 with 25 doubles, 11 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. He finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting as Milwaukee lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series. To counter the focus on his size, Durbin emphasized performance: "Just play to the best of my abilities," he said. "That's all you can really control. Play hard and if you're confident in what you can do, then you'll be all right. I think that's the biggest thing. Just believe in yourself."
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow confirmed Durbin is viewed as an everyday player for the 2026 Red Sox. Questions remain about his lineup position—potentially near the top or sixth/seventh—and defensive role, either at third base, where he played mostly last season, or second base from his minor league experience. Durbin admires Pedroia, modeling his game after him: "He was definitely one of my favorite players growing up. And a guy that I definitely try to model my game around."
Durbin previously played under manager Pat Murphy in Milwaukee, who coached Pedroia at Arizona State. "I would ask [Murphy] a lot of questions more than anything, and he would tell me stories all the time of when he coached him back at ASU," Durbin said. Murphy has already texted Pedroia about the trade.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora praised Durbin: "I don't see Caleb becoming a dude where he's gonna hit 40 home runs, but he's a guy that’s gonna drive in runs, he's gonna get on base, he's gonna be part of the solution." Cora noted Durbin's focus on defense and baserunning. Looking ahead, Durbin aims to improve: "Now it’s just continuing to push the envelope of batted balls, exit velo, all that stuff, bat speed... all I really care about is getting better every year."
