The New York Yankees entered the 2025 season hoping they had finally solved their long-standing third base dilemma with the acquisition of Ryan McMahon. Unfortunately, history seems to be repeating itself. McMahon's offensive struggles have persisted, leaving a familiar void at the hot corner and forcing the front office to once again explore the trade market for a solution.

If the Yankees are looking for a young, controllable player with significant upside, they should place a call to the Cincinnati Reds. While Ke'Bryan Hayes anchors third base in Cincinnati, the Yankees' ideal target should be the versatile 24-year-old, Noelvi Marte.

Marte, a natural infielder, was converted to right field by the Reds to accommodate Hayes. Despite showing promise last season, a slow start in 2025 has him sharing time in the outfield. This presents a unique buy-low opportunity. Marte is a former top prospect who hit .263 with 14 homers and a .748 OPS last year, and at just 24, his prime offensive years are still ahead of him.

Acquiring Marte would allow the Yankees to install him as their everyday third baseman, providing the positional consistency he has lacked in Cincinnati. This stability could be the key to unlocking his full potential at the plate. For a Yankees team built to win now but needing to secure its future, betting on Marte's youth and high ceiling could be a smarter move than hoping a veteran like McMahon rediscovers his past form.