Panamanian Luis Durango Revives Old-School Baseball With Bunting and Speed in the Minors

Luis Durango’s first games with the Somerset Patriots looked like a return to baseball’s older rhythms: bunts in motion, daring steals and speed replacing power.

The 23-year-old Panamanian left-handed outfielder is having what EFE described as a breakout season with the New York Yankees’ Double-A affiliate. At 1.77 meters and 61 kilograms, Durango stands out in a modern game where his contact-based style is uncommon.

He uses running bunts, the Baltimore chop and a modified swing in which he holds the bat high and keeps his hands widely separated. Durango says the mechanics shorten the distance between his hands and the barrel, helping him reduce strikeouts. At times, he starts moving toward first base before making contact, much like a softball player.

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I would describe it as something unique, and that is what makes me special.

In his first game with Somerset, he turned a ground ball along the third-base line into a triple, reaching third in 11.06 seconds after recording an exit velocity of 88.5 miles per hour. The next night, he led off with a walk, stole second and third, then scored at home as part of a double steal.

With guidance from Yankees hitting director Jarret DeHart, Durango accepted less power in exchange for more consistent contact that could exploit his speed. He said his love of baseball began “since I was in my mother’s womb” and named his father, former major leaguer Luis Durango, as his favorite player, along with Ichiro Suzuki, Brett Gardner and Mariano Rivera.

Durango signed with Cleveland in 2019 and spent four mostly quiet seasons in that organization. The Yankees selected him in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft in December 2024. He began the 2026 season with the Tampa Tarpons in Class A, where he refined the approach that has driven his standout campaign.

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Since I was in my mother’s womb.