New York Yankees new star third baseman Josh Donaldson recently revealed a surprising workout that he believes helped him enter camp in excellent shape. Donaldson stated that he played basketball as part of his training during the offseason. Basketball provides plenty of cardio so it makes sense that Donaldson would utilize it to his advantage. 

Many high school baseball players are asked to play a sport that forces them to stay in-shape during the offseason. However, MLB players typically stick to the weight room. But playing basketball is a fun way to stay in shape without question.

Donaldson is a former American League MVP. He won the award in 2015 after posting a .297/.371/.586 line with a .939 OPS. He also clubbed 41 home runs and 123 RBI’s during his elite 2015 campaign. 

He has had a number of impressive performances since that year, but his production has fallen off over the past couple of seasons. Josh Donaldson has dealt with various injuries as well as underperformance. But decline is not surprising given his age of 36. In 2021, he hit just .247. However, he still produced 26 homers. 

With all of that being said, there is a chance that Donaldson provides a resurgence in 2022. First off, he is playing in hitter-friendly Yankee stadium. Although it offers more of a benefit for left-handed hitters, it still should give Donaldson a nice boost in production. 

Even more importantly, the news of his offseason workout could be career changing. Over-lifting has the potential to lead to injuries at any age, but especially as players enter their late-30’s. But if Donaldson focused on cardio and keeping a light weight, he might have the durability to stay healthy in 2022 and in future years as well. 

It will be interesting to see how Josh Donaldson fares for the Yankees this season after his basketball-led offseason.