The New York Yankees’ catching depth was excellent behind the plate in 2023. However, on the plate, the story differed. Jose Trevino, Kyle Higashioka, and Ben Rortvedt struggled heavily with the bat. Prospect Austin Wells, who made a late debut, looked promising in his limited appearances and left a significant impact.
However, in 2024, the Yankees need strong backstops who can contribute with the bat as well. They do not want to compromise on the offensive front just to have a quality catcher behind the plate. If the front office moves ahead with this mentality, a former All-Star catcher could see himself out as he hits arbitration this coming off-season.
MLB Expert Says Jose Trevino Could Be A Surprise Non-Tender Candidate From Yankees!
The New York Yankees’ decision-making skills and competency will be tested this off-season. They have 17 arbitration-eligible players awaiting their fate. Needless to say, not everyone will have a contract by the time opening day inches closer. Thus, the front office is going to have to non-tender a lot of players. While some names should be a no-brainer, the Bronx Bombers can make a surprise move by non-tendering catcher Jose Trevino, says MLB Trade rumors expert Anthony Franco. He made a list of players who have a higher than 10 percent chance of being cut, which featured Trevino. The catcher had a curtailed season in 2023 due to a wrist injury. He featured in 55 games in total, wherein he posted a .210 batting average with four homers and 15 RBIs.
Jose Trevino joined the New York Yankees in 2022, during which he made his career first All-Star appearance. He had a strong season, which made him a regular backstop behind the plate. However, with injury concerns looming over and prospects waiting to explode, time is running out for Jose. If he is unable to return to full health by spring training, the Bombers might choose Kyle Higashioka over him. Trevino’s journey from an unheralded prospect to an All-Star catcher has been a remarkable one. Moreover, his contributions to the Yanks in terms of handling the pitching staff and providing reliable defense behind the plate were evident. However, for the sake of safeguarding the long-term future of the franchise, something will have to give.
Kyle Higashioka & Ben Rortvedt, Also Under The Radar!
It seems the New York Yankees are in a mood to completely diminish the catching depth. Earlier, rumors emerged that the Yanks have been signaling to other teams that Kyle Higashioka and Ben Rortvedt would be made available for trade. Higashioka remained the team’s regular backstop alongside Jose Trevino until Austin Wells made his debut in September.
Wells’ entry resulted in a deduction in Higashioka’s playing time. On the other hand, Ben Rortvedt failed to make an impact on the plate. He was excellent as a catcher despite Gerrit Cole’s repeated scolding. However, the lack of offensive lackluster worked against him. Having said that, the Yankees need to be extremely careful here. They need to have experienced catchers who have the stamina to last the entire season. Austin Wells still does not seem to be a finished product for now.
