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While Ryan Jeffers remains the New York Yankees’ top target for catcher before the start of the trade deadline, more interesting names have come to light.
According to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, there are some logical upgrades for the Yankees, including an All-Star from the league’s last-placed team.
“The Yankees need a catcher. With Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra and Ali Sanchez, Yankees catchers rank last in baseball in OPS and wRC+,” Castillo wrote.
“It is the most glaring weakness on the roster. There are two obvious potential upgrades via trade: Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins and Hunter Goodman, the Colorado Rockies’ lone All-Star.”
Goodman leads the MLB at his position with 27 home runs and has been stronger on the road than in the hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Given how much Austin Wells has struggled, in addition to the Yankies and the Rockies making several trades over the years, this could be the latest blockbuster signing.
Apart from Castillo, Mike Asixa of CBS Sports believes Goodman would be a huge upgrade for the Yankees at catcher. However, a former contact between the parties is yet to be made.
“The Yankees have shown interest in Rockies All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman in the past, reports ESPN,” Axisa wrote.
Multiple reports have also been circulating around the Yankees potentially including Spencer Jones as a wildcard in this trade deal. While he strikes out a ton, it is rare to see a player with his power and athleticism.
“The two teams have not spoken recently, however. New York’s catchers have been simply dreadful this season. They rank 29th in batting average (.175) and on-base percentage (.250), 30th in slugging percentage (.269), and 26th with 0.2 WAR.” Axisa added.
But it is clear that the Yankees are not rushing with Goodman at catcher and are primarily treating him as a secondary target. But given how much the Yankees have struggled this season at pitcher, there are bound to be other options.
Other Potential Targets for Yankees at Catcher
The Yankees could be taking a careful approach to pursuing Goodman, with close to two weeks left before the trade deadline and other potential additions on the market.
Former MLB player and now analyst Trevor Plouffe suggested Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno. San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller is another name heavily mentioned in the Yankees’ trade rumors.
While the Yankees have other areas certainly to improve upon, many insiders believe catcher is the biggest area of need, which has escalated further by the absence of slugger Aaron Judge, who is expected to miss several more weeks as he recovers from a rib injury.
So, which is your favorite catcher among the trade rumors? Or should the Yankees proritize another position first? Let us know in the comments.
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