TAMPA, FL — Depth on the pitcher’s mound might be an issue for the New York Yankees but behind the plate, that certainly does not appear to be an issue.
“It’s certainly an area of depth; everybody’s done a great job of showcasing their abilities, not just for us but for others,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. “I feel like we have more than just two major-league catchers sitting in our camp.”
Right now, the competition is steep with Jose Trevino trying to cement a spot on the Opening Day roster with Austin Wells and Ben Rortvedt lurking.
Last season, before his season-ending wrist injury, he slashed .210/.257/.313 in 53 games. This spring training, which was delayed by a calf injury, his numbers are .231/.214/.676 through four games. Wells, one of the Yankees’ top prospects who made his major-league debut at the end of last year, is batting .310 with a .964 OPS in over twice as many at-bats as Trevino.
Rortvedt is making a case for himself as a backup catcher, with his stats falling right between the two aforementioned backstops with .235/.435/.670 slashline in 17 at-bats.
However, there’s hope for Trevino. With the recent appearances of Bernie Williams at the Yankees’ camp, he has been leaning on some additional knowledge and insight from the Yankees’ great.
“He just helped me out a little bit,” Trevino said with a smile.
Overall, he feels that franchise icons like Williams add a positive presence to the atmosphere in Tampa — that he’s not the only one cashing in words of wisdom from prior generations.
“It’s great that they’re here, a lot of the old guys and the old timers and legends; it’s what you call them, you call them legends,” Trevino said. “Get to see them around, get information from them, I think they’re very dialed into the game and they love the game of baseball, that’s why they’re here.”
With a few more spring training games left, the catching competition is tightening. So much so that the possibility of manager Aaron Boone carrying three catchers still exists — or that one of them is traded to bolster their infield depth.
