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The New York Yankees have not yet announced who their starting catcher will be for the 2019 season. However, we can take a look at the leading candidates and make an educated guess as to who will be behind the plate on Opening Day.
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The History of the Yankees Starting Catchers
The Yankees are a baseball team with a rich history. They have had many great players over the years, and one of the most important positions on the field is the catcher. The catcher is the player who is responsible for catching the ball when the pitcher throws it, and they also have to work with the pitchers to figure out what kind of pitches to throw. The Yankees have had some great catchers over the years, and this article will take a look at some of them.
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra (May 12, 1925 – September 22, 2015) was an American professional baseball catcher, who later took on the roles of manager and coach. He played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), all with the New York Yankees. He was an 18-time All-Star and won 10 World Series championships as a player—more than any other player in MLB history.
Thurman Munson
Thurman Munson was the starting catcher for the Yankees from 1971-1979. He was a 7-time All-Star, 3-time Gold Glove winner, and the 1976 American League MVP. He was also a member of the Yankees’ World Series winning teams in 1977 and 1978. Munson tragically died in a plane crash in 1979.
Jorge Posada
Jorge Posada is a former professional baseball player who played for the New York Yankees from 1995 to 2011. He was a four-time All-Star and won five World Series titles with the Yankees. Posada was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, on August 17, 1971. His father, Jorge Sr., was a professional baseball player in Puerto Rico. Posada’s mother, Olga, is from the Dominican Republic. Jorge Sr. and Olga met while they were both playing baseball in Puerto Rico. Posada has two brothers, Joaquin and Javier. He also has a sister, Amanda.
Posada grew up playing baseball and soccer. He idolized Roberto Clemente, a Hall of Fame outfielder who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. When he was 14 years old, Posada’s family moved to Florida so that his father could pursue a coaching career with the Houston Astros organization. Jorge Jr. attended Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida. After high school, he enrolled at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama.
Posada was drafted by the Yankees in the 24th round of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft. He made his debut with the Yankees’ Single-A affiliate, the Greensboro Hornets, in 1994. The following year, he was promoted to Double-A, and he made his Triple-A debut in 1996. In September 1996, Posada was called up to the majors for the first time.
Posada became the Yankees’ starting catcher in 2000. He held that position for 11 seasons until he was replaced by Francisco Cervelli in 2011. Posada retired from baseball after the 2011 season; his number 20 was retired by the Yankees in 2015.
The Current Starting Catcher
The current starting catcher for the New York Yankees is Austin Romine. Romine was drafted by the Yankees in the second round of the 2007 MLB draft. He made his Major League debut in 2011.
Gary Sanchez
Sanchez, who is in his fourth season with the Yankees, has been the team’s primary catcher since the 2016 season. He has established himself as one of the best catchers in baseball, and is a two-time All-Star (2017, 2018). Sanchez set a franchise record for most home runs by a catcher in a single season in 2017 (33), and he is currently the Yankees’ all-time leader in home runs by a catcher (90).
His Skills
Aside from his offensive contributions, Sanchez is considered an excellent defensive catcher. He has a strong arm and is adept at throwing out would-be base-stealers. In addition, he is praised for his ability to frame pitches and call games.
His Weaknesses
While Sanchez has some impressive strengths as a player, he also has a number of clear weaknesses. One of the biggest problems for Sanchez is his lack of discipline at the plate. He often swings at bad pitches and gets himself out rather than working the count and waiting for a good pitch to hit. This was a particular issue for him in 2018, when he struck out 41 times in just 97 plate appearances.
Another issue for Sanchez is his defense. He has a strong arm, but he is not always accurate with his throws and he sometimes has trouble handling low pitches. He also tends to get nervous in big situations and has made some costly errors in crucial games.
The Future of the Yankees Catchers
The Yankees have a long history of great catchers. Some of the all-time greats have donned the pinstripes, including Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey, Elston Howard, and Thurman Munson. The team has also been blessed with some great catches in recent years, including Jorge Posada, Brian McCann, and Gary Sanchez. But who is the catcher of the future for the Yankees?
Kyle Higashioka
According to MLB.com, Kyle Higashioka is the Yankees’ starting catcher. The website says that Higashioka “has been with the Yankees since 2017 and has played in 41 games over the past two seasons.” MLB.com also says that Higashioka “batted .267/.351/.521 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in 22 games (21 starts) last season.”
Miguel Andujar
Miguel Andujar is one of the Yankees’ top prospects, and he is expected to be the starting catcher for the team in the near future. Andujar is a strong hitter with a good arm, and he has the potential to be a very good catcher at the Major League level. The Yankees are high on Andujar, and they believe that he has the potential to be a star player for the team.
